For the benefit of  the Ebbsfleet fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more facts & stats than you can shake an Imp or  Fleet fan at. Thank you for reading – Neil Gentleman-Hobbs

The Teams & Schemes

Ebbsfleet  4-4-2

 Substitutions    84 D/S Pinney on for West & Phipp on for Barrett.

Substitutes 21 McCarthy 11 Phipp 18 Azeez 27 Adams 26 Pinney

*****

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

 26 Robson Miller  5 Gowling 3 Nutter

36 Sheridan 8 Power 34 Thompson  31 Bore 

10 Louis  7 Taylor

***

 Substitutions   80 Pacquette on for Louis, 84 Nicolau on for Sheridan, 88 Watson on for Robson

Substitutes 21 Draper  2 Watson   17 Nicolau 20 Cobb 16 Pacquette 

*****

But to the Game footy fans to the game……….

Ebbsfleet were at us from the off like a knife through butter. A Willock and Shakes one-two fooled Nutter and Gowling but Willock wastefully drilled wide. Louis and Thompson were certainly getting stuck in  attempting to get us a foothold in the game against a big Fleet side. The Imps got a second piece of luck when Gowling lost his footing and dragged Enver-Marum to the ground. Anyon made a good save from an optimistic drive from Shakes.

Dominance is one thing goals another, as Taylor fired us into the lead on 15 minutes with a snap-shot from the edge of the box that was deflected just inside the post by right-back Howe. Gowling was lucky not to see a card for a foul on Willock, but Enver-Marum  sent the dinked free-kick wide. On 24 minutes Robson tugged West who looked set to roast him for the umpteenth time at the expense of a penalty.  Willock struck the penalty home with panache.

The Imps quickly made it 2-1 three minutes later (27 mins). Louis beat three and crossed for Bore to tap home at the far post. There looked to be goals in this one with attack the best form of defence for both sides and no mistake. Taylor then beat his man and fizzed one over that just begged for an Imp to be far enough forward to get a head or boot on.  Taylor then made it 3 on 33 with a fine drive from a dozen yards, starting and finishing a fine move himself.

Gowling saw a towering header saved from a Power free-kick and turned defence into attack with Ebbsfleet tearing up the other end only for Miller to pick Willock’s pocket to avert the danger. Taylor was causing mayhem and screaming for everything either to feet or over the top as he looked to get beyond his man time and again.  Miller played one Howe slipped,  but Taylor put a glorious chance for a fourth wide.

Ebbsfleet waltzed through us at one end as Anyon palmed away a miss-hit Willock drive to keep it at 3-1. Then the Imps went straight up the other end with Louis unable to finish a breakneck four man one-touch move.   Sheridan then played in Taylor, who saw his effort incredibly cleared off the lone to end the half. All had that comforting rose tint to it. The Imps stood 16th at half-time with Stockport 1-1 at Hayes. Newport 1-1 at Barrow and Tamworth also 1-1 against Cambridge. AFC Telford were still fifth bottom with a 0-0 at Gateshead.

Ebbsfleet were certainly going to give it a go with Gowling heading clear and Nutter cutting out a move with intelligence and positioning. The Imps countered, Taylor the whirling dervish. He played in Bore who centred for Louis who headed wide. He then turned intelligently to release Louis, but pace alas is not one of Jefferson’s blessings. Gowling did Willock, again on the blind side of a ref who could see know evil in either shirt.  Miller meanwhile was having a consummate game on the ground at least.

The Imps were stroking it around confidently, whilst Ebbsfleet leaving two at the back at times,  gave it everything to try and get back in the game.  The wet conditions were making for some tasty sliding challenges, further illustrating the quality and touch we have in Taylor )ours for a season more) when used as a fulcrum in any passing move. Sheridan, a workhorse it has to be said, would love that level of ability and beat two before miscuing wildly.  Power was denied by a sensational save from McNeil.

On 65 minutes Ebbsfleet were rewarded for their endeavour.  Shakes did Nutter who failed to recover, Gowling and Miller gave Bellamy too much time and he duly despatched a rasping half volley just inside the right-hand post.  Bore shamefully failed to see Taylor who would have put the game beyond them. We were living dangerously, Gowling and Miller clearly not the central partnership for next season. Willock put wide and everyone missed a West cross that just needed a touch.

Taylor got in behind but was denied by a blinding save from McNeil, one on one, with the game on the knife edge.  Nutter was done again but top scorer Willock scooped a glorious shot high and wide.  Taylor then took a tumble and got nothing allowing the full-back to thump away.  On 84 mins a triple substitution no less.  For Fleet Pinney replace West and Phipp replaced Barrett, whilst Nicolau replaced Sheridan for the Imps.

Although the goal had put the wind in The Fleets sales the Imps were battling hard and taking no prisoners, Miller in particular a rock all game – hampered rather than helped by fowling Gowling making the most of a ref who booked just Howe and Stone. With the Imps effectively operating with 10 men after Robson was left grounded Miller made a magnificent and perfectly timed challenge to rob Willock in on goal after a defence splitting ball from Shakes.  Watson then replaced Robson who had taken a heavy knock. With 5 at the back for the Imps it was now a rearguard action and plenty of aerial incoming.  One late cross come shot grazed the bar but the Imps just about held out.

Synopsis.

The Imps finish 17th as Stockport won 2-1 at Hayes, Tamworth drew 2-2 with Cambridge and Newport lost 1-3 at Barrow. Kettering lost by the same score at Darlington as the goals against column reached 100.  Before we laugh too heartily they did the double over us despite finishing bottom.  Luton beat leaders Fleetwood away 2-0 whilst Kidderminster lost 0-3 at home against Mansfield to make the final play-off spot duel academic.  Mind you we don’t want to be worrying to much about that end of the table, let’s look forward to Lincolnshire derby against Gainsborough next season. Impossible? Three years ago yes but the Peter Swann financed side has one foot in the playoffs already – ex-Imp Mettam has just fired them one up at the time of writing with a free-kick.

 V

Ebbsfleet United 2 Lincoln City 3  

(H/T 1 -3 )

Scorers

The Fleet Willock 24, Bellamy 66.

Imps Howe OG 15, Bore 27, Taylor 33

Ref Mr Johnson   Att 1217    (1050 Ebbsfleet  167 Imps)

The Facts & Stats

 V

Possession

The Fleet  45% Imps 55 % 

Shots on target (inc goals)

The Fleet  9 Imps  8

Shots off target

The Fleet  5 Imps 8 

Saves 

McNeil  5 Anyon 4 

Corners

The Fleet  11 Imps 3 

Offsides

The Fleet  2 Imps 4

Fouls

The Fleet  16 Imps 16 

Yellows

The Fleet  2 Imps 0 

Reds

The Fleet  0 Imps 0 

BSP Standings 28/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	46	31	10	5	102	48	54	103
14		Ebbsfleet United	46	14	12	20	69	84	-15	54
15		Alfreton Town	46	15	9	22	62	86	-24	54
16		Stockport County	46	12	15	19	58	74	-16	51
17		Lincoln City	46	13	10	23	56	66	-10	49
18		Tamworth	46	11	15	20	47	70	-23	48
19		Newport County	46	11	14	21	53	65	-12	47
20		AFC Telford United	46	10	16	20	45	65	-20	46
21		Hayes & Yeading	46	11	8	27	58	90	-32	41
22		Darlington *	46	11	13	22	47	73	-26	36
23		Bath City	46	7	10	29	43	89	-46	31
24		Kettering Town *	46	8	9	29	40	100	-60	30

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town docked 3 points for breaking league rules

*****

For the benefit of the Hayes & Yeading  fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or United fan at. Thankyou for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs.

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson  35 Miller  5 Gowling 3 Nutter

31 Bore 8 Power 34 Thompson 18 D L McGregor

10 Louis 32 Rodney

*****

Substitutions  62 Cobb on for Danny Lloyd, 62 Robinson on for Rodney   77  Smith on for Bore

Substitutes 21 Draper  2Watson 20 Cobb 30 Robinson 14 Smith

Hayes & Yeading Utd 4-1-3-2

1 Arnold

27 Collins 18 Pele 30 Spence 5 Cadmore 

4 Hand (R-90)

10 Williams  12 Bentley 38 Mingioa

39 Walsh 11 Wishart 

*****

Substitutions:   24 Bassele on for Williams, 84 Evans on for Mingoia, 89 Wickham on for Collins.

Substitutes 31 Beasant 14 Wickham 6 Owusu 8 Evans 33 Bassele

 V

But to the game footy fans to the game……..

Heavy pre-match hail stones and rain played a big part in the early exchanges with Hand hitting the first shot of the game well wide. Standing water on the pitch made the passing hard to judge with the balls to and from Louis and Danny Lloyd a frustration.  Gowling was easily out-muscled but Wishart’s shot was well wide. A nice ball from Power saw Louis turn superbly and play in Rodney who was well offside.

Power then released Lloyd who went for the line but no no one was there to get on the end of a decent cross. Lloyd roasted his man again and got a corner.  Nutter found him and his miss-hit shot found Louis who was denied by a fine save from Arnold.  The Hayes 4-1-3-2 formation was stifling the Imps and giving them a lot of the ball if not in any danger area although another long range hand shot saw Anyon save with ease.

A poor ball from Power saw a trying Rodney make the best of a situation to earn a corner.  The delivery alas was equally poor.  Nutter then overlapped superbly, sending in an inviting peach of a pass but Bore missed a simple tap in at the far post.  Hayes simple passing and long distance shoot on sight policy saw then clear the bar with another wayward effort.  It was midfield crab football from side to side with little penetration reminiscent of Butch Wilkins in his prime.

Lloyd livened things on 29 minutes twisting and turning to hit a skimming effort with the outside of his boot that Arnold saved and claimed well.  But then he almost let the visitors in with an unnecessary flick that allowed Hayes to pour forward. Wishart squandered the best chance of the game shooting wide.  Rodney then failed to see Danny Lloyd, wasting another promising forage forward. Jefferson Louis showed good strength with one man, turned another and rifled but a yard passed the post.  A worrying 70 yard run from Mingoia saw him get an off target shot away,  this despite the fact that he should have been crowded out by three Imps on the edge of the box.

As the nil-nil snore draw stalemate drew to a close the news came through of a 2-1 advantage for play-off hopefuls Gainsborough Trinity, playing in front of an encouraging 900 hopeful,  if not die-hard,  faithful.  So mindful that this looked a mirror of the game two weeks ago all hoped for an eventful second half to help shift some season tickets this end of the A156.

No change for the second period and, with a half-time down pour now abated, Thompson not surprisingly sliced an early wayward ball.  Jefferson Louis caused problems in the Stacey West box, the desperate hacked clearance giving Nutter the chance of an early corner. The ball was cleared and three on three Hayes wasted a glorious chance  as Mingioa chose to shoot instead of playing in Wishart or Walsh with the goal gaping.

Danny Lloyd tried to lift the tempo but ran into trouble and Louis had a go from distance that would have been more appropriate at Twickenham.  Lloyd had another run that was curtailed by a foul.  Power’s free-kick won us a corner after a skirmish in the box but Nutter’s delivery found a Hayes head.  Hayes, the more composed of the two sides on the ball then outfoxed us and in particular Robson. Collins played in as Mingoia twisted and turned before firing inside the post.

Holdsworth made a double substitution,  injecting some youth in the form of Cobb & Robinson at the expense of Danny Lloyd and Rodney, with Bore moving to the right. In reality in remaining a rid and regimented 4-4-2 we were playing into the hands of Hayes 4-1-3-2. The youngster Cobb stretched his legs down the flank and fired wide, the adrenalin of a debut darling coursing through his veins.  His compatriot was caught offside curtailing some invention between Thompson and Louis.

Sam Smith came on for Bore on 77 as we went 4-3-3 in an attempt to change the game.  A headed flick on from Smith found a gambling Robinson who beat his man, but not Arnold, who made himself big to deny a sensational debut strike.  But in reality it was the continuation of a poor show and worthy of the audible Holdsworth out chants with 10 minutes to go. How could this be given Reg’s self confessed ‘Wonderful Achievements’  of the last few weeks? Robinson, who had a credible half an hour, was given the man of the match award but the lad was  brought back to reality as Jamie Hand was given a 90th minute straight red for clattering him from behind. At least that broke the Holdsworth out chants for a while at least.

Epilogue

Prior to the game Anyon was given the player of the season award and Sam Smith the young player’s equivalent.  On with those rose tinted spectacles; at least Gainsborough were now 2-2 and in need of at least a point next week at Altrincham. The ignominy of which is that they will be given equal billing as BBC’s  featured game next week. Yes we kick off at 1 whilst they kick off at 3 but it is a further reflection of our clubs continued demise whilst nearly 900 at the Northolme suggests our once poorer neighbours appear on the rise. How could this be given Reg’s self confessed ‘Wonderful Achievements’  of the last few weeks? Honestly Lord Bob and Trust Chair Chris what is to be done about the ‘very very small amount‘ of  ungrateful ‘supporters’ – next thing you know those revolting peasants will be refusing to buy season tickets  even though we avoided relegation with two places and 5 points to spare.

  V

Lincoln City 0 –  1 Hayes & Yeading  (H/T 0-0)

Scorers

Imps 

United Mingoia 60

Ref: Mr Harrington  Attendance 2585  (  2541 Imps   44 United    )

  V  

Possession

Imps 50% United  50%  

Shots on target

The Imps 4  United 2  

Shots off target

The Imps 4  United 5  

Saves (inc crosses)

Anyon 0 Arnold 4  

Corners

The Imps 7  United 1  

Offsides

The Imps 2  United 0  

Fouls

The Imps 5  United 7  

Yellows

The Imps 0  United 0

Reds

The Imps 0  United 1 

BSP Standings– 24/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	45	31	10	4	102	46	56	103
16		Stockport County	45	11	15	19	56	73	-17	48
17		Newport County	44	11	14	19	52	61	-9	47
18		Tamworth	45	11	14	20	45	68	-23	47
19		Lincoln City	45	12	10	23	53	64	-11	46
20		AFC Telford United	45	10	16	19	45	62	-17	46
21		Hayes & Yeading	45	11	8	26	57	88	-31	41
22		Darlington *	45	10	13	22	44	72	-28	33
23		Bath City	45	7	10	28	42	87	-45	31
24		Kettering Town *	45	8	9	28	39	97	-58	30

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

For the benefit of  the Fleetwood Town fans who sang throughout, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more facts & stats than you can shake an Imp or  Cod at. Thank you for reading – Neil Gentleman-Hobbs

The Teams & Schemes

Fleetwood Town 4-4-2

1 Davies

2 Beely 5 McNulty 6 Pond 13 Goodall

 27 Fowler 18 McGuire (Y-90)  26 Cavanagh

14 A Mangan  (Y- 13)  33 Vardy 19 Seddon 

 Substitutions  79 Till  on for Cavanagh 

Substitutes 34 Stephenson 23 Charnock 11 Till 31 Rose 9 Brodie

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

 26 Robson 2 Watson (Y- 44)  5 Gowling 3 Nutter

31 Bore 8 Power 34 Thompson  18 D-L-McG

10 Louis (Y-90)  7 Taylor

***

 Substitutions  58 Sheridan on for Taylor  70 Williams on for Watson 71 Christophe on for Danny Lloyd 

Substitutes 21 Draper  36 Sheridan 27 Christophe   16 Pacquette 4 Williams 

*****

But to the Game footy fans to the game……….

As you would expect Fleetwood attacked the Imps from the off, dominating possession for the first 6 minutes with right-back Beely a constant menace on the overlap. However Lincoln went ahead on 7 minutes with our first attack. Jefferson Louis headed on to Jamie Taylor who hit a first time drive from about 12 yards just inside the right-hand post.

Fleetwood continued to dominate with Anyon saving a bullet from the buzzing Beely.  Mangan did Thompson and got a deserved yellow. Both Beely and Mangan sent over crosses that Anyon claimed calmly before Danny Lloyd relieved the pressure with a good run before being halted by Cavanagh at the expense of a free-kick.

But on twenty we hit them with a sucker punch to make it 2-0.  Nutter delivered a peach of a free-kick  that Louis headed home with aplomb.  Mind you the competitive tactics of the Cod Army was going some way to explain their 85 yellow cards so far this season.  A Goodall corner saw Jamie McGuire put narrowly wide when he should have scored.

It was frenetic stuff as a high tempo not quite so one-sided game continued. Taylor shot narrowly over the bar from distance.  Beely was again denied by Anyon before our number one made a ‘worldy’  from a smart strike from Seddon.  Danny Lloyd went a waltzing but Davies claimed his cross well.  Beely again combined with Seddon who hit a rising drive just wide with Anyon all but beaten.

Tyrone, Peter Bore and  Power all put in some tough challenges as the ref continued to allow fortune to favour the brave. Nutter was forced to leave the field with a blooded nose as the temper and temperaments continued to rise.  Karlton got a yellow for a foul that with the Imps down to ten and backs to the wall.  On 45 Mangan wriggled through and fed Vardy who hammered into the roof of the net.  A nervy 5 minutes of injury time saw Watson  make a world-class last minute tackle on Beely and Anyon deny Goodall

Nutter amazingly came out for the second half eager to rejoin the fray. Cavanagh a rough and ready rogue sent in a gem of a cross that Robson despatched to row Z.   Then we self destructed just 4 minutes in. A ball straight down the middle from McNulty saw Gowling miss-judge and Vardy completed his brace passed a stranded Anyon.   Louis took a snapshot that went inches wide as the incredible pace of a high octane contest continued.

A glorious 50 yard ball from McNulty found Cavanagh who shook his head as Anyon denied him with another brilliant save.  The offside flag however saved us with a goal disallowed moments later.  A Mangan drive was bravely blocked by Robson – count em lad count em –  before a McGuire drive was beaten out by Anyon again.  McGuire was then denied by Watson who again threw his body into the line of fire. Tyrone then slowed down McGuire and was lucky to escape without a card.

With the game in the balance Reg took off Taylor for the defensive qualities of Sheridan on the flank, perhaps mindful that a draw would mean Hayes would need maximum points to threaten our BSP status.  Davies saved Thompson’s shot for the week just before Cavanagh got him back for earlier.  Nutter then blocked a rasping effort from Mangan as Fleetwood began to turn the screw.

Karlton, struggling badly was replaced by Robbie Williams and a minute Christophe  came on for  Danny Lloyd as we hunkered down for a point.  Nutter hacked away a testing Goodall cross with Vardy lurking with intent.  A fantastic run from Sheridan was saved brilliantly by Davies and he shot wide on the turn a moment later when he should have done better.  Pond shot wide from inside the box at one end and then a Robson effort at the other saw Davies make a decent save.

The 4th official showed an additional four minutes of extra agony and ecstasy in what had been a superb advert for BSP football.  Gowling cleared Fleetwood’s 15th corner of the game and Seddon saw an effort go inches wide at the death. But we had battled to a deserved point, secure in the knowledge that Hayes must win every game, one of which is at the Bank next week. Praise where praise is due, though we made some trademark errors,  fortune deservedly favoured the brave.

 V

Fleetwood 1 Lincoln City 2  (H/T 2-2)

Scorers

Fleetwood Vardy 45 & 49

Imps Taylor 7 Louis 20

Ref Mr Bratt   Att 4,511    (4325 Trawlermen  186 Imps)

The Facts & Stats

 V

Possession

Cod Army  55% Imps 45 % 

Shots on target (inc goals)

Cod Army 11  Imps 5

Shots off target

Cod Army 4  Imps 3 

Saves

Davies 2 Anyon 10

Corners

Cod Army 15 Imps 2

Offsides

Cod Army 2  Imps 2

Fouls

Cod Army 7  Imps 10

Yellows

Cod Army 2 Imps 3

Reds

Cod Army  0 Imps 0 

BSP Standings 13/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	44	31	10	3	102	44	58	103
16		Lincoln City	44	12	10	22	53	63	-10	46
17		Tamworth	42	11	13	18	43	63	-20	46
18		Stockport County	43	10	14	19	53	72	-19	44
19		Newport County	41	10	12	19	50	60	-10	42
20		AFC Telford United	42	9	15	18	42	59	-17	42
21		Hayes & Yeading	43	10	8	25	55	85	-30	38
22		Darlington *	42	10	11	21	42	68	-26	31
23		Kettering Town *	43	8	8	27	37	90	-53	29
24		Bath City	43	6	9	28	36	83	-47	27

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town docked 3 points for breaking league rules

For the benefit of  the visiting outstanding Darlington fans who sang throughout, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more facts & stats than you can shake an Imp or  Quaker at. Thank you for reading – Neil Gentleman-Hobbs

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

 26 Robson 35 Miller 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

31 Bore 8 Power 34 Thompson (Y-9)  18 D-L-McG

10 Louis  11 Laurent

***

 Substitutions  59 Sheridan on for Bore 82 Pacquette on for Louis  82 Laurent on for Taylor

Substitutes 21 Draper  36 Sheridan 27 Christophe   16 Pacquette 11 Laurent 

*****

24 Pickford

26 Wainright 19 Hollis 5 Johnson (R-45) 3 Brown

 16 McReady  7 Keltie (Y-57) 8 Taylor 20 Rundle

12 Bowman 10 Broughton

***

Substitutions:  Arnison on for Wainwright 78 Ferguson on for Hollis

Substitutes:  13 Nixon 2 Arnison 17 Ferguson 14 Barton 11 Lambert

*****

But to the Game footy fans to the game……….

Perhaps it was lucky that referee West blue for the start of his seventh Imps game of the season as the heavens opened.  That said Darlo made a bright start, playing the nicer football with Danny a constant menace earning us our first clear shot at goal as he was brought crashing to the floor. Nutter was but a foot wide with his curling thirty-yard free kick.

Terrier Tyrone marshalled the troops with a sign of intent that showed we too wanted a foothold in the game.  We could hear the crunching challenge on Taylor in the centre circle from the home end, as West brandished yellow whilst the midfield matador licked his lips as the Darlo players crowded the ref. Danny was sent tumbling in the box for a stonewall penalty as Miller began to show his stuff with the delectable dinked pass.  Ditto to Jamie Taylor who headed barely a foot over the bar.

Taylor and Louis were working an understanding on the slick surface.  The latter played in the former who shot wide before Ref West stopped Louis in his tracks after Taylor had repaid the complement.  On 21 Pickford palmed away an excoset snap-shot from Taylor and Danny Lloyd followed up to hit an unstoppable drive into the corner.  Oh we were sailing – he’d given us a goal!

Drewe blood Broughton, clearly pleased to be back, did Gowling, as The Trapdoor sensed another of his adopted sides were about to creak through.  Robson also suffered a shin splintering challenge from McReady. Broughton also did Miller, who you sensed was not going to let him get away with things.

Lloyd tore down the other end,  his little legs like Speedy Gonzales and hoisted over an adventurous cross that Bore  kept in beautifully,  cushioning to Power.  Power sent in a sensational first-time ball.  Taylor rose to meet it superbly, sending a bullet passed a stranded Pickford.   2-0 with just 33 minutes on the clock, but there was more.  Taylor went inches wide with a drive before Power again conjured a delivery from the Gods. Jefferson Louis headed home a bullet unopposed before running in that awkward style of his all the way to celebrate with Pacquette in the dug out.

It was four before the clock struck forty with Danny chasing and making uck of a lost cause.   Having won the challenge he fired goalward as his flailing man deflected the ball into the ground before ballooning up and over Pickford – off his line and all at sea.  We were denied a fifth when Johnson dragged down Louis who was clean through.  As the last man he saw a straight red, with Brown then deflecting Nutter’s free-kick wide to end a pulsating and productive half.

No sense in Holdworth changing anything, especially with Hayes 2-1 down at Luton, Kettering a goal down at Cambridge and Stockport 0-0 at The Stags.  Newport were 2-0 up at Kidderminster whilst the Telford V Tamworth game had been abandoned at 0-0 due to a waterlogged pitch.

Temperamental exchanges early doors saw a scrappy stop-start opening with Louis firing a quick free-kick against the Stacey West a post.  Danny sent in a great cross but Bore was fouled by Keltie and had to limp from the action moments later.  The Darlo fans – full of song throughout bless em – had something to shout about moments later. Rundle’s drive at Gowling however was deemed ball to hand as the fates continued to conspire along with the heavens floodgates.

Robson was having a field day and sent over a beauty that Taylor fired narrowly wide.  Danny fed Louis, who with the angles against him, shot again narrowly wide.  Pickford clawed out  a certain goal from Taylor and even tireless Thompson saw his shot of the week go a yard or two wide.  The fifth came with Robson one-twoing with Sheridan,  before delivering a perfect ball that said finish me. Louis duly stooped to conquer and glanced home a glorious header worthy of our championship facilities.  But Reg be praised – Five alive and we danced all day at the house of Imp.

  V 

Lincoln City 0 Darlington 0 (H/T 4-0)

Scorers

Imps

Lloyd 21 & 39 Taylor 33 Louis 37 & 74

Ref Mr West  Att 2274   (2102 Imps  172 Quakers)

The Facts & Stats

 V 

Possession

Imps 56 % Quakers 44 %

Shots on target (inc goals)

Imps 14  Quakers 0 

Shots off target

Imps 6  Quakers 0

Saves

Anyon 0 Pickford 2

Corners

Imps 2  Quakers 2 

Offsides

Imps 1  Quakers  0

Fouls

Imps 4  Quakers 11

Yellows

Imps 1  Quakers 1

Reds

Imps 0 Quakers 1 

BSP Standings 9/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	42	31	8	3	99	41	58	101
16		Tamworth	42	11	13	18	43	63	-20	46
17		Lincoln City	43	12	9	22	51	61	-10	45
18		Stockport County	43	10	14	19	53	72	-19	44
19		Newport County	41	10	12	19	50	60	-10	42
20		AFC Telford United	42	9	15	18	42	59	-17	42
21		Hayes & Yeading	43	10	8	25	55	85	-30	38
22		Darlington *	42	10	11	21	42	68	-26	31
23		Kettering Town *	43	8	8	27	37	90	-53	29
24		Bath City	43	6	9	28	36	83	-47	27

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town docked 3 points for breaking league rules

For the benifit of Stockport fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more facts & stats than you can shake an Imps or  Hatter’s fan at. Thank you for reading – Neil Gentleman-Hobbs

The Teams & Schemes

28 King

17 Halls 22 Piergianni 32 Connor 16 Newton

 14 Sheridan 23 Turnbull 19 Mainwaring

6 Rowe  10 Hattersley 20 Elliott

Substitutions: 67 Nolan on for Sheridan, 84 Darkwah on for Hattersley, 89 Rose on for Elliott. 

Substitutes: Ormson, Rose, Nolan, Darkwah, D M Rowe

*****

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 35 Miller 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

36 Sheridan 8 Power 34 Thompson (Y-59)  17 Nicolau

10 Louis  11 Laurent

Substitutions H/T Lloyd on for Nicolau & McCammon on for Laurent, 70 Taylor on for Thompson. 

Substitutes 21 Draper 27 Christophe 18 Lloyd  33 McCammen  7 Taylor

*****

But to the Game footy fans to the game……….

The Imps caved in after 5 minutes allowing the overlapping Newton to move down the left and cross sublimely to an unmarked Hattersley, who headed into the top right hand corner with aplomb.  More awful defending via the same Achilles heal on 10 minutes saw Mainwaring undo our  ramshackle right flank once again.  His  pass found Rowe, who showed great composure to steer home.  Two down and a mountain to climb.

With the crowd in full voice the Hatters dominated possession, that extra spring in their step.  Newton and Mainwaring were making nice triangles with midfield fulcrum Turnbull,  as the Hatters 4/3/3  became a fluid  4-3-1-2 formation. It certainly  outfoxed our central midfield duo whilst also exposing the flanks as Robson and Sheridan continued to be routed.

Gannon had done his homework on Tuesday, reasoning that playing to feet would outwit our big but cumbersome defenders. Sheridan could not pass wind and Nicolau as opposed to Danny Lloyd meant little threat down the other flank.  Both were clearly out of their depth,  although an injury to the linesman at least gave the Imps a chance to catch our breath.  Nicolau delivered a decent corner that Miller headed wide.  Then Sheridan gave Louis a half chance but he fired just over the bar from outside the box.

Thomson, in reality the closest thing we had to a captain out there was at least marshalling the middle quartet. We settled and enjoyed a more even share of the game. Perhaps a goal back might even give us a share of the spoils? Even Sheridan broke up another attack down the right flank with a great challenge on Mainwaring. Louis then headed a testing Rowe corner clear and Laurent ended a promising move by inexplicably giving the ball away. Nicolau tried to play him in, moments later,  but whether it was inability or lack of confidence he again misread the pass.  A clueless clown with decent games few and far between his Emperors new clothes routine will surely soon wear thin?

Rowe, having a superb first half, chipped an inviting ball over the top that was a tad too clever for everyone else on the park. Howling Gowling then fell, pulling back his man but the ref allowed the advantage as Elliott crashed the chance against the cross bar.  We were at sixes and sevens again as Robson hacked away for a corner.  Another Mainwaring cross flashed across the face of the Imps goal as the half came to a close.

Results elsewhere were mixed.  Newport’s 0-0 with Telford yesterday and Stockports 2-0 lead had seen us drop to 19th level on 42 points with Telford.  Hayes were 0-0 at home to Cambridge, four points behind and making up the last place below the trapdoor. Bath had won 1-0 at tottering Tamworth but were dead and buried in reality along with Kettering who were 0-0 with Mansfield and Darlo  just about breathing with a 0-0 against Grimsby.

Reg shuffled the cards and the formation ahead of a vital second half. 4-3-3 saw Power move right and Sheridan left.  Three cheers, as Danny Lloyd came on up front at the expense of Nicolau, with McCammon on for the lacklustre Laurent. It would hopefully give us two big men for Miller’s throws – some route one aerial fun.  Anyon saved well from Sam Sheridan as the Imps left understandable gaps due to the urgency of the situation.  Robson fired narrowly wide at the other end after some great work from Lloyd, the tenacious terrier.

Just as we started to look for that one goal shoehorn Robson went missing at a free-kick. Newton took it,  Elliott split Miller and Gowling and Nutter completed the comedy of defensive errors by putting into his own net under pressure from Rowe. Everything was going for Rowe who was credited with the goal to save our captain’s blushes.  The Imps were three down with 54 minutes on the clock. At least Thomson was still trying to get to grips with the Hatters, although he was booked for his challenge on Rowe. Even that lads ablutions on the morrow will not stink you have to think.

Power sent in a corner that our six-footers inexcusably allowed the keeper to claim unchallenged but King certainly earned his money a minute later, claiming well,  as Miller headed Nutter’s corner back in.  On 67 Taylor came on for Thompson, clearly a last and desperate throw of the dice for Reg.  Unrepentant Lloyd beat his man well but Taylor was unable to get to it as the ball ran harmlessly wide. McCammon then headed an opportunity wide.  The diminutive Lloyd was even back to clear Newton’s cross, although in truth the Hatters were happy to knock the ball about and hit us on the break with the game well won. Gannon bless him installs, guile, style and a fearlessness and belief structure behind a smile.

A glorious twenty yarder from Elliott was superbly saved by Anyon as the Hatters cranked things up for a last 10 minute charge.  McCammon beat two central defenders but was denied when  one on one with the keeper.  To add insult to injury sub Darkwah was allowed to progress to the edge of the box and beat Anyon from 18 yards with a fine drive.  At 4-0 we got a penalty let off that you know would have been given at nil nil as Miller fouled Darkwah making for his brace.

Synopsis

Could it be coincidence that Gary ‘ Easter Saviour’  Simpson was watching from just in front of the press box? It could have been seven or eight. Oh what a state, Save us Simmo and Brownie before all is lost. Forget going west, it is the Northerly direction that worries us. A win at Darlo we pray or bring in Simmo to save the day. Or else all is lost including whatever plot Reg says he has left on a compass made of purest chocolate. Well something brown anyway.

  V  

Stockport County 4-0 Lincoln City (H/T 2-0)

Scorers

Hatters: Hattersley 5  Rowe 10 & 54 Darkwah 89

Imps

Ref Mr Bond Att 3975  (3610 Hatters  365 Imps )

The Facts & Stats

  V  

Possession

Hatters 52%  Imps 48% 

Shots on target (inc goals)

Hatters 12 Imps 0  

Shots off target

Hatters 5 Imps 7 

Saves

King 0 Anyon 5 

Corners

Hatters 11   Imps 4 

Offsides

Hatters 3  Imps 0 

Fouls

Hatters 8  Imps 9 

Yellows

Hatters 0   Imps 1 

BSP Standings 7/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	42	31	8	3	99	41	58	101
16		Tamworth	42	11	13	18	43	63	-20	46
17		Stockport County	42	10	14	18	52	70	-18	44
18		Newport County	40	10	12	18	48	57	-9	42
19		Lincoln City	42	11	9	22	46	61	-15	42
20		AFC Telford United	42	9	15	18	42	59	-17	42
21		Hayes & Yeading	42	10	8	24	53	81	-28	38
22		Darlington *	41	10	11	20	42	63	-21	31
23		Kettering Town *	42	8	8	26	37	88	-51	29
24		Bath City	42	6	9	27	36	81	-45	27

Darlington docked 10 points for entering administration & Kettering Town docked 3 points for breaching league rules.

For the benifit of visiting fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more facts & stats than you can shake an Imp or black & amber son of Cam fan at. Thank you for reading – Neil Gentleman-Hobbs

The Teams & Schemes

1 Anyon

6 Robson 35 Miller 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

36 Sheridan 8 Power 34 Thompson 17 Nicolau

7 Taylor 10 Louis

Substitutes - 21 Draper 2 Watson 18 Lloyd 11 Laurent 32 Rodney

1 Naisbitt

2 Roberts 12 McAuley 5 Wylde 3 Jennings

18 Berry 6 Shaw 16 Jarvis 23 Pell

15 Pugh 17 Hughes

*****

Substitutions 46 Hudson (Y-73) on for Wylde 82 Gash on for Pugh 85 Eades on for Hughes

 Substitutes - 30 Ambrusics 25 Hudson 27 Thorpe 26 Eades 9 Gash

*****

But to the Game footy fans to the game……….

With the rain lashing down the Imps kicked off towards the Corporate boxes, with an early Nicolau cross finding Sheridan, but his half-chance was struck straight at Naisbitt. Taylor then did the same thing after a clever reverse pass from Louis. Given the height of the visitors – all 4 in midfield are over 6 foot plus the two central defenders – we avoided the Miller inspired route one and attemped to play the ball on the ground. One Miller throw was half cleared to Nicolau who struck a sweet half volley that cannoned off the arm of McAuley. Ball to hand perhaps, a penalty yes, but the compuet says no and not given.

We were at sixes & sevens as Anyon failed to make a punch, as a clever delivery by the inventive Roberts on the overlap, but captain Nutter was there to clear off the line. Hughes controlled well and fizzed through the rain-lashed mist well over the bar. Another Miller throw saw pin-ball mayhem in the opposing box, with two ricochet efforts. One appeared to strike an arm before Gowling finished with a glorious cross goal drive but alas the Linesman ruled offside.

Jennings then hit a glorious 30 yard curler towards the top corner of the Stacey West goal, but Anyon was alert to it and even held, to deny a contender for goal of the month. It was midfield deadlock for most of the half and indeed the game as, tireless Thompson, Power and Nicolau stould tall in the face of a Cambridge demilitarised zone. Anyon was quick to snuff out a probing pass from Shaw before Robson, flicked Pells flick at a corner off the line.

With Newport now pegged back to 1-1 at home toYork a poor half had at least left us no better or worse in a key week with regard to the BSP basement battle.

Cambridge brought on Hudson for Wylde, whilst Reg failed to live up to his tinkering reputation, leaving Danny Lloyd on the bench as the second half got underway. United were quick regain the momentum of the closing phase of the first half. Four slick one touches undid us on the greasy surface, leaving 6′ 4″ Pell to run through the middle. He unselfishly played in advancing midfielder Shaw , who crisply drove passed a stranded Anyon for a 1-0 lead with just 2 minutes added to the clock. He had done the same thing, albeit a minute later against Wrexham on Saturday.

On came Lloyd and Laurent for Nicolau and Taylor respectively to add some urgency to a much needed response. The awesome United midfield foursome stood firm although Lloyd did get a chance thanks to a lovely touch from Louis, forcing a fine save from Naisbitt, heading towards his 15^th shut out of the season. He then claimed well under pressure from Louis. Power dinked a delightful effort onto the roof of the Stacey West net as the Imps continued to enjoy most of the possession. When Danny gets the ball he looks useful and Hudson needed to take a 73^rd minute yellow for the team electing to end a strirring mazez run.

Power having an energetic if largely unproductive game as ever, cracked an optimistic 25 yard efford just over the bar, as Cambridge and perhaps the conditions continued to play a part. Clearly in the face of height we needed to play the ball on the ground, but the rain coupled with the limited technique we possess, saw stray passes and poor control ruin any chance we could conjure. That said Naisbitt got lucky as a deflected effort from Power landed straight in his gloves. A fine cameo from Danny Lloyd saw him dance and prance and cross for Gowling to glance onto the top of the bar. We then went long ball and Power forced a fabulous full length save from Naisbitt. With opportunities so few and far between, that was the last chance at the Sincil saloon.

STMI Synopsis.

Newport beat York 2-1, thanks to a 70^th minute winner from Rose, to move up to 18^th and just a point behind us.. They also have 2 games in hand. We are still 5 clear of Hayes who look to be the only side who could still threaten our BSP status. Cambridge stay 11^thstill 10 points off the playoffs with just 6 games to play.

The Facts & Stats

Lincoln City  0 –1  Cambridge United (H/T 0-0)

Scorers

United Shaw 47

Ref Simpson Att 1978 ( 1807 Imps 171 Black & Amber)

Facts & stats

Possession

Imps 57% United 43%

Shots on target (inc goals)

Imps 5 United 3

Shots off target

Imps 5 United 1

Saves

Anyon 2 Naisbitt 4

Corners

Imps 5 United 3

Offsides

Imps 6 United 1

Yellows

Imps 0 United 1

BSP Standings 3/4/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	41	30	8	3	98	41	57	98
11		Cambridge United	40	16	12	12	48	37	11	60
16		Tamworth	41	11	13	17	43	62	-19	46
17		Lincoln City	41	11	9	21	46	57	-11	42
18		Newport County	39	10	11	18	48	57	-9	41
19		AFC Telford United	41	9	14	18	42	59	-17	41
20		Stockport County	41	9	14	18	48	70	-22	41
21		Hayes & Yeading	41	10	7	24	53	81	-28	37
22		Darlington *	40	10	10	20	42	63	-21	30
23		Kettering Town *	41	8	8	25	37	85	-48	29
24		Bath City	41	5	9	27	35	81	-46	24

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

For the benefit of the visiting lambs, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or lamb at. Thank you for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs 

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 35 Miller 5 Gowling (Y-69) 3 Nutter

36 Sheridan 8 Power 34 Thompson 31 Bore

10 Louis 16 Pacquette

Substitutions 22 Taylor on for Pacquette H/T Loyd Bore on for Bore 85 Rodney on for Sheridan

Substitutes 21 Draper 17 Nicolau 18 Lloyd 32 Rodney 7 Taylor

Tamworth FC

1 Hedge

2 Tait 5 Francis 6 Oji (Y-81) 3 Habergham

11 Thomas 15 Nix 25 Baldock 19 Barrow

9 Taylor 24 C Collins

Substitutions: 31 McDonald on for Baldock H/T Patterson on for Taylor 66 Grayson on for Collins

Substitutes 17 Gudger 4 Courtney 26 Grayson 14 Patterson 12 McDonald

  v 

Scorers

Imps – Bore 7 Thomas-OG 29 & 82 Power Pen-48

Lambs -

Ref: K Evans Attendance 2213 ( 2070 Imps 143 Lambs)

  v 

Possession

Imps 51% Lambs 49%

Shots on target (inc Goals)

The Imps 5 Lambs 0

Shots off target

The Imps 1 Lambs 3

Saves

Anyon 0 Hedge 1

Corners

The Imps 8 Lambs 2

Offsides

The Imps 3 Lambs 1

Fouls

The Imps 8 Lambs 5

Yellows

The Imps 1 Lambs 1

BSP Standings 31/3/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	41	30	8	3	98	41	57	98
15		Alfreton Town	41	13	8	20	59	82	-23	47
16		Tamworth	41	11	13	17	43	62	-19	46
17		Lincoln City	40	11	9	20	46	56	-10	42
18		AFC Telford United	41	9	14	18	42	59	-17	41
19		Stockport County	41	9	14	18	48	70	-22	41
20		Newport County	38	9	11	18	46	56	-10	38
21		Hayes & Yeading	41	10	7	24	53	81	-28	37
22		Darlington *	40	10	10	20	42	63	-21	30
23		Kettering Town *	41	8	8	25	37	85	-48	29
24		Bath City	41	5	9	27	35	81	-46	24

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering administration
Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

]]> http://savethemightyimps.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/hayes-1-imps-2-a-tale-of-two-keepers/ Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:46:10 +0000 savethemightyimps http://savethemightyimps.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/hayes-1-imps-2-a-tale-of-two-keepers/ This was far from a pretty performance but thanks to Anyon, a decent rearguard performance and a couple of slices of luck, we look as if we will be in the BSP next year.  After a flurry of saves by Anyon, Hayes keeper Arnold sliced to Louis for our first as all three goals came in the space of 5 minutes. A Jamie Hand corner found an unmarked Pele who headed in unmarked from 6 yards. Then the teflon keeper flapped at a cross to allow Miller to  head home on 72 minutes. So Anyon reigns and Arnold wains whilst Impdom celebrates another charmed but priceless win.

For the benefit of the Hayes & Yeading  fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or United fan at

The Teams & Schemes

Hayes & Yeading Utd  4-2-3-1

1 Arnold

 3 Moutaouakil 18 Pele 30 Spence 5 Cadmore 

4 Hand 12 Bentley 

10 Williams  19 O’Brien 38 Mingioa

11 Wishart 

*****

Substitutions:  64 Owusu on for O’Brien, 88 Evans on for Wishart, 89 Warren on for Williams

Substitutes 31 Beasant 2 Argent 8 Evans 23 Warren 6 Owusu

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson  35 Miller (Y-84) 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

11 Laurent 8 Power 34 Thompson 36  Sheridan

10 Louis 33 McCammon

*****

Substitutions 53 Nicolau on for McCammon, 58  Taylor on for Laurent

Substitutes 21 Draper 4 Williams 17 Nicolau 18 Lloyd  7 Taylor 

*

But to the game footy fans to the game……..

Laurent looked keen to put himself about with two early fowls although the rest of the Imps stood off to give Wishart an early chance that he put comfortably wide. The Imps certainly had the advantage of height and looked to go long with McCammon glancing to Laurent who fired wide. Laurent played in Louis but his shot went off Thompson for a goal-kick.  Moutaouakil went passed Nutter and Sheridan with ease and centred superbly but Wishart, unmarked again, headed just over the bar from 6 yards.

The two contrasting styles made for a dull game. Hayes were passing the ball around, albeit in their own half with the Imps in turn playing mainly inaccurate balls to Laurent. Hayes went straight through our middle with four decent passes but Williams shot was well wide.  Power had a surging run but Laurent wanted too much time on the ball and the move came to nothing. Sheridan was having another shocker – best described as AWOL.  Thankfully O’Brien and Wishart went for the same ball,  leaving the former injured and needing treatment, as Gowling and Miller joined the AWOL list.

A decent long throw from Miller  caused a bit of havoc with three Imps appealing for a hand-ball that all in the sparse crowd missed, as did  the ref. Robson put Gowling under pressure with a poor ball but O’Brien lacked the pace and ability to capitalise. As the half came to a close neither side had managed a shot on target, let alone trouble the keeper,  with Hayes having 3 fluffed shots to our one. It was Pub football,  in a ground with just the one stand (behind the goal) and minus a crowd.

Elsewhere, at the halfway point Telford had pulled 3 points clear with a 2-0 lead over FGR, Bath were drawing 0-0 at home to York and Darlo were 0-1 at home to Wrexham. For heavens sake Reg, bring on Danny Lloyd if you want even 1840 Imps to bother this Saturday!

Holdsworth kept the faith for the start of the second half.  Some great one touch football from Hayes saw us carved apart but Anyon made himself big to deny O’Brien with his feet. Seconds later Hayes again opened us up with Anyon making a fantastic double save from O’Brien and then Wishart,  before gathering another effort from Wishart that took a wicked bounce  off the minefield of a six-yard box. Anyon was again alert to another move that outfoxed our static back four.

With Hayes giving us a lesson in football, Taylor replaced Laurent who had in reality spent more time using his hands than his feet. Moutaouakil then played a glorious 60 yard ball to Mingoia who roasted Robson and centred superbly only for Miller to read the danger brilliantly and head clear. Louis, on a rare Imps break,  saw his deflected dragged drive allude Taylor, coming in at the far post. Anyon punched clear under pressure from Wishart and O’Brien who then left the field for Owusu.

Arnold then gifted us the lead on 68 minutes. He miss-hit a clearance straight to Jefferson who merely had to tap home to give us a completely undeserved lead.  We’d take it though and then throw it away. Despite being bigger than our host man for man,  a 70th Hand corner found an unmarked Pele who headed home from 6 yards.  Fortunately the keeper dropped another clanger on 72 minutes, fluffing Nicolau’s cross to allow Miller to head home his first goal for the Imps just inside the post.

Hayes peppered the Imps goal, with Gowling and Miller both clearing well and Anyon palming a ferocious Owusu drive that Taylor hacked away. It was backs to the wall stuff for the Imps as we also survived a hand-ball shout.  Hand – yes Jamie Hand was orchestrating things as Anyon pounced on another centre just under his own cross bar to confirm the points and the fact that it was just not going to be Hayes night.

Hayes & Yeading  –  Lincoln City (H/T 0-0)

Scorers

United Pele 70

Imps Louis 68 Miller 72

Ref: K Johnson  Attendance 327  (  200 United fans  127 Imps )

Possession

United 54 % Imps 46% 

Shots on target

United 6  The Imps 2 

Shots off target

United 3 The Imps 1 

Saves

Arnold 0 Anyon 5 

Corners

United 7  The Imps 3 

Offsides

United 4 The Imps 4 

Fouls

United 4  The Imps 13 

Yellows

United 0  The Imps 1

BLUE SQ PREMIER TABLE – MARCH 27 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	40	29	8	3	94	40	54	95
15		Tamworth	40	11	13	16	43	58	-15	46
16		Alfreton Town	40	12	8	20	57	81	-24	44
17		AFC Telford United	40	9	13	18	39	56	-17	40
18		Lincoln City	39	10	9	20	42	56	-14	39
19		Stockport County	40	8	14	18	45	69	-24	38
20		Newport County	37	8	11	18	45	56	-11	35
21		Hayes & Yeading	40	9	7	24	51	80	-29	34
22		Darlington *	39	10	9	20	39	60	-21	29
23		Kettering Town *	40	8	8	24	36	82	-46	29
24		Bath City	40	5	9	26	34	77	-43	24

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules.

It is as much a question of the stay-aways as the  want-him-aways, for Bob & Co behind those impregnable  Bank Bastille gates,  as just 1841 die-hards turned up, with 250 of them making up the vociferous fans protest plus on-lookers. We ‘ ‘supporters’ made friends today and brought our cause to the ears of an audience way beyond  message boards,  performing peacefully for the assembled TV crews of ITV and the BBC, as we protested first outside the Echo stand and then the Executive boxes, before the board was forced to send for a demo spokesman in an attempt to placate the mob.

But this is a match report foremost and for the benefit of the visiting fans first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or Exile at.  Talking of which rest easy Craig Baker what would you think of the shambles at our club and the shocking  antics on the message boards since you left them?

Thanks for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs.

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson (Y-11) 35 Miller (Y-65) 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

36 Sheridan 8 Power 34 Thompson 31 Bore

10 Louis 33 McCammon

Substitutions 55 Lloyd on for Bore, 81 Laurent on for McCammon 90 Christophe on for Sheridan

***

Substitutes 21 Draper 18 Lloyd 27 Christophe 7 Taylor 11 Laurent (Y-87)

Newport County

1 Thompson

25 Rodgers (Y-63) 35 Franks 23 Harris 16 Hughes

19 Pipe 42 Porter (Y-74) 30 Minshull (Y-72) 28 Sandell

23 Charles 10 Foley

Substitutions: 62 Jarvis on for Charles 67 Rose (Y-72) on for Harris

***

Substitutes 43 Darlow 36 Lee Evans 11 Knights 15 Jarvis 31 Rose

*****

But to the game fellow footy fans, to the game…………

Passion has always been the fashion at Sincil Bank, a love supreme for a team for which we can always have half a hope and perhaps at least a dream.  So it was that the pre match anger aimed at those we fear are holding us back willed the lads to attack.   That said the early possession and pressure came from The Exiles with very little end product, as Foley and Charles both fluffed their lines to the relief of the home end faithful.  Louis then headed an effort wide before dragging an adventurous effort from outside the box  passed the post.  Robson took a yellow for the team for a foul on Sandell but his free-kick was poor and easily cleared by  Miller, who was renewing acquaintances with a vengeance.

Sandell then drove wide from distance as the exiles appeared to be getting into their stride. The game entered a bitty phase as two nervous sides got physical as they tussled for dominance with the Holdsworth and Dorrian out chants clearly audible from the stands.  The offside flag saved us with Harris through and newby Miller was certainly increasingly eager to stop his ex-employers by hook or by crook.  Jefferson Louis and McCammon were certainly stretching their legs too, even if the support was on the wane in every respect – but salvation was at hand just as the stewards began to muster.

On 25 minutes captain Nutter swung over a corner and Mark McCammon rose supreme to head home a towering effort with aplomb. The release and unbridled joy was something you can only experience in an old-skool end as every Imp hugged and danced the stress and strain away.  It was take no prisoners stuff on the pitch now as Tyrone Thompson went toe to toe with anyone with a pulse and threw a fantastic 35-yard cross-field ball to Captain nutter on a crusade. His ball in was sweet but Sandell et al mugged Louis on the edge of the box for yet another free-kick to hauls from the baying Imps at one again on our feet.  Mine said the Captain, who took four strides and hammered home a glorious hay-maker straight into the opposite top corner from 25 yards at least. It was party time at Sincil Bank now, with every Imp horns a-gleaming again on our hind quarters in salutation of a superb finish.  Like some Venetian Carnivale mask,  it made one all but forgive and forget the insults and the hurt.

McCammon, the new Beast of the Bank,  was playing the game as if it was his last. He charged his man to the ground – fairly –  before unloading a twenty yarder just wide.  Robson then cleared a dangerous corner with us all at sea on the verge of half time. Gowling did likewise to end the half full stretch to head his diving headed clearance behind.  We were pacified for now as policeman aka referee rattled his pea.

The second half did not see the home end charge we had hoped for. The game was littered with fouls and individual vendettas and 50/50s that the ref seemed happy to blow for yet he kept his cards in his pocket in the interests of an 11-a-side game. Enter Dany Lloyd aka D-N-McG to silence those again chanting for Holdsworth’s head – a clever move by Reg to put the cake on the table for the proletariat to feast.  He should start every week.  He is a dervish down either flank when the team has the vision to find the infectious Liverpudlian wide-boy, a tricky dicky, with either fleet foot so skilfully sticky. Twisting and turning, his pint-sized form is gloriously galvanised by a desire and gratitude for a chance to shine on the Sincil stage that he sees and respects as so much higher.   Let the boy play Reg let the boy play he is worth ten of ex-Cod Bore the snore.

Rogers and then Miller were both booked within minutes as each side deduced that the next goal could turn the game.  Rose then did Power with a naughty little dig,  yet having escaped a card his ridiculous remonstrations led to a yellow for dissent.  It was still in reality poor football from the Imps, apart from Danny Lloyd,  who sends the pulse racing when he is finally given the ball.  He cheekily beat two before shooting goalward only for Thompson to deny us and him more glory with a save.  How nice to see a smile from a player when you sing his name as opposed to the a badge kissing or the odd embarrassed wave.  Lloyd will play for the crowd, he is by his own admission living the the Sincil dream. With ten minutes to go Laurent came on for McCammon – dead on his feet (as was Louis) – and did little but foul Sandell until he too was booked.  But there was little invention in truth as Christophe came on for Sheridan to see the game out.

Much still to do to restore the faith with a dismal under two thousand at the theatre of the absurd on a Saturday. Our actions perheps inspired, for they certainly did more to focus than distract.   We have the win and Bob and the directors have the warning and the writing is already on the wall. Although 3,000 have already voted with their feet the Imp has turned.  And no amount of false flag propaganda will change that any time soon.

Lincoln City 2 – 0 (H/T 2-0)

Scorers

Imps McCammon 25 , Nutter  33

The Exiles

Ref: Ross Joyce Attendance 1951 ( 1841 Imps 110 Exiles)

Possession

Imps 49% The Exiles 51%

Shots on target

The Imps 5 The Exiles 2

Shots off target

The Imps 3 The Exiles 2

Saves

Anyon 2 Thompson 3

Corners

The Imps 4 The Exiles 6

Offsides

The Imps 4 The Exiles 4

Fouls

The Imps 10 The Exiles 10

Yellows

The Imps 3 The Exiles 4

BLUE SQ PREMIER TABLE – MARCH 24 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	40	29	8	3	94	40	54	95
15		Tamworth	39	11	12	16	42	57	-15	45
16		Alfreton Town	39	11	8	20	55	80	-25	41
17		Stockport County	40	8	14	18	45	69	-24	38
18		AFC Telford United	39	8	13	18	37	56	-19	37
19		Lincoln City	38	9	9	20	40	55	-15	36
20		Newport County	37	8	11	18	45	56	-11	35
21		Hayes & Yeading	39	9	7	23	50	78	-28	34
22		Darlington *	38	10	9	19	37	56	-19	29
23		Kettering Town *	40	8	8	24	36	82	-46	29
24		Bath City	39	5	9	25	34	76	-42	24

Darlington docked 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules.

Last week, considering something for the blog, like a lot of writers I had been mulling over some ideas to put in writing when I had the time. You won’t be surprised to hear it was to be another diatribe on the pain and futility of being an Imps fan and that’s what I intended when I sat down to write it.

Searching for inspiration I logged on to Imps Player and listened to Su Whittaker of BBC Lincolnshire talking to David Holdsworth. It was such a good interview I wrote about that, in fact it was almost a transcript of Holdsworth, word for word. I thought, surely, despite the fact it’s how most of us feel readers are tired of reading the same old complaints, lack of a settled team, poor or at least ineffectual tactics, lack of wins or indeed points at the moment.

David Holdsworth is a persuasive and convincing speaker, he exudes humility and confidence, one can easily imagine that the board of directors, even now, could believe Holdsworth is the man to lead to better things; it’s only a matter of time before the teams fortunes improve. Chopping and changing managers is generally not a recipe for steady improvement, you only have to look atChelseato see that. Similarly though, sticking with a manager who talks a good game but is not delivering the goods is not a recipe for survival either. A board surely will want to see the green shoots of recovery, to quote a much used phrase. Can they? We fans do not have the day to day communication that those in charge do but is there anything in City’s recent form to suggest there is any light at the end of the tunnel? Three defeats on the trot, eight games since the last win, three points from the last seven games, one win in fourteen games. How much more do we want? How much more can we take?

There are those yet who plead for time, including our esteemedLincolnCityreporter with the Lincolnshire Echo, Leigh Curtis but for this fan time has run out. City are in a downward spiral of defeat, dropping attendances and it does not even look as if the team, Holdsworths team largely, is playing for him.

On the day that Gary Simpson was sacked by Macclesfield Town it’s worth considering that there are decent capable managers out there who, presumably, would rather work than not and might well be prepared to come and work with what City have, try to get the best out the players, find the right team and stick with it. Even on a short term basis. If they’re successful well that’s the interview done. David Holsworth’s solution? We are trying to sign Jude Sterling.

That’s enough for me. I scan twitter and the net for some news. By the look of it so do you.

Read a version of this together with many other articles on LincolnCityand life in Lincolnshireby logging on to http://hykehamwriter.blogspot.com

For the benefit of the Bath City fans, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and then finally more stats than you can shake a Roman or an Imp at.

 The Teams & Schemes

Bath City 4-4-2

1 Garner

5 Jones 15 Preece 26 Gallinagh 3 Stonehouse

16 M Canham 19 Burnell 8 Connolly 18 Watkins

9 Cook (Y-45)  27 S Canham

*****

Substitutions:  62 Murray on for Watkins  67 Russell on for Cook 72 – Hogg (Y-81) on for Burrell

Substitutes 4 Rollo 7 Murray 20 Egan 21 Russell

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling (Y-74)  3 Nutter

8 Power 34 Thompson 27 Christophe 36 Sheridan (Y-95)

7 Taylor 16 Pacquette

*****

Substitutions  H/T Lloyd on for Christophe,  54 mins McCammon on for Pacquette &  68 Laurent on for Taylor

Substitutes 21 Draper, 17 Nicolau 18 Lloyd 11 Laurent, 33 McCammon,

*****

But to the game footy fans to the game…………….

 The Romans were two up inside the first four minutes courtesy of the Imps incredible ability for IMPlosion.  A stupid foul by Rob Williams on Marley Watson gave Marc Canham the chance to blast his penalty into the top corner on two minutes.  The lethargic Imps at least managed a corner before 9 static defenders allowed Jones to play in Watkins who back-heeled from five yards with four on the clock.

The Romans then strangely parked the bus, reverting to 4-5-1, although the Imps failed to take advantage of the invitation for half an hour at least.  Taylor had our first shot in the tenth minute although it was easily saved by Garner.  The passing was wayward, with pub players Sheridan and Power failing to attack a very slow defence and a keeper who was inviting us to exploit his lack of height.

Bath forced a couple of corners, that our lofty defenders dealt with easily but the policy of one up was giving us more of the possession. That said the lack of desire and invention was appalling given the importance of the game. We woke up 5 minutes before half time, the lively Taylor shooting over the bar. Power then hit a shot at Garner as the momentum continued to grow. Alas too little too late as half-time arrived with a late yellow for unsporting behaviour awarded to Cook. Ominously Hayes were one up at Forest Green leaving us out of the bottom four on goal difference alone.

Would there be a second half reaction? Danny Lloyd  was brought on for Christophe with Power coming inside next to  Thompson and Sheridan moved wide right.   Lloyd looked useful from the off and forced a corner.  Power’s set-piece found Pacquette in the box but his drive was cleared off the line by Stonehouse. McCammon came on to give us height and strength but Robson’s cross was straight at the keeper.  Watkins was denied by Anyon who saved his rising drive superbly.

It was end to end stuff now  as the Imps left the usual gaps.  Canham  un-marked 6 yards out inexcusably failed to make it three.  Sheridan then grazed a post as the Imps attempted to get a foothold in an enthralling game. The persistent rain added to the excitement as Lloyd delivered a  beauty that was cleared off the line after a skirmish. Taylor fizzed a short wide on the turn before leaving the field in exchange for Laurent.  Hogg came on for Burnell and fowling Gowling was booked for doing  Russell unnecessarily.

Sheridan was seeing plenty of the ball now and at least getting in some testing balls as much due to the worsening, almost torrential, conditions as the quality of delivery.  Reg had used plan B and plan C  and we really needed a break. We got one on 75 minutes as Lloyd aka Mr D-N-McG roasted three, cut in and fired us back into the game.  Anyon saved superbly from Murray and then kept us in it moments later deflecting Canham’s effort wide.  We were lucky to get away with going 3-1 down thanks to a flag as Canham turned home from inside the 6 yard box. Anyon again saved superbly, this time from Murray.

D-N-McG was having a stormer  as the rain lashed down. He beat three before sending over a cross that was deflected over.  Hogg tried to slow him down and took a yellow for the team.  A Connolly corner saw Jones, with far too much time,  head wide as the fourth official signalled 5 minutes of added time.  D-N-McG then played in McCammen who fell over his feet to allow the Romans to clear.   That was our last chance as we slumped to a disastrous defeat against the bottom side, this just their  5th win of the season.

Savethemightyimps postscript 

The Boston and Gainsborough derbies are on the cards now, because only goal difference is separating us at present. I wonder will those season tickets  for the BSN be the same price at Ashby Avenue given they will also include free membership of the supporters Trust.  You get nothing fot nothing so do not expect the chance to vote on any major decisions . Oh no only the Cabal get to do that sort of thing and they have already taken all the lifeboats on our titanic excuse for a football club. Never mind,  on with the Rose tinted specs,  there were 500 more at Boston’s BSN game than were present at our game today.

Bath City 2 – 0 Lincoln City (H/T 2-0)

Scorers

Bath Canham (pen) 2 Watkins 4

Imps D-N-McG

Ref: Andy Davies Attendance (760 Bath 174 Imps)

Possession

Bath 53% Imps 47%

Shots on target

Bath 7 The Imps 6

Shots off target

Bath 3 The Imps 4

Saves

Bath  7 The Imps 4

Corners

Bath 7 The Imps 7

Offsides

Bath 2 The Imps 4

Fouls

Bath 11 The Imps 14 

Yellows

Bath 2 The Imps 2

Reds

Bath  0 The Imps 0

BSP Standings 17/3/12

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	39	28	8	3	92	40	52	92
2		Wrexham	37	27	5	5	70	21	49	86
3		Mansfield Town	38	18	14	6	67	41	26	68
4		Luton Town	36	18	12	6	65	31	34	66
5		Southport	38	19	9	10	60	57	3	66
6		York City	36	17	13	6	70	38	32	64
7		Kidderminster Harriers	38	17	9	12	66	53	13	60
8		Gateshead	37	17	9	11	59	54	5	60
9		Grimsby Town	37	17	8	12	70	52	18	59
10		Cambridge United	36	15	10	11	44	33	11	55
11		Barrow	39	16	7	16	55	60	-5	55
12		Braintree Town	38	15	8	15	65	69	-4	53
13		Forest Green Rovers	37	13	13	11	51	39	12	52
14		Ebbsfleet United	37	12	10	15	57	66	-9	46
15		Tamworth	37	11	10	16	41	56	-15	43
16		Alfreton Town	37	10	8	19	50	73	-23	38
17		AFC Telford United	37	8	12	17	36	54	-18	36
18		Stockport County	39	7	14	18	41	69	-28	35
19		Newport County	35	8	10	17	44	53	-9	34
20		Lincoln City	37	8	9	20	38	55	-17	33
21		Hayes & Yeading	37	9	6	22	49	76	-27	33
22		Darlington *	37	10	9	18	36	53	-17	29
23		Kettering Town *	38	7	8	23	34	80	-46	26
24		Bath City	37	5	9	23	34	71	-37	24

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering administration
Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

In the morning I awake,
My arms my legs my body aches,
The sky outside is wet and grey
So begins another weary day.
So begins another weary day

That’s the chorus from the song Grey Day as performed by Madness and it’s tempting to simply write, that’s what it feels like to be an Imp at the moment thank you very much, goodnight. To elaborate a little though, where do we go from here? As mentioned before it’s scarily like last season and the way things look, the same outcome too. To listen to David Holdsworth, nothing to do with him, some players not subscribing to the correct thinking blah blah:-

It’s a disappointing result and very frustrating. I won’t say we’ve battered them but we’ve been the better team.

“I care about this club, the fans, everyone involved with this club, but we’ve got seven or eight boys who are on very little money. They’re honest and I’ll take that any day but if you can’t keep a clean sheet you won’t win a football match.

“Alfreton are lucky to go home with a win but they’ve taken the points and we have to look at why we keep conceding and certain people have to stand up and be counted. If they’re not up for the fight, they won’t play.

“I’m fuming. I’m sick to death of letting in soft goals, but when you have weak mentalities sometimes it frustrates the life out of me and we need to deal with it.”

48% possession for the home team suggests anything but a battering Mr Holdsworth. Or being the better team The manager talks a good game but frankly there has been no inkling that better times may be around the corner. What is usually around the corner are more journeymen, hopefuls, has beens and never were’s . A grey day indeed. Time for a change because anything is better than this.

It’s easy to point the finger, usually in the direction of Bob Dorrian, but when you interview a managerial candidate as convincing as David Holdsworth and you hear his vision for the future of the club, his methodology (he’s got an ‘ology) it all sounds so rosy coupled with the fact that he was obviously prepared to work without a contract and was able to secure players on low contracts, most fans can understand why the club went for him but the plain fact of the matter is most supporters could do at least as well managerially simply by the law of averages. No matter how poor teams are they will win eventually.LincolnCityare in urgent need of wins rather more technically and scientifically engineered than that. For someone so good at PR the statement we’re rubbish but we’re cheap really won’t do.

Oh and by the way. You can win a football match without keeping a clean sheet. You have to score more goals than the opposition. Simples.

Read a version of this together with many other articles on LincolnCityand life in Lincolnshireby logging on to http://hykehamwriter.blogspot.com

For the benefit of the Alfreton fans, first the teams & schemes then the match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or Red at.

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

8 Power 34 Thompson 31 Bore 30 Almond

10 Louis 16 Pacquette

*****

Substitutions 53 Sheridan on for Pacquette 54 Taylor on for Almond 74 McCammon on for Bore

Substitutes 21 Draper, 2 Watson, 36 Sheridan 7 Taylor 33 McCammon

Alfreton Town 4-4-2

27 Stewart (Y-86)

2 Law 26 Kempson 4 Street 3 Franklin

11 Arnold 17 Deverics 8 Moult 15 Wilson (Y-83)

16 Jarman 9 Clayton

***** 

Substitutions: 16 Conneely on for Street 62 Cunnington on for Clayton

Substitutes 1 Lowson 29 Conneely 19 Mullan 28 Cunnington

*******

But to the game footy fans to the game…………….

The first thing to get the pulses of the faithful going was the 12th minute grounding of Theo Street for an innocuous challenge, laid prone for 4 minutes with a stretcher needed. Pacquette went two foot wide with an effort as we finally gave the front two something to feed from and the lacklustre Bore forced a full length save from Stewart. In all honesty Bore is a waste of a shirt so far, indeed he and Power in the same side means we are effectively playing with 9.

.

Kempson had Louis in his pocket whenever the clueless punts looked anywhere near a cross. Nicky Deverdics gave the home end grounds for concern, with a well wide whistler,  although in reality it at least broke the monotiny of two teams trying to devise a square wheel. On 40 Louis tried to do things on his own but was forced to cross and Almond curled an effort about a yard over the bar. Stewart then denied Louis again before Almond drove the rebound against Kempson throwing his body on the line.

A big clearance down field then saw Arnold play inside to the advancing Moult to finish in the corner with aplomb. It certainly swept the Imps down the tunnel to a chorus of fans fast losing the faith. The Home end certainly turned today, if they had not already, with the usual unreserved and undeserved support found wanting at the end of each half of this waste of time and money.

Unchanged, the Imps attacked – using the term loosely – the home end with the Stacey West in full voice again. The visitors however had the first effort on goal – hat trick hero Jarman firing at Williams to earn the first of the games 4 corners. Anyon then palmed a ferocious effort from Moult over the bar to keep us in it as we conceded possession time and again to a part-time side that had played on Tuesday and then gone to work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Fair play to them they contested every first and second ball and stifled Power – as unproductive as chocolate kettle – as Thompson faced the midfield battle alone.

Holdsworth rang the changes about ten minutes in with a double substitution. On came Sheridan for Pacquette with Jamie Taylor replacing Almond although Sheridan went wide with Taylor down the middle. Jamie was into the ‘action’ early although a defender denied him the chance to pull the trigger. Anyon saved a Deverics set-piece before Taylor again conjured a chance with a cross for Louis but Kempson again ruled supreme. A Robson long-throw found Sheridan who played back to Power just eight yards up. He teed it up and volleyed powder-puff pace into the arms of the thankful keeper. A really shocking effort in a game with fewer chances than a 2012 school leaver entering the Lincolnshire job market.

Holdsworth sent on McCammon at the Sincil last chance saloon just in time to see Bore decide to stretch his legs for perhaps the second or even third time in the game. It at least earned us a corner, albeit – straight at the keeper. Anyon earned his money again as Wilson, a dominant if not hypnotic part of the game, hammered goalward. McCammon beat Kempson in the air but Stewart was equal to him deflecting the ball for another unproductive corner. Nutter then fluffed a free-kick before the boos brought the game to an end.

David Holdsworth was dignified at a delayed interview this evening. He was open and honest about the fact that he is forced to find and field players who earn as much as Blue Square North players. Perhaps that is why we are heading there. Change is needed at Lincoln City and quick with the Imps and Telford tied just one place and 3 points off the drop zone this evening. As to whether we have the stomach for the fight – Holdsworth does, Lincoln City Banter does but everyone else has had their head in the sand for perhaps too long.

.

Lincoln City 0 - 1 Alfreton (H/T 0-1)

Scorers Moult 45+3

Imps

The Reds Moult 45+3

Ref: Tony Harrington Attendance 2253  ( 2073 Imps 180 Reds)

Possession

Imps 48 % The Reds 52 %

Shots on target

The Imps 7 The Reds 4

Shots off target

The Imps 4 The Reds 4

Saves

The Imps 3 The Reds 6

Corners

The Imps 2 The Reds 3

Offsides

The Imps 2 The Reds 2

Fouls

The Imps 5 The Reds 6

Yellows

The Imps 0 The Reds 2

Reds

The Imps 0 The Reds 0

 Standings 10th March 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	37	27	7	3	87	38	49	88
2		Wrexham	36	26	5	5	65	21	44	83
3		Luton Town	35	18	11	6	64	30	34	65
15		Tamworth	36	11	9	16	41	56	-15	42
16		Stockport County	38	7	14	17	41	64	-23	35
17		Alfreton Town	36	9	8	19	48	73	-25	35
18		Newport County	35	8	10	17	44	53	-9	34
19		Lincoln City	36	8	9	19	37	53	-16	33
20		AFC Telford United	35	7	12	16	33	49	-16	33
21		Hayes & Yeading	36	8	6	22	46	75	-29	30
22		Darlington *	35	10	8	17	35	50	-15	28
23		Kettering Town *	36	7	7	22	34	78	-44	25
24		Bath City	36	4	9	23	32	70	-38	21

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering admin & Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

Here are the stats read them and weep.

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

8 Power 34 Thompson 31 Bore 30 Almond

10 Louis 16 Pacquette

Substitutions 53 Sheridan on for Pacquette 54 Taylor on for Almond 74 McCammon on for Bore

Substitutes 21 Draper, 2 Watson, 36 Sheridan 7 Taylor 33 McCammon

Alfreton Town 4-4-2

27 Stewart (Y-86)

2 Law 26 Kempson 4 Street 3 Franklin

11 Arnold 17 Deverics 8 Moult 15 Wilson (Y-83)

16 Jarman 9 Clayton

Substitutions: 16 Conneely on for Street 62 Cunnington on for Clayton

Substitutes 1 Lowson 29 Conneely 19 Mullan 28 Cunnington

Lincoln City 0 - 1 Alfreton (H/T 0-1)

Scorers Moult 45+3

Imps

The Reds Moult 45+3

Ref: Tony Harrington Attendance 2253  ( 2073 Imps 180 Reds)

Possession

Imps 48 % The Reds 52 %

Shots on target

The Imps 7 The Reds 4

Shots off target

The Imps 4 The Reds 4

Saves

The Imps 3 The Reds 6

Corners

The Imps 2 The Reds 3

Offsides

The Imps 2 The Reds 2

Fouls

The Imps 5 The Reds 6

Yellows

The Imps 0 The Reds 2

Reds

The Imps 0 The Reds 0

BSP Standings 10th March 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	37	27	7	3	87	38	49	88
2		Wrexham	36	26	5	5	65	21	44	83
3		Luton Town	35	18	11	6	64	30	34	65
15		Tamworth	36	11	9	16	41	56	-15	42
16		Stockport County	38	7	14	17	41	64	-23	35
17		Alfreton Town	36	9	8	19	48	73	-25	35
18		Newport County	35	8	10	17	44	53	-9	34
19		Lincoln City	36	8	9	19	37	53	-16	33
20		AFC Telford United	35	7	12	16	33	49	-16	33
21		Hayes & Yeading	36	8	6	22	46	75	-29	30
22		Darlington *	35	10	8	17	35	50	-15	28
23		Kettering Town *	36	7	7	22	34	78	-44	25
24		Bath City	36	4	9	23	32	70	-38	21

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering administration
Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

Last week we had the rather unfortunate return of Kyle Perry to Sincil Bank when the burly striker rammed the taunts of his detractors straight back down their throats. This week it’s David Holdsworth’s turn, returning to his former stamping ground,Mansfield. They are not particularly backward in coming forward inMansfieldand Holdsworth had already said he was expecting a warm reception and by that he didn’t mean a nice round of applause.

Stags were in no mood to put the welcome bunting out and City returned toLincolnwith nothing to show for their efforts. Six hundred and twenty seven, that’s right six hundred and twenty seven Imps were at Field Mill to see yet another capitulation, this time at the hands of resurgent and rampant hosts. We can only hope for such resurrection as this, Stags having suffered in the past but are well and truly on the up and withGrimsbyTownshowing every sign of making their stay in non league football as brief as possible even the local angle looks like being taken from us before long.

David Holdsworth talks a good game and he seems as confident as usual. The number of Imps sharing that confidence dwindles as each game passes. Five games without a win have now passed with just three points gained from those five matches. Eerily and frighteningly reminiscent of last season, looking back to Christmas and the last twelve games the situation looks even more desperate, just one win and eight points gained from a possible thirty six.

Rob Bradley (how we could do with his steadying influence now) made a telling comment on the day Steve Tilson was sacked. When asked whether Tilson should have been sacked on the last day of the season, Bradley stated that many a chairman would have wielded the axe before the end of the season to secure the necessary points needed to ensure survival.

City need points and at this rate no guarantee that they will be gained. The present manager’s lack of a contract the one plus point in all this. City’s record in appointing managers lately is one of the many minuses and before anyone is accused of being smart after the event we all have to hold our hands up and admit that many if not most of us approved of the appointments.

Read a version of this together with many other articles on LincolnCityand life in Lincolnshireby logging on to http://hykehamwriter.blogspot.com

For the benefit of the visiting Stags, first the teams & schemes, then the unbiased match report and finally more stats than you can shake an Imp or Stag at. Thanks for reading - Neil Gentleman-Hobbs 

The Teams & Schemes

Mansfield Town 4-4-2

1 Marriott

16 O’Neill  6 Riley 26 Geohaghan 21 Howell

 7 Briscoe (Y-40) 17 Sutton  35 Roberts 19 Smith

15 Dyer 10 Green

Substitutions: 23 Meikle on for Smith 85 Worthington on for Roberts

Substitutes 23 Roberts 4 Worthington 9 Rhead 24 Meikle 28 Hutchinson 23 Redmond

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

15 Russell  8 Power 34 Thompson (Y-76) 31 Bore

10 Louis  16 Pacquette 

Substitutions 61 Taylor on for Pacquette 61 Almond on for Russell 78 McCammon on for Bore.

Substitutes 21 Draper, 2 Watson, 30 Almond 7 Taylor 33 McCammon

*****

But to the game footy fans to the game………..

A lively, albeit one way opening, saw Dyer, unmarked in the six-yard box, blast a glorious opportunity high and wide. The Imps first sortie saw a shot from Russell crash into what appeared to be the arm of Riley, but it was deemed ball to hand as these things are when you are away from home.  Early doors saw O’Neill tearing us apart down the right with Smith a menace down the left. Geoghagan’s  long throw, as good as any free kick, caused havoc in the Imps box. Gowling,  Nutter and Williams cleared the lines, more by luck than judgement, with Gowling lucky to get away with a crude off the ball challenge to the small of Smith’s back. This crude but clever move forced the flying left winger from the fray and upset the Stags balance and rythm for a time as Meilke appeared a far poorer substitute.

Great Link up play between Russell and Pacquette saw the latter feed Jefferson Louis who fizzed a shot that Mazza did well to save.  Louis was all over the place,  perhaps aware of the McCammon threat on the bench, clearing the lines and even taking quick throws as Mansfield continued to dominate. Pacquette tirelessly ran the channels, although the service was worse than a call centre on a Bombay Bank Holiday. Gowling, unable to deal with Green, continually fowled his way out of trouble and Nutter was also lucky as the ref continued to see no evil where a Green & white hooped shirt was concerned.

A glorious rising drive from Meikle was magnificently saved by Anyon as the Stags continued to probe, The Imps began to enjoy more of the game although the passing was poor from Bore and Russell.  The Imps were certainly getting the luck. Having failed to deal with a Meikle cross, giving Dyer a free header that he fluffed, no one went for the second ball in the six yard box but dead-shot Green sensationally fired over.  Louis headed over at the other end as  Mansfield showed they too saw attack as the best form of defence.

The Imps were working hard for each other, the Stags high balls meat and drink for Williams and Gowling, although when they got it down they looked dangerous with Dyer curling a long range effort a foot wide of Anyon’s post.  A Power and Bore (yes he was playing) one-two saw O’Neill pluck the ball off the toe of the former just as he was about to pull the trigger to end the half. As things stood the referee could not be accused of being a homer with things going swimmingly in every sense of the word. As far as the relegation rumble was concerned Alfreton, Telford, Hayes and Stockport were all goalless, with Kettering a goal down.

The trudge from the dressing room to the dugouts was like water off a ducks back for  for Holdsworth. The Stags were like a whirlwind second half Briscoe’s pocket picked at the expense of a throw. The ball was lofted in and then half cleared at the expense of free kick. A great delivery from O’Neill saw Dyer, with two much time, turn to flick home from 6 yards with aplomb.  It was tasty stuff as Williams and Green squared up after a challenge more by crook than hook.  Bore fed Pacquette who took it in his stride but alas blasted over when a shot on target should have put us level.

Brisoe was getting the freedom of Lincs and Notts down the right,  although the end product was fortunately far inferior to his dribbling skills. Bore was leaving Nutter exposed time although he did feed his full-back for an exciting overlap that ended with a poor cross for our first attempt of the half. On 58 Gary Roberts received an incisive ball from Meikle,  took a touch and placed a fantastic dipping 25-yarder beyond Anyon just inside the upright. A quality strike worthy of winning any game.

Holdsworth made a double substitution to put on a show for the healthy and vociferous 627 strong away following – again a credit to the club throughout. Almond came on for Russell and Almond replaced Pacquette. Normal service was resumed as Briscoe roasted down the right whilst Meikle made Robson’s life a misery. It was all too easy, both Almond and Bore are powder puffs in the challenge which leaves the full-backs hopelessly exposed. Taylor tried to orchestrate some football as the Imps enjoyed a 4 man 8 pass move that Riley ended when he charged Almond to the ground as he looked to shoot.

Thomson then saw yellow for his second bad foul of the game as the Imps struggled to stay in the game. Green and Dyer’s power and mobility stretched Gowling and Williams all game, with Briscoe far too clever for the Imps left flank. He almost added a third with an unopposed run and rising drive whilst a ball to Green saw a header go wide. Marriott had to be alert as McCammon on for non event Bore as the Imps went 4-3-3. O’Neill then overlapped and crossed well, but Anyon’s fumble went unpunished.

Anyon then saved and held Briscoe’s drive brilliantly before the Imps enjoyed a couple of efforts. Jefferson Louis headed the first over and then hit the second high and wide. As Mansfield continued to sit back Mark McCammon tried an overhead kick that went well over. A speculative shot from Thomson then cannoned comically off McCammon to flatter us a bit at the death.  Too little,  too late with the Imps outclassed again.  The Imps fall to 19th as Stockport win at Darlington, still 5 points off the drop. Holdsworth had to run the gauntlet as he made for the sanctuary of the dressing room.

Mansfield Town 2 - 0 Lincoln City (H/T 0-0)

Scorers

Stags: Dyer 47 Roberts 58

Imps McCammon 94

Ref: Richard Clark Attendance 4830 ( 4203 Stags 627 Imps)

Possession

Stags 54 % Imps 46 %

Shots on target

Stags 10 The Imps 1

Shots off target

Stags 5 The Imps 7

Saves

Stags 2  Imps 7

Corners

Stags 2  Imps 2

Offsides

Stags 3  Imps 3

Fouls

Stags 5  Imps 13

Yellows

Stags 1  Imps 1

Reds

Stags 0 The Imps 0

BSP Standings 3rd MARCH 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	35	25	7	3	83	37	46	82
2		Wrexham	34	24	5	5	61	21	40	77
3		Luton Town	34	18	11	5	64	28	36	65
4		York City	34	16	12	6	67	36	31	60
5		Southport	35	17	8	10	54	57	-3	59
6		Mansfield Town	34	15	13	6	56	39	17	58
7		Kidderminster Harriers	35	16	9	10	61	48	13	57
8		Grimsby Town	33	16	7	10	65	46	19	55
9		Barrow	35	16	7	12	55	49	6	55
10		Gateshead	34	15	9	10	55	51	4	54
11		Forest Green Rovers	35	13	13	9	49	34	15	52
12		Cambridge United	32	13	10	9	41	30	11	49
13		Braintree Town	35	13	8	14	57	61	-4	47
14		Ebbsfleet United	35	11	10	14	55	61	-6	43
15		Tamworth	34	11	8	15	41	55	-14	41
16		Stockport County	36	7	14	15	40	57	-17	35
17		Newport County	34	8	10	16	41	49	-8	34
18		Lincoln City	35	8	9	18	37	52	-15	33
19		AFC Telford United	34	7	12	15	33	48	-15	33
20		Alfreton Town	34	7	8	19	41	72	-31	29
21		Darlington *	35	10	8	17	35	50	-15	28
22		Hayes & Yeading	34	7	6	21	45	73	-28	27
23		Kettering Town *	35	7	7	21	34	77	-43	25
24		Bath City	35	3	9	23	31	70	-39	18

Darlington deducted 10 points for entering administration
Kettering Town deducted 3 points for breaching league rules

Driving home on Saturday afternoon there were some very mixed messages coming out of BBC Lincolnshire’s after match coverage of Lincoln City’s game against AFC Telford including some fans who thought it was a good performance. Obviously football watching is a subjective experience, one fans good performance is another’s rubbish and a case in point would be Louis Almond who looked to this untutored eye a fair prospect, finishing apart. Others along the row thought otherwise.

This brings us to Mr Kyle Perry, subject to some rather unnecessary barracking from home fans; he is still our man at least for the moment. Kyle, again it’s a personal view, demonstrated why somebody thought he was worth signing in a show full of effort, industry and of course a goal as well. He did rather make the mistake of celebrating fully in front of the Stacey West regulars when perhaps one of those full of remorse, sorry but I am a striker, don’t congratulate me, I had to do it type reactions that we see from time to time might have been more appropriate. The question is why didn’t we see more of this from the striker before?

David Holdsworth will no doubt say that is the reason he is out on loan and there would seem to be really no way back for Perry atLincolnwhich begs the question, is it really necessary to clear out virtually all the players from the previous regime? Before you ask, yes, Gowling and Anyon are still with us although in this correspondent’s view that is not for the want of trying in Anyons case. Yet again we have a plethora of new faces to get used to. Are we better as a result of these changes? Well, City sit five points away from the drop zone and it is all starting to look a bit like last season, relative calm and a sort of a gap but this  is not going to get any wider with any more performances like the one we saw at Sincil Bank on Saturday.

Talking of Saturday, we had the highly unusual situation of each side having a player on loan from the other actually playing in the game. Presumably, no names no pack drill, somebody thought the likelihood of Perry putting in a decent performance and scoring a goal was negligible when balanced against the advantage of having Williams in defence. 2000 City fans no doubt feared otherwise. As it happens Williams had a mare whilst, in this writers view, Perry put in a man of the match performance. What a surprise! A player with a point to prove who is looking for a contract busts a gut (no slight intended) in front of fans who are giving him a hard time. At least some of those fans were big enough to give Perry the reception his performance deserved when he went off shortly before the end but in terms of management ofLincolnCitythings are not going to get any better whilst debacles of this type are presided over. City’s position is far from secure despite the managers assured interview persona. The way things feel at the moment it may not only be Kyle Perry who has no future at Lincoln.

Read a version of this together with many other articles on LincolnCityand life in Lincolnshireby logging on to http://hykehamwriter.blogspot.com

For the benefit of the visiting Bucks, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and finally more stats than you would care to shake an Imp or Buck at. 

Thanks for taking the time to read Neil Gentleman-Hobbs view from the Stacey West, the home from home  of Lincolnshire’s largest choir.

The Teams & Schemes 

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon 

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

31 Bore 8 Power 34 Thompson 30 Almond 

16 Pacquette 10 Louis

Substitutions 81 Taylor on for Pacquette 82 Rodney on for Almond 90 Christophe on for Bore

Substitutes 21 Draper, 17 Nicolau 27 Christophe 7 Taylor 32 Rodney

AFC Telford 4-4-2

1 Young

23 Valentine 18 Blackburn 6 Killock 3 Newton

27 Smith 15 Rooney 29 Jones

9 Perry 22 Brown 25 Sharp

Substitutions: Brooke on for Sharp 82 Davies on for Smith 85 cain on for Perry

Substitutes 32 Robinson 16 Preston 20 Davies 28 Cain 21 Brooke

But to the game footy fans to the game………………………

With Bore, the former Grimbarian from the northernmost outreaches of the Lincolnshire empire, pushed forward to wide right and  twinkle toed tangerine Almond on the other flank,  the 4-4-2 formation looked a tasty solution with cousins Pacquette and Louis free to plunder.  Kyle Perry, the artist formerly known as our on-loan number 9, acting as the fulcrum of a 4-3-3 facing ex-friends and now perhaps forever foes, the fatty chants from ex-fans filled the air.  His first minute miss- hit  in front of the baying Stacey West amused. The chants went up an octave as  Jefferson Louis was denied at the other end by a brave block from Newton. Telford are a plucky if not aesthetic side with a ferocious Smith  drive deflected but a foot wide of the home end goal.

Power, industrious and eager to please hacked away a corner at one end before feeding Almond who was denied by a superb save from Young.  Thomson fizzed over from a good 30 yards and Pacquette unleashed the exoset only for Young to deny him a worthy opener.  Valentine roasted all and sundry delivering a peach of a cross that caused havoc, deflecting off Gowling at the far post before nestling in the safe hands of Anyon who again earned his money today.

It was end to end stuff, low on quality but plenty of exciting huff and puff. Louis fired just wide before Perry wrote the script we had all feared.  On 24 minutes Valentine again tore us to shreds down the flank, delivering deep for the unmarked on-loan portly villain to take a touch before hammering a humdinger that crashed home off the bar.  The jeers were music to Perry’s ears as he rubbed a belly that could hold the best part of a barrel full of beer just yards from the madding crowd.

The fans continued to get behind the Imps during a scrappy next eight minutes that showed we too were capable of evening the score.  Power was fouled, up stepped Nutter and Almond with the former pulling rank as captain. The 25 yard miss-hit grass cutter cannoned in off the hapless Blackburn giving the thus far impressive Young no chance. From tears and jeers to cheers for the unfairly chastised pot bellied Perry’s former peers and there was still 20 percent of the half to go.

Pacquette could not believe that Young made himself big enough to deny another goal-bound thunder bolt, likewise Almond, though he miscued into the arms of the thankful keeper.  Jefferson Louis was showing a touch that shone like a sixpence up a chimney sweeps backside, acting the unselfish link man for both efforts.

The second half saw the Imps attack the vociferous faithful from the off, Almond a tad adventurous with a 25 yard curler.  Robson, far better than Bore on the overlap,  sent over a peach perhaps a foot too much for both Louis and Pacquette to convert.  Almond went for glory when Louis was far better placed to give us the lead.  Power then shot wide after a fantastic forty-five yard ball from the at last roasting Robson.  Pacquette, alas his luck clearly out today, sliced wide after a goalmouth scramble that the IMPassioned home end   failed to suck home.  Oh the joys of the boys coming at us with a spring in their step.

Penalty box bouncer Brooke, last weeks hero for the Bucks in the 1-0 win over Braintree, came on for a rather blunt Sharp and turned instant villain, fowling Gowling. Perry was denied by a fabulous full length save from Anyon, clearly he had glue on his gloves.  Bore then showed a flash of what he is capable of roasting, giving and then receiving only for Young to again block when one on one, as destiny and a certain winner beckoned.

The game got physical with Smith and Thompson both terriers in the tackle for their respective sides.  Tireless Tyrone seemed alone against a three man midfield at times as Bore snored and Power pirouetted out near the Echo Stand hinterlands, allowing the plucky Bucks to buck the trend and force two corners.  Forget who ate all the pies, the discomfort in the home end was all to apparent as the discomforting bowl movements from the half time repas of many came home to roost ’neath the Stacey West roof.  Perhaps forewarned of the perils of sitting deep Holdsworth made a double change with more forward prowess produced from the bench, Taylor replacing Pacquette and Rodney on for Almond. Telford put Davies on for Smith who had certainly earned his wedge today. Though his style was not for the feint hearted in these parts we poachers tend to admire such a pheasant plucker.

Sound the Sincil cavalry charge then. Jefferson Louis fired a ferocious piledriver a whisker wide before Robson’s long throw clearly bounced up – ball to hand perhaps – to communal screams for a penalty. Louis again glanced wide from  eight yards falling to the floor head in hands, for he knew that was a golden if not last chance at the Sincil saloon. But oh contraire,  as route one Anyon found Gowling, who flicked on to Taylor, a whirling dervish, but to ‘oohs and arghs’ his cross goal drive flew a fivers breadth wide of the face of the post. Again Jamie, a name that conjures fond memories hereabouts twisted and turned to win a corner.  All but Anyon were up as Gowling headed agonisingly wide.  Telford the part-timers had half tamed the fully pro Imps, with Perry bagging the prize before our very eyes. Fair play Kyle you clapped every stand professionally and we’ll excuse that deserved smile.

Lincoln City 1 - 1 AFC Telford (H/T 1-1)

Scorers

Imps - OG Blackburn 32

Bucks Perry 24

Ref: Scott Duncan

Attendance 2438 ( 2296 Imps 142 Bucks)

Possession

Imps 53 % Bucks 47%

Shots on target

The Imps 4 Bucks 3

Shots off target

The Imps 8 Bucks 1

Saves

The Imps 2 Bucks 3

Corners

The Imps 4 Bucks 7

Offsides

The Imps 0 Bucks 3

Fouls

The Imps 11 Bucks 6

Yellows

The Imps 0 Bucks 0

BSP Standings 25th Feb 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	34	24	7	3	80	37	43	79
2		Wrexham	33	23	5	5	60	21	39	74
3		Luton Town	33	17	11	5	62	28	34	62
4		Southport	34	17	7	10	53	56	-3	58
5		York City	33	15	12	6	65	36	29	57
6		Kidderminster Harriers	34	16	9	9	60	46	14	57
7		Mansfield Town	33	14	13	6	54	38	16	55
8		Grimsby Town	32	16	6	10	64	45	19	54
9		Gateshead	33	15	9	9	53	48	5	54
10		Barrow	34	15	7	12	53	48	5	52
11		Forest Green Rovers	34	12	13	9	47	33	14	49
12		Cambridge United	31	13	10	8	40	28	12	49
13		Braintree Town	34	13	7	14	56	60	-4	46
14		Tamworth	33	11	8	14	41	52	-11	41
15		Ebbsfleet United	34	10	10	14	52	59	-7	40
16		Newport County	33	8	9	16	40	48	-8	33
17		Lincoln City	34	8	9	17	36	50	-14	33
18		AFC Telford United	33	7	11	15	33	48	-15	32
19		Stockport County	35	6	14	15	39	57	-18	32
20		Darlington *	34	10	8	16	35	49	-14	28
21		Alfreton Town	33	7	7	19	41	72	-31	28
22		Kettering Town	34	7	7	20	34	76	-42	28
23		Hayes & Yeading	33	7	6	20	45	71	-26	27
24		Bath City	34	3	9	22	31	68	-37	18

Includes Darlo deduction of 10 points for entering admin

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

31 Bore 8 Power 34 Thompson 30 Almond

16 Pacquette 10 Louis

Substitutions 81 Taylor on for Pacquette 82 Rodney on for Almond 90 Christophe on for Bore

Substitutes 21 Draper, 17 Nicolau 27 Christophe 7 Taylor 32 Rodney

AFC Telford 4-4-2

1 Young

23 Valentine 18 Blackburn 6 Killock 3 Newton

27 Smith 15 Rooney 29 Jones

9 Perry 22 Brown 25 Sharp

Substitutions: Brooke on for Sharp 82 Davies on for Smith 85 cain on for Perry

Substitutes 32 Robinson 16 Preston 20 Davies 28 Cain 21 Brooke

Lincoln City 1 – 1 AFC Telford (H/T 1-1)

Scorers

Imps OG Blackburn 32

Bucks Perry 24

Ref: Scott Duncan

Attendance 2438 ( 2296 Imps 142 Bucks)

Possession

Imps 53 % Bucks 47%

Shots on target

The Imps 4 Bucks 3

Shots off target

The Imps 8 Bucks 1

Saves

The Imps 2 Bucks 3

Corners

The Imps 4 Bucks 7

Offsides

The Imps 0 Bucks 3

Fouls

The Imps 11 Bucks 6

Yellows

The Imps 0 Bucks 0

The Teams & Schemes

Kidderminster Harriers 4-3-3

31 Breedon

3 Williams 4 Jones   2 Vaughan 22 Demetriou

30 Bradley 24 Storer 34 Hendrie

14 Wright 20 Matt 28 Johnson

*****

Substitutions: 44 Rowe on for Johnson 87  Guinan on for Matt & Vincent on for Storer.

Substitutes G 21 Lyness 8 Vincent 9 Guinan 10 Roes 16 Briscoe

Lincoln City 4-3-3

1 Anyon

31 Bore 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

8 Power 27 Christophe 34 Thompson (Y)

32 Rodney 10 Louis (Y) 30 Almond

*****

Substitutions 61 Pacquette on for Rodney. 75 Russell on for  Louis

Substitutes 21 Draper, 12 Platt, 15 Russell, 17 Nicolau 16 Pacquette

But to the game footy fans to the game……….

Kidderminster looked to gain an early advantage, going on the offensive from the off. The Imps stood firm with Christophe, Thompson Louis and Gowling all conceding free kicks early doors as the Harriers full backs looked to overlap at will.  Both Bradley and Wright saw efforts go just to the left of the target before we again allowed Bradley time to set his sights.  Anyon saved his goal-bound bullet brilliantly.  The Imps countered but Power fell over to end a promising four man move. Matt was then left, but his header from 5 yards out flew high and wide. It would perhaps be the turning point of the game.

The Imps made the most of  this let off. Almond was fouled on the counter and took the set-piece himself. The delivery was sublime, allowing the towering force that is Jefferson Louis,  to glance home. He ran half the length of the field to celebrate with his benched cousin.  The Harriers stormed towards the Imps goal although they were clearly rattled and now aware of the Imps aerial threat in the form of Williams, Louis, Rodney and Christophe.

Louis and Almond were clearly a handful, with the former giving back as much as he was getting, whilst Almond roasted richly.  Rodney was anonymous a passenger in the game at best.  The Harriers harried, but for all their possession we matched them.   Johnson,  a hat-trick hero in mid-week unleashed a thirty-yard drive just wide and Anyon showed good hands before Williams slipped but Matt failed to capitalise. Matt then headed just over as the momentum built towards half-time.  Thompson took a booking for a foul on Bradley before more good solo work from Almond,  almost carved out a chance to end the half.

Matt missed another header from point blank range early doors second half right in front of the travelling Imps,  but the overlapping full-backs certainly left gaps that Almond looked keen to try to exploit on the counter.  Rodney was caught in possession a couple of times when he should have put his laces through it, but the chances came to nothing. Pacquette joined the fray on the hour at the expense of Rodney just as another Bradley drive whistled passed Anyon’s post.  His cousin Jefferson Louis celebrated with a booking for persistent infringement.

Rowe then elected to shoot wide from 30 yards when 3 in better positions had swarmed forward.  Williams and Gowling both worked well together, the Imps advantage in height clearly a telling factor.  As was our pace on the counter as Almond unselfishly played in Power who fired wide.  Both were brilliant throwing life and limb on the line to deny Matt before  Russell replaced Louis on 75 as the Imps shifted the emphasis to a 4-5-1 to safeguard all 3 points.  Ryan Rowe just 3 yards out wasted the Harriers 3rd goal edged heading opportunity and you just felt it was going to be our day. Certainly an un-Imp sentiment that, unlike leaving 1 up and inviting the opposition to come at us.

Steve Burr tried a last throw of the dice with Vincent and seasoned campaigner Guinan  replacing Storer and the profligate Matt.  The Harriers revved the jet engines.  Christophe headed out from just under the bar after a scramble as even the lonely Pacquette leant a hand for a corner.  Williams also helped out a limping Nutter, capping a towering performance.  Then, heartbreak, an equaliser as the Imps failed to deal with an attack.  Jones, up from the back tore down the right and centred for super-sub Guinan who hammered home with aplomb.  Yep Guinan broke City hearts again!

Kidderminster Harriers 0 – 0 Lincoln City (H/T 0-0)

Scorers

Harriers Guinan 90

Imps:  Louis 21

***

Ref: Steve Martin

Attendance 2081  ( 1909 Harriers  172 Imps)

Possession

Harriers 52 % Imps 48%

Shots on target

Harriers 2 Imps 1

Shots off target

Harriers 10 The Imps 1

Saves

Harriers 2 The Imps 1

Corners

Harriers 6 The Imps 1

Offsides

Harriers 4 The Imps 2

Fouls

Harriers 13 The Imps 16

Yellows

Harriers 0 The Imps 2

Reds

Harriers 0 The Imps 0

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon

31 Bore 2 Watson 5 Gowling 3 Nutter

12 Platt 27 Christophe 34 Thompson 17 Nicolau

10 Louis 16 Pacquette

*****

Substitutions 67 Almond on for Nicolau.  83 Rodney on for Platt.  90 Russell on for Platt. 

Substitutes 21 Draper, 4 Williams, 15 Russell, 43 Rodney 28 Almond

Braintree Town 4-4-2

1 McDonald

24 Dean Wells 4 Bailey-Dennis (Y-31) 5 Paine 3 Thomas

7 Symons (Y-71 ) 6 Reason 8 Davis 26 Kiernan

9 Marks (Y-92) 14 Assombalonga (Y-73 R 95)

*****

Substitutions: 74 Quinton on for Symons, 92 O’Connor on for Kiernan

Substitutes G – 22 Jones D – 16 O’Connor M – 15 Quinton M – 25 Pooley F – 2 Peters

But to the game footy fans to the game

A fabulous advert for the BSP saw Jefferson head home with his first touch after a long ball forward from to Joe Anyon. Joe’s distribution is often overlooked but he deserved the assist for getting new predator JL off the mark in record time and some style.    Anyon then made a great save under pressure from the visitors new signing Assombalonga, punching clear. There was little he could do moments later  as our defensive frailties continued. On 4 minutes an unmarked advancing Jai reason swept home the equaliser into the corner from a dozen yards.

The challenges were starting to to go in from both sides before Christophe hit what looked to be our second on lucky 7, only to be denied by McDonald.  Platt then had a dig and fashioned another chance for Louis who was just wide. Ditto Nutter who headed a whisker passed the post when he really should have done better. Adam Bailey-Dennis then did Platt to slow him down a bit.  The exciting Assombalonga then got away from both Gowling and Watson only to fire wide with just 15 minutes on the clock. This was well worth blowing out your Valentine for.

Christophe again tested McDonald with a header, and the keeper again punched clear Platt’s corner – the third of 9 for the Imps during a night of long overdue attacking endeavour punctuated with style and movement. Reason was again left unattended, blasting wide when he should have done better.  At the other end both Christophe and Pacquette tested McDonald who made a ‘worldy’ to turn the latters exoset round the post. Bailey-Dennis again did Platt and got a deserved yellow card, although quite how they ended up with 5 (inc a second yellow) cards to our none is something only the ref could explain as there was no love lost between any of the midfield pairings.

The second half saw  Jefferson Louis have another opportunity although this time his header was wide of the target.  Reason was again getting far too much time and space on the ball,  running us ragged from open play. We even gave him the freedom of the City from a set-piece  as his in-swinging corner  went straight in to leave the Imps 2-1 down.  We were great going forward, Christophe included,  but defensive duties seemed to be a poor second with marking and tactics fighting it out for a bronze at best.

The Imps responded magnificently, reasoning attack to be the best form of defence.  On 56 minutes, Tyrone Thompson let rip from 35 yards as the cooling half time Bovrils went skywards. Some goal, doubtless we will be shouting shoot every time our tireless work-horse gets the ball at his feet for the rest of the season at least. It even tops his own goal still doing the rounds on YouTube. Both sides went for the winner aby hook or by crook as Assombalonga saw yellow for unsporting behaviour whilst Louis got away with fouls on Aswad Thomas and Adam Bailey-Dennis. Almond was given a go wide in place of Nicolau although he is better centrally up front, but more on that later.

An end to end game continued with Holdsworth really going for it on 83 minutes as Platt was replaced by Rodney.  The bold move would leave us even more susceptible to the counter as Assombalonga shot wide and Quinton’s free kick shook the post. We also inexcusably gave Assombalonga time to shoot from 6 yards to give the Iron a 3-2 lead with 88 minutes on the clock.  Holdsworth really went for broke putting Almond in the centre for the tiring Pacquette, with the fresh legs of Russell out on the wing.  Almond magnificently stole the show with a  crisp low 20 yard volley just inside the post to tie the game at 3-3, with   90 minutes on the clock plus almost 10% of the game still to play in added time. There was still time enough for Assombalonga to see red for a second bookable offence after ref West deemed to him to have dived to obtain a penalty.

 

Lincoln City 3 - 3 Braintree Town (H/T 1-1)

Scorers

Imps: Louis 1 Thompson 56 Almond 93

The Iron:  Reason 4 & 54 Assombalonga 88

Ref: Richard West Attendance 1616 (1592 Imps 24 Town)

Possession

Imps 50 % Imps 50%

Shots on target

Imps 8 Imps 4

Shots off target

Imps 3 The Iron 9

Saves

Imps 1 The Iron 4

Corners

Imps 9 The Iron 2

Offsides

Imps 1 The Iron 1

Fouls

Imps 15 The Iron 11

Yellows

Imps 0 The Iron 4

Reds

Imps 0 The Iron 1

BSP Table 14th Feb 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	31	21	7	3	69	35	34	70
2		Wrexham	30	21	5	4	55	19	36	68
3		Luton Town	31	16	11	4	59	27	32	59
4		Southport	32	16	7	9	50	53	-3	55
5		York City	31	14	12	5	62	33	29	54
6		Kidderminster Harriers	31	15	8	8	57	43	14	53
7		Grimsby Town	31	15	6	10	62	44	18	51
8		Gateshead	31	14	9	8	50	45	5	51
9		Mansfield Town	30	12	13	5	47	34	13	49
10		Cambridge United	30	13	10	7	40	27	13	49
11		Barrow	31	13	6	12	48	47	1	45
12		Braintree Town	32	12	7	13	54	58	-4	43
13		Forest Green Rovers	31	10	12	9	41	30	11	42
14		Tamworth	30	10	8	12	38	46	-8	38
15		Ebbsfleet United	31	9	10	12	46	49	-3	37
16		Lincoln City	32	8	7	17	34	48	-14	31
17		Newport County	31	7	9	15	38	46	-8	30
18		Stockport County	33	5	14	14	37	55	-18	29
19		Darlington *	32	10	8	14	32	41	-9	28
20		AFC Telford United	31	6	10	15	31	47	-16	28
21		Kettering Town	31	7	7	17	32	68	-36	28
22		Alfreton Town	31	6	7	18	38	67	-29	25
23		Hayes & Yeading	31	6	6	19	43	67	-24	24
24		Bath City	31	3	9	19	28	62	-34	18

Darlington 10 points deduction for entering administration

For the benefit of the visiting Poppies, first the teams  & schemes, then the match report and finally the facts, stats and table. SaveTheMightyImps wish you well through your troubles.

The Teams & Schemes

Kettering Town

12 Walker

23 Noubissie 5 Sangare 6 J Ifil (Y-63) 3 Davis

20 Bridges 16 Meechan (Y-68)  17 Raith 8 Verman  11 kelly (Y-83)

18 Mills

Substitutions: on for

Substitutes 2 Ifil, 32 Pryor, 38 Jones

Lincoln City 4-3-2-1

1 Anyon

26 Robson    4 Williams    5 Gowling    3 Nutter

27 Christophe 34 Thompson (Y 20)  17 Nicolau 

12 Platt                                                               36 Sheridan
16 Pacquette

Substitutions 58 Russell on for Sheridan 58 D-L-McG on for Platt 77 Watson on for Nicolau

Substitutes 21 Draper, 2 Watson, 32 Pearson, 15 Russell, 18 D-L-McG

But To the game Footy fans to the game……

Kettering started as if their lives – well their livelihoods actually do over the next week or so –  depend on it, throwing bodies into the box at every opportunity.  But alas the 10 in the midfield went toe to toe minimising any real quality or clear cut goal mouth action. Mills went down easily to fail in a penalty bid and Pacquette superbly chested,turned and fizzed passed the post.  Bridges had a go from distance that sailed over the bar.

Thompson was fouled and curiously booked for going to ground – deemed a dive of all things –  with Kettering getting an undeserved free-kick.  Tyrone was having another tough day at the Office, taking a second tumble without recognition from the ref. Mills glanced a header wide at one end and then Christophe cannoned a volley into row Z after some clever work from Platt.

For once a collective defensive calamity went unpunished as Anyon and then Gowling sliced their clearances.  Sol Davis sent in a wonderfully inviting cross that Gowling dealt with comsumately as Kettering continued to force the pace.  Desaster struck as Pacquette, helping out in the box for a mishit free-kick,  leant into his man and fell into the path of the ball, which did in fairness touch his forearm.  Verman coolly converted into the corner for 1-0 Poppies after 36 pretty pulse-less minutes for the travelling Imps in good numbers and voice.

The Imps got away with a second penalty when fowling Gowling tripped Mills on the blind side of a poor referee.  Sheridan and Platt finally came to life –  Platt sent in a cross that Ifil cleared and Niclolau crossed into the keepers arms –  but it was too little too late with a Verman penalty the only difference between two poor sides.  Would the Imps up the anti kicking towards the travelling hoard second half?

The second half opened brightly  as Christophe headed limply at the keeper after a very long throw from Robson.  Kettering went straight up the other end as Bridges thanked Williams and Gowling for the wave through, but drove high and wide.  Pacquette  did Sangare – who had persistently held or fouled him – and fired a deflected shot just over. No corner and no penalty moments later when Pacquette was through only to be fouled.   Off came an impotent albeit injured Sheridan and a very flat Platt, replaced by Russell and D-L-McG.

Anyon then claimed a Bridges cross under pressure from Mills and fed Robson who charged up the other end only to meet Ifil, his determination doubled at seeing Verman still strewn in the Imps box. He got up just in time for the throw. A confident Christophe hit a long range effort high and wide and Pacquette was crudely dealt with although Nicolau’s free-kick was shocking sad really, he works hard but in reality is he along with maybe one or two others, almost proud pub players living the dream? But back to the artisans tales of the toils on the turf……..

Noubissie, the overlapping full-back, was getting some space,  he created panic with one cross and then fizzed a ferocious first time shot a foot over the bar. Anxious moments for the Imps as Verman turned Williams,  left him for dead, but somehow Anyon kept out the point blank 6-yard effort at the expense of a corner.  Anyon then punched clear as the Poppies continued to pour forward.  Russell and D-L-McG were trying hard although the end product and in particular the crossing,  was not the best although Pacquette was getting nothing from the ref.

D-L-McG took a poor and rare free-kick before the ball moved straight back with Bridges hammering at Anyon who did well to keep it out. Again Anyon saved magnificently from Bridges whose bullet appeared destined for the corner. Thompson also blocked an 18-yard drive from Mills as we continued to keep it at one with some hope from the outlets of Russell and D-L-McG who need two men to aim at. No one can say the Imps did not try to create, but we all know the team needs. So we come  full circle Holdsworth knows his hand is limited.

Epilog - 

We may yet get those three points back off of our struggling neighbours, but that is not the way  it should be in football.  Holdsworth needs funds, we are first and foremost a football team. That will get Lincoln fans back through the turnstiles.  Let us have two up front please Bob and then surely that £150k crunch next year will be no more than a pebble under the eighth tyre of a Juggernaut. Lincoln is going places over the next 5-10 years. She will support a reasonably succesful football team handsomely.  Question is will it be the Chesterfield model with a Nene Park style stadium?

Kettering Town 1 – 0 Lincoln City (H/T 1-0)

Scorers

Poppies Verman pen 36

Imps

Ref: Wigglesworth Attendance 1417  (1108 Poppies  309 Imps)

Possession

Poppies 53 % Imps 47%

Shots on target

Poppies 7 Imps 7

Shots off target

Poppies 7 Imps 6

Saves

Poppies 8 Imps 6

Corners

Poppies 5 Imps 5

Offsides

Poppies 2 Imps 2

Fouls

Poppies 13 Imps 15

Yellows

Poppies 3 Imps 1

BSP Standings 28th Jan 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	30	21	6	3	67	33	34	69
2		Wrexham	30	21	5	4	55	19	36	68
3		Luton Town	31	16	11	4	59	27	32	59
4		York City	31	14	12	5	62	33	29	54
5		Kidderminster Harriers	31	15	8	8	57	43	14	53
6		Southport	31	15	7	9	48	53	-5	52
7		Grimsby Town	31	15	6	10	62	44	18	51
8		Gateshead	31	14	9	8	50	45	5	51
9		Mansfield Town	30	12	13	5	47	34	13	49
10		Cambridge United	30	13	10	7	40	27	13	49
11		Barrow	31	13	6	12	48	47	1	45
12		Forest Green Rovers	31	10	12	9	41	30	11	42
13		Braintree Town	31	12	6	13	51	55	-4	42
14		Ebbsfleet United	31	9	10	12	46	49	-3	37
15		Tamworth	29	10	7	12	36	44	-8	37
16		Lincoln City	31	8	6	17	31	45	-14	30
17		Darlington *	31	10	8	13	32	39	-7	28
18		AFC Telford United	31	6	10	15	31	47	-16	28
19		Stockport County	32	5	13	14	35	53	-18	28
20		Kettering Town	31	7	7	17	32	68	-36	28
21		Newport County	29	6	8	15	35	44	-9	26
22		Alfreton Town	31	6	7	18	38	67	-29	25
23		Hayes & Yeading	31	6	6	19	43	67	-24	24
24		Bath City	30	3	9	18	28	61	-33	18

Includes Darlingtons 10-points deduction for entering administration

For the benefit of our guests, first the teams & schemes, then the match report and if your able,  finally the stats and BSP table.

The Teams & Schemes

Lincoln City 4-4-2

1 Anyon 

26 Robson 4 Williams 5 Gowling 3 Nutter 

12 Platt 34 Thompson 27 Christophe (Y-88) 17 Nicolau

          14 Smith 16 Pacquette (Y-93)

Substitutions H/T Lloyd on for Smith 77 Russell on for Platt 81 Sheridan (Y-86) on for Nicolau

Substitutes 21 Draper 32 Pearson 36 Sheridan (Y-86) 15 Russell 18 Lloyd

Southport FC 4-4-2

1 McMillan

14 Smith 6 Grand 15 Owens 11 Parry

7 Whalley (Y-35) 4 Akrigg (Y-32) 3 Benjamin 17 Ledsham

18 Mukendi 10 Gray

Substitutions: 66 Ellison on for Whalley, 73 Brown on for Mukendi 79 Carden on for Gray

Substitutes 13 Nemes, 5 Davis 23 Carden, 9 Ellison, 12 Brown

To the game footy fans, to the game……..

The question of how the Imps would cope without the Power, went the way of the naysayers last night at least. The Imps went 4-4-2 at home at last and despite Christophe being the only change for Power, we looked a different side early doors.  Captain Nutter sauntered down the left crossing to Christophe, but keeper McMillan palmed his crisp drive over the bar.  Ledsham in space thanks to a sumptuous ball from full-back Smith, sent a snapshot over.

The unrepentant Imps continued to look for an early goal and our bravery and industry was quickly rewarded as Nutter again advanced down the left. Again the delivery was superb and Christophe powered home a bullet header to get the sparsely populated Sincil Bank congregation rocking (sub 1600 Imps last night).  Conal the Conjurer and Pacquette were showing some nifty touches, born of the confidence a one goal lead brings.

The Imps were carving the better chances and shading the possession. Smith headed a Nicolau cross over that should have made the game safe.  The dangerous Ledsham fortunately swung at and Mukendi was denied bravely by Gowling who charged him down.  Owens appears to have a throw on him with an aerial threat akin to an incoming javelin although Robbie ‘let me entertain you’ Williams and Gowling were marshalling Mukendi and Gray well, with Anyon in commanding form. Pacquette was also showing the sort of presence and panache we need in the box. He holds the ball well, looks to bring people into play and demands a return that gives him that yard and a millisecond necessary for a run or shot at goal.

Nicolau for Lloyd may not be everyone’s choice,  but he negates things in a not to be underestimated way last night at least.  His shooting needs some work, as he blasted over after Pacquette put him in.  Platt almost got goal of the season, curling a free-kick inches over the bar.  Akrigg and Whalley both saw yellows for fouls on potent pair Pacquette and Platt before an injury to Smith  ended an otherwise positive half.  Danny Lloyd-McGregor raised a cheer as he warmed up on the sidelines, ready for an up and at them second half one hoped.

There was a spring in the Sandgrounders step as they forced an early corner, calmly claimed by Anyon despite the attention.  Pacquette got his yard of space.  Winning possession in the centre it was proper no 9 stuff, head down and  go before unleashing an unstoppable 25-yarder. Three in two games for DH’s big January signing then, this lad is a goal machine with some guile behind a come celebrate smile that we have needed for a while.  Lloyd, to give him his money saving shirt name  bore down on goal (D-L-McG the Bank winger that likes to roast guests) but McMillan forced him wide only for the cross to be hacked clear.

Our tails were clearly up, Platt was pulled down for what seemed a good penalty shout and then saw a goal-bound effort deflected over by Owens. Christophe was denied a second as Grand somehow blocked on the line.  Southport were not completely out of it, a wonder-save from Anyon, saw Parry’s thunderbolt cannon back off the bar.  He would deny Parry again moments later. Not to be outdone McMillan got his finger tips to another Nicolau effort. It was end to end stuff with Grand throwing his full force into Pacquette from behind to slow him down a bit.

Anyon kept out Ellison after he had done Williams like a kipper and Brown, on for Mukendi, was starting to really threaten.  One effort sailed just over and a swerving free kick needed Anyon to be at his best.  Whether we sat back or they took the game by the scruff of the neck was hard to tell but Anyon’s save from a Brown blunderbuss ensured we kept a well deserved clean sheet.  Three late bookings in the end showed that discipline may be a problem, although the foul on D-L-McG by Benjamin was certainly worthy of a card. Sheridan slid in late and Christophe and Pacquette saw yellow for persistence.

Lincoln City  2 – 0  Southport (H/T 1-0)

Scorers

Imps Christophe 7 Pacquette 53.

Ref: Clark  Attendance 1615  ( 1556 Imps 59 Sandgrounders)

Possession

Imps 53% Sandgrounders 47 % 

Shots on target

Imps 6 Sandgrounders 3 

Shots off target

Imps 6  Sandgrounders 6 

Saves

Imps 2 Sandgrounders 2 

Corners

Imps 4 Sandgrounders 6 

Offsides

Imps 2 Sandgrounders 4 

Fouls

Imps 7 Sandgrounders 5 

Yellows

Imps  3 Sandgrounders 2

BSP TABLE 24 JANUARY 2012

Pos		Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1		Fleetwood Town	29	20	6	3	65	32	33	66
2		Wrexham	29	20	5	4	53	19	34	65
3		Luton Town	29	15	10	4	58	27	31	55
4		York City	30	14	11	5	60	31	29	53
5		Kidderminster Harriers	30	15	8	7	56	41	15	53
6		Gateshead	30	14	9	7	48	42	6	51
7		Cambridge United	29	13	10	6	40	26	14	49
8		Southport	30	14	7	9	46	53	-7	49
9		Grimsby Town	30	14	6	10	60	44	16	48
10		Mansfield Town	28	11	12	5	44	34	10	45
11		Barrow	30	13	6	11	48	46	2	45
12		Forest Green Rovers	30	10	12	8	40	28	12	42
13		Braintree Town	30	11	6	13	50	55	-5	39
14		Ebbsfleet United	30	9	10	11	46	46	0	37
15		Tamworth	28	9	7	12	35	44	-9	34
16		Lincoln City	30	8	6	16	31	44	-13	30
17		AFC Telford United	30	6	10	14	31	45	-14	28
18		Darlington *	30	10	7	13	30	37	-7	27
19		Stockport County	31	4	13	14	33	52	-19	25
20		Alfreton Town	30	6	7	17	38	66	-28	25
21		Kettering Town	30	6	7	17	31	68	-37	25
22		Hayes & Yeading	30	6	6	18	43	65	-22	24
23		Newport County	28	5	8	15	32	42	-10	23
24		Bath City	29	3	9	17	28	59	-31	18