This is why Lincoln City have struggled this season.

Another day, another defeat and there’s no disgrace in losing to a side that are second in the league especially when it was a narrow 1-0 reverse to a team that had absolutely pelted us at Sincil Bank last November. Once again, the Imps were level and once again, one slip led to a defeat. Cian Hughton, who had waited patiently most of the season for a start, plainly not well regarded by the manager but the loss of Kelly and others forced Tilsons hand and start he did. He was interviewed after the game by BBC Lincolnshire’s Michael Hortin but unfortunately the interview is not yet available so no direct quote but what he had to say spoke volumes for this correspondent. It was along the lines of today’s performance shows that we are in a false position as we matched Bury. No Cian. No no no in the words of a well known Lincolnshire politician. Today’s performance does not show we are in a false position it shows why we are in the position we are in.

Those of us with very long memories may remember the last time the Imps were promoted. Easy victories were very few and far between. Promotions are gained by winning games such as this. Promotions are achieved by keeping going, scoring injury time winners and equalisers, never giving up, refusing to regard defeat as acceptable and being determined to put it right next time, being a winner. Matching a side is not being beaten by them. There are no points for moral victories. Cian Hughton will not be around next season and this attitude shows why. Frankly it would have been more impressive if he had come out and explained that it won’t be much of an interview as he was so gutted at losing but no. We matched them in a 1-0 loss kind of way.

Rant number two. Gavin McCallum was in the Lincolnshire Echo this morning returning to an old theme. It’s all our fault City don’t perform well at home, the players are frightened of playing in front of their own supporters, we get on their backs, boo them when all they did was get beaten by a whopping margin, making us sit there being laughed at and belittled by away fans who can’t believe their luck. What did you want, a standing ovation?

For Gavin and Cian, for all the players information we don’t want you to fear playing in front of us, quite the reverse we want to cheer you on, share your joy, feel your pain, be one of you just for a couple of hours, forget our troubles, forget everything, just for a couple of hours. Every now and then we want to cheer you to the rafters as you celebrate a promotion. People moan because they’ve spent hundreds of pounds for a season ticket or £18 for an afternoons “entertainment” only to get laughed at.

Monday will present another opportunity to go out on something of a high. Cheltenham are no great shakes. We will be down to the bare bones so those of us there will be your staunchest supporters. We will get behind you from the start, as we always try to do and we promise to try to keep going. We may groan at a mis-placed pass but please keep trying them. We want you to win but we accept that’s not always possible, just give it your best shot.

Monday is another chance, please try to take it. Rant over.