Abject City get a spanking.

Before the game Crewe manager Dave Artell gave us the usual guff about direct Lincoln City. These are usually the bleatings of a manager pretty sure he’ll be on the end of a beating at Sincil Bank. Yes we lost but I am the guardian of the true spirit of football. Except it didn’t work out like that as Crewe, playing a high pressing game proceeded to out Lincoln the Imps.

As is customary City got off to a good start and as is often the norm failed to score in the initial phase of the game. Had Matt Rhead converted what was to him a sitter and had City then added a second when they did eventually score (are you keeping up at the back?) then I think City might well have run out comfortable winners. As it happens it was the Alex that took the wind right out of City’s sails with a very accomplished free kick on the stroke of half time.

Time for another City speciality, the strong second half with the Imps clued up by a half time break digesting the wisdom dispensed by the Cowleys. It never happened and it was Crewe that raced into the lead which they never looked like surrendering. City by comparison looked positively stone-aged to Crewe’s relative sophistication their clubs and battering rams no match for Alex’s rapier like counter attacks.

As the clock wound down, some unity from the stands was called for but, whilst the noise was impressive and the support unwavering there were hoots of derision and cat-calls for those who did not wish to prolong the agony and left early. It had been a glorious late winter day but as the sun waned the cold wind began to exert its influence and hint that the forecasters warning of a last icy blast of winter for those of us in the east might well be correct. All of a sudden things began to look a whole lot bleaker.

Maybe on reflection Danny Cowleys warning, don’t expect too much too soon may be true. My worry and I’m sure yours too is if success does not follow success the Cowleys could come to the conclusion their work here is complete and it’s time to move on.

I don’t think that is the case and all their considerable energies will be put into recovering from this setback as quickly as possible but it’s particularly dismaying to sit thorough a display like that. We could have done with a bit of Pep Guardiola pzazz but instead of visions of Gaudi’s Barcelona glory we got a reminder of Englands Coronation Street debacle that saw the end of Roy Hodgsons reign as manager.

Up the Imps! Tomorrow is another day.