Exeter boss Matt Taylor says Sonny Bradley made it ‘all about him’ to trigger heated scenes after Lincoln’s 1-0 win on Tuesday night.
The former Plymouth player took off his shirt at the final whistle, which Exeter players didn’t like, leading to a melee, and two players booked by referee Carl Brook. The incident will see an FA charge of failing to control players.
The only goal of the game, which came on the 32nd minute, extended the Imps’ unbeaten run to 19 matches, Reach picking out Hamer from a free kick, a header went past goalkeeper Joe Whitworth from 10 yards.
Lincoln sit top of the League One table with 77 points from 26 games played, 13 points ahead of 3rd place Bolton, and 4 ahead of 2nd place Cardiff. Exeter meanwhile are 16th with 42 points from 26 games played, 4 points above the drop zone.
“I wasn’t involved and I went to stay away from it,” Taylor said, per Devon Live. “But I don’t know why the lad took his shirt off and started showing a Lincoln shirt and waving it around.
“It’s a Lincoln shirt as opposed to it a Plymouth shirt. He’s got a history, but it didn’t feel like that sort of night. And obviously when you do that and there’s a reaction that it was in the stands and then on the pitch.
“There’s no ill feeling towards that player in that moment. Our fans are very good fans. It didn’t feel like a night where the noise was just directed at him. You tell me if I’m wrong? Naturally, Plymouth players get a little bit stick, but nothing major.
“I didn’t hear it, I didn’t see it. So he’s reacted in that moment and when you do that, in front of so many people and on the opposition pitch, then people are going to naturally sort of say, ‘get back in your box a little bit’.
“So it was a real shame for it to end like that. But we have to understand what it meant to them and how hard they have to work for that point follows with those points.
“I don’t even feel it needed to happen. I don’t think we instigated it. We reacted to something we didn’t like, I can understand that. I didn’t like the way it carried on with staff and players from both teams, but that’s natural people are going to get involved.
“It’s an emotional game, so it’s disappointing that that’s finished like that because we’ve got an awful lot of respect for Lincoln City. I’m sure we’ll all have regrets for the part we’ve played in that moment.”
Michael Skubala said: “To be honest, I walked off to up the pitch to come and see the fans and started to walk towards the referee who was over there. So I actually haven’t got a clue what’s going on at the minute.
“I think the lads probably remember when they came to our place, and it was really noisy and putting music on. So I think they wanted to celebrate that.
“They definitely celebrated at our place when they got a smash and grab, so I think the lads returned the celebration there, and it probably got out of hand.”
He added: “A couple of frustrations I think might have been when Connor was getting clipped for nothing, and then there was no sanction. So for me, I’ll speak to the referee and go in because you have to sanction that, or the emotion gets into the game.
“So I think people making silly fouls on Connor wasn’t the right thing. You have to sanction that properly.”
On Rob Street being caught off the ball: 100%, but we’ll let the authorities deal with that.”
Conor McGrandles was questioned on the melee and if he was involved: “Not really. I don’t think I would want to be in there.”
On if it was related to the previous fixture, Conor replied: “Yeah, a little bit. We don’t want to go too much into it. But, yeah, we were right up for this game.”
Here’s the fan reaction after Exeter boss Matt Taylor says Sonny Bradley made it ‘all about him’ to trigger heated scenes…
@darrensnowecfc: Sonny Bradley took his shirt off, waved it to the Exeter fans, over celebrated, it kicked off, Bradley ran away like a coward, @EFL this needs investigating, could have incited crowd trouble
@plymrrf: Please Lincoln fans: Can anyone get any video of Sonny Bradley rattling the scum team tonight. Please and thank you #Imps
@darrensnowecfc: “Sonny Bradley took his shirt off, waved it to the Exeter fans, over celebrated, it kicked off, Bradley ran away like a coward, @EFL this needs investigating, could have incited crowd trouble
@adsleeder: Happy to dish out some OTT celebrations when you get a win at our gaff but didn’t like the favour returned. Shithouses
@Crazyjannerburd: Sonny Bradley knows Devon is still Green lol
@JackMaddison_91: Too late to show some fight once the full time whistle goes lads 😂
@JSN_LW: Just giving your boys a bit back…alls fair in love and housery!
@dom_cantwell: Inciting crowd trouble? Is this your way of admitting that a man taking his shirt off makes you angry and want to be violent? Very odd
@aranson91: Watch out the celebration police are about.
@kd_4002: They are the scenes we wanna see, the games back
@kempson_luke: Sonny Bradley, what a player!
@utbapafc: He’s one of our own 🎶
@shannon1777999: Sonny bradley rattled Exeter fans 👌👏🔴⚪️
This Lincoln City sticker with Sonny Bradley 👀 #WeAreImps #ImpsAsOne #UTI #ecfc pic.twitter.com/lhja5Fegq2
— AllAboutLeagueOne (@LeagueOne25) March 11, 2026