Power-full second half fails to conjure up a goal.

As befits a game sponsored by the Royal Air Force the ball spent a good proportion of its time up in the wide blue yonder, at least for the beginning of the home fixture v Dartford. Unfortunately City could not find the quality our august protector’s display in everything they do and the ball ping ponged around, the game desperate for someone to get hold of it and do something creative.

Having said all of that there was a period when City really started to play. With Dartford being in the precarious situation they are, the opposition could not sit back and soak up the pressure as is often the case and it looked for a while as if we might have a good old ding dong on our hands. Sadly this was not to be the case. City lost momentum and Dartford, despite the efforts of their manager interviewed on BBC Radio Lincolnshire as their own local radio hadn’t got a team at the match, to talk up their performance they simply weren’t very good. The first period fizzled out to the bemusement of the home fans, who’d expected more, the half having a real end of season feel to it.

Things didn’t improve much as the second half wore on and the manager started to make changes although his first move, to replace Jake Sheridan, to general incredulity as the player had been enjoying one of his best performances in red and white. He looked well chuffed to be coming off. What got the crowd disgruntled was that the manager had taken off a player who was having a real influence on the match and certain others had been a byword for anonymity, yes Kris Bright, I’m talking about you, remained in situ.
Any dismay at Sheridans demise was quickly replaced by pleasure when the home fans were treated to a real firecracker of a performance by on loan Kobi Arthur who really is a box of tricks. Initially he did the hard bit, beating his man only to put in a weak cross but soon got into the tempo of the game and City started to look a different proposition. The clock ticked down and the Imps could not put the ball in the net. Not for the first time of course.

As Alan Long announced the amount of injury time, as is his usual custom he also revealed the name of the sponsors man of the match and he probably wondered what the reaction of the crowd would be as their choice was, once again Alan Power. He needn’t have worried as firstly there is no way the Royal Air Force would be booed at Sincil Bank-ever. Secondly the choice was uncontroversial and was greeted with cheers which must have been music to the Irishman’s ears. He was one of three or four players deserving of the accolade, Sheridan would have been my choice but for me Power put in a shift. He always does of course but his efforts were gilded with the accuracy of passing and foresight that of course he must always wish to produce but cannot necessarily do so. That’s why he’s in the Conference and not higher up.

If I had the dubious honour of naming City’s best performer every week I would write down the name of a player who I think is the epitome of consistency and creativity. Any player surpassing his performance would deserve to be named man of the match. If no one did so I would have no embarrassment in coming up with the same name over and over again. That player is Sean Newton.