EFL Championship REVIEW 15 Sep 2026: Lincoln stun Skubala's Bristol City as Middlesbrough peg back Millwall

Michael Skubala left Lincoln City in May to take over at Bristol City, and his first meeting with his old club ended in defeat. Freddie Draper struck the only goal of the game at Ashton Gate in the 53rd minute, sweeping home after Ben House pounced on a mishit Bristol City backpass. The win came in Lincoln's first Championship campaign in 65 years, the side now led by Skubala's former assistants, Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, as joint head coaches.

Bristol City pushed for an equaliser through Yu Hirakawa, whose effort was punched over by Lincoln goalkeeper George Wickens, and through second-half substitute Dominic Ballard, last season's top scorer at Ashton Gate. Lincoln had chances of their own at the other end: Chieo Ogbene headed wide in the first half from a Dom Jefferies cross, and late on substitute Daniel Oyegoke's deflected shot was saved by Sam Tickle.

Our model had made Bristol City the narrow favourite before kick-off — a call that did not survive the afternoon.

At the Riverside, Millwall raced into a two-goal lead inside 36 minutes through Tairyk Arconte and Lyndon Dykes, but Middlesbrough hit back after the interval. Head coach Kim Hellberg sent on three fresh players at half-time — Kyle Joseph, Max Arfsten and Jeremy Sarmiento — and the change worked: Amario Cozier-Duberry pulled one back in the 50th minute, and Will Lankshear headed in a Luke Ayling cross to complete the recovery in the 61st. No further goals followed, and the game finished 2-2.

Our model had made Middlesbrough the clear favourite at home — the second Championship pick of the day that did not hold up. Two near-misses to open the review, in a round where the club playing its first season back in the second tier for 65 years walked away with all three points.