Oh well, another pointless weekend in Impdom. City observed another unwanted tradition as they left former non league Stevenage with nothing to show for their efforts despite taking the lead from the penalty spot courtesy of Ashley Grimes. That lead was soon wiped out as Lawrie Wilson first equalised and then gave Boro’ the lead with a goal which was to eventually turn out to be the winner. 401 Imps were present indicating that City’s followers did not regard this fixture as a dead rubber but their efforts to galvanise the team came to naught. City must now look to Rotherham at Sincil Bank on Friday night to garner three more points towards the fifty demanded by the manager to ensure safety so no problem there then. No? How about Port Vale on the following Tuesday? Torquay the next Saturday? Yes, there’s a tough looking series of games to face before the Imps can finally get the Boden catalogue out to order their holiday attire.
Fortunately, both of this terms under achievers, Barnet and Stockport lost again. A return to this seasons and indeed last seasons form for the Bees after City’s charity a couple of games ago. Fans will recall Barnet were candidates for the executioners tumbrel last season when Darlo’s and the Mariners truly awful form saved them. They’re in the shadow of the grim reaper alright now as are that once mighty (for clubs at our level at least) Stockport who have flirted with the ignominy of relegation from the league before, most notably, for Imps, the year City became the first cub to be relegated automatically from the football league when their escape was masterminded by our own Colin Murphy. It will take more than the Murphs legendary powers of motivation to save the Hatters this time round. Their attempts to stave off the drop becoming as unlikely as Murphy claiming the plain English award for his programme notes whilst at Sincil Bank. Guardian blogs tip for the play off, Burton managed a draw but remain third from bottom.
City’s foot weary troops will now trudge to Sincil Bank on Friday night with all the enthusiasm of a dog making his annual visit to the vets and it’s usually a similar experience, slightly uncomfortable but it’s soon over and won’t need to be faced again for a while. In fact if the Millers have their way it might not be for some time as they are, once again flirting with the promotion race as well they might when they boast a strike force including the formidable Adam Le Fondre. Who knows? They might be playing in Rotherham the next time City lose to them, sorry, play them. Maybe it might even be in a stadium fit for football. That would be nice!
Definitely not nice, if you’re a Millers fan, was the five nil pasting handed out to our next opponents by the all conquering Spirites, surely now a shoo in for the championship and worthily so. Chesterfield blasted past what, let’s face it is a pretty decent Rotherham side led by a more than decent manager. So City face a team that habitually beat them who have a red hot striker, stung by a recent chastening from their neighbours and who are gunning for a place in the play offs. Should be a piece of cake!
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