We can’t run but you can’t Hyde.

The shine has slightly diminished and the general air of enthusiasm has been subjected to a bit of a reality check with back to back losses reminding us that success will be a hard and demanding road to take this season. Talking of roads Gary Simpson was only saying prior to the latest fixture that two long trips on the trot were not exactly what the doctor ordered and he was proved right as the Imps returned from Luton and Hereford with null points.

Worse still the injuries are starting to pile up and Simpson was bemoaning the fact that yellow cards were being issued on a regular basis and this, to a certain extent, governed the way City played at Hereford as they certainly did not wish to see Ben Tomlinson get a red which was the way it was looking on Tuesday night and the Imps had to withdraw the striker.

At least Simpson mentioned the iniquities of the fixture list before the second defeat otherwise it might have sounded like an excuse but the Gaffer felt City acquitted themselves reasonably well at Hereford. You can see the interview on Imps Player.

Who better to play at home this Saturday than the proverbial strongest team in the league, holding the rest up (it’s the way I tell ‘em) Hyde, firmly ensconced at the trapdoor end of the table? Fortunately Imps supporters have been relieved of the gut wrenching experience of seeing their favourites occupy that territory but, impressive though the early form has been everyone with Lincoln City connections will wish to see the current mini slump go no further. On the other hand no one I’ve spoken to thought Luton and then Hereford away were in any way fertile territory, not on past experience anyway so let’s not get too carried away at these setbacks. It’s a well worn cliché but it’s a marathon not a sprint.