George and Buonanotte bid Lincoln goodnight in Chelsea's comeback win

The highlight of Tyrique George’s fledgling Chelsea career may have been in scoring a goal in the Club World Cup three months ago but here he helped stave off another bout of introspection at Stamford Bridge as he scored the equaliser and assisted Facundo Buonanotte’s winner to deny Lincoln City a famous cup victory.

- Peter Lansley

Rob Street, who turns 24 this Friday, must have thought his birthday had come early when he gave the League One side a deserved lead at the end of a bemusing first half in which Chelsea were out-thought and outfought.

It was not rocket science. Lincoln’s predilection for a set-piece - they scored from 30 last season, more than anyone in England’s top four divisions - was signalled from the very off.

Receiving the kickoff, Freddie Draper teed the ball up with his first touch before volleying a veritable up-and-under to force the first of two long throw-ins.

The second was hurled in by Tom Hamer and Chelsea only half-cleared; from the edge of the penalty area, Ben House played a cute short reverse pass into the inside-right channel for Lewis Montsma to crack a low near-perfect shot against the inside of a post.

The stage was set. Lincoln, surging into third place in League One after a run of only one defeat in 11 games in all competitions this season, had nothing to lose; Chelsea, the Club World Champions, everything.