Overview
- Middlesbrough recovered from a first-half deficit to beat Lincoln 2-1 at the Riverside on Saturday, August 15, 2026, to open their Championship campaign with three points.
- Adam Reach opened the scoring for Lincoln in the 12th minute with a fierce left-foot shot that beat debutant goalkeeper Radek Vitek.
- Will Lankshear equalised about 62 minutes in and then netted the match-winner in stoppage time to complete a second-half brace for the summer signing.
- Boro head coach Kim Hellberg said his first-half structure was not good enough and praised the players and supporters for a much stronger second-half response.
- Lincoln’s long unbeaten run of 29 matches ended in their first Championship match in roughly 65 years, and joint coaches Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw praised the squad’s first-half performance despite the loss.