Phil Smith's verdict: Why Lee Johnson felt this Sunderland win was so significant

Next week they are essentially being forced to face Manchester United 21s even though, as Lee Johnson describes, they face a 'perfect storm' of selection issues.

They have a raft of players away on international duty, no shortage of injury concerns and just three days later, a crucial league game away at Gillingham.

Given the quality (and investment) in that United side, it's a contest that looks a tall order and most importantly for Johnson, one unlikely to benefit the younger players in either camp as it will essentially end up mirroring a normal U23s game.

There have been previous years where this competition has proved valuable in providing much-needed minutes for players on the fringes of the early league XI, but this year the

Carabao Cup has served that purpose and pushed this often slightly bizarre competition even further down the pecking order.

Though there was a core of experienced players in this side, it has taken on a distinctly developmental look as Johnson rightly prioritises the push for League One promotion.

And though Lincoln City's injury issues meant they named a bench of just four substitutes, the XI they fielded was a strong and experienced one.

For Sunderland to win was impressive enough, but even more notable was the way they were able to do so while largely reproducing the style that has so excited fans through the first two months of the senior campaign.

As Johnson put it, the performance highlighted that the significant off-field change of the last six months or so is taking root in the academy as well as the senior side.

Sunderland's head coach equally pointed out that while his young players excelled, they were given the platform to do so by the smattering of senior players whose application was excellent.

Aiden O'Brien looks settled on the left flank and linked up well with those around him. Though his final effort just didn't quite come off, Alex Pritchard was busy and played an important role co-ordinating much of Sunderland's pressing game.

Frederik Alves looked at ease in defence, his decision-making on the ball invariably sound.

And even if at 19 it might still seem strange to class him as a senior player, Dan Neil wore the captain's armband with poise and no little quality.

That stunning early strike was merely the tip of the iceberg. Neil was at the heart of his side's good play, and in the latter stages made a number of crucial defensive interventions to haul his side over the line.

Johnson described his movement 'as an art form', the midfielder constantly creating angles to give his team-mates an option.

Most notable is the way that time and time again, he stays calm and brings the ball out of trouble when so many would go long.

It was from that core that a number of Elliott Dickman's side were able to flourish.

Kenton Richardson steady at right back, Will Harris largely isolated through no fault of his own in the first half but tenacious and rewarded with a lively display in the second.

Stephen Wearne marked his debut with a goal, and perhaps most impressive was summer signing Harrison Sohna.

Still 19 Sohna has much development physically ahead of him, but technically he is excellent and proved an adept foil for Neil.

This was one of Ellis Taylor's quieter nights but his performances through pre-season and in Dickman's side have shown that this will be an outlier.

Dickman's side have had a relatively difficult start to their league campaign, but that was broadly expected. A number of those key senior players from last year's side have stepped up or gone out on loan, and the Black Cats have moved to bring down the average age of the squad.

Sohna reflects that shift, and while results have been mixed some of the play has been encouraging. Their issues have broadly been defensively, but here Ollie Younger excelled.

The move to integrate the first-team's philosophy looks to be producing results on this basis, and that is ultimately more important than league position.

None of which is to say that Sunderland were dominant, or that they had it all their own way in the game.

Lincoln City were very unlucky not to level in one first-half period, the visitors surviving only thanks to some poor finishing and a couple of very good Lee Burge saves.

There were times too when the visitors were a little too enthusiastic in their pressing, and Michael Appleton's side did find a number of opportunities to counter in good numbers.

Chris Maguire benefited from that, producing a strong display that understandably drew appreciation from both supporters.

And in the first half, Johnson felt that dominance in the middle of the pitch probably did not quite yield the opportunities it should have done.

There was no disguising his happiness with the night's work, though, particularly as Denver Hume came through 90 minutes unscathed on his senior return.

If in the first half he understandably looked a little rusty, in the second he got into some excellent attacking positions and pushed his opposite number back.

Many will feel this competition remains as much a hindrance as a help, and there is no doubt that it has never been less prominent in the club's priorities.

But for the youngsters making a key step and the 659 supporters who had travelled, it was a worthwhile night.

Though one that did end on a surreal and slightly sour note, as Luke O'Nien's cameo as a striker lasted four minutes before being curtailed by what looked like a painful rib injury.

Johnson chastised himself for that call afterwards, and is waiting to see whether the damage does anything to take the shine off the night.

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