Andrew Abbott's Blog

Sunday 21 October 2018

Thanks ref, thanks a lot.




Yesterdays game at Sincil Bank was shaping up to be a real corker. City got off to a flyer with a well fashioned and well executed headed goal from Matt Rhead, relishing a rare start. Before long he found himself back on the bench and we, City fans and Cambridge alike, ended up with a damp squib.

The Imps were irresistible but Cambridge had other ideas and when they scored with an absolute worldy, City had the wind taken right out their sails. It was all set up for a pulsating contest as Cambridge belied their second from bottom situation and took full advantage of the Imps’ discomfort. Step forward referee Lee “look at me” Collins. It wasn’t just the controversial sending off of Ellis Chapman. I hesitate to say this because it doesn’t make any sense but Collins seemed to have made his mind up in advance that City were up to no good. Even leaving aside the sending off it was a baffling, disjointed performance summed up, for me in another incident he got totally wrong. Cambridge had a stonewall penalty case but it wasn’t given as by then Mr Collins had realised he messed up big time over the sending off so he waved it on. Of course if it wasn’t a penalty it was a yellow card for simulation but he couldn’t do that because it was a penalty. Two wrongs don’t make a right, unless it’s football of course.

Any fan is going to feel angry when one of his (or hers I should hastily add) players is sent off unjustly. Luckily I had an impartial observer sat next to me, my good friend the Boston United supporter. His comment “well he’s not a homer is he?” seems to neatly sum it up.

City attempted to snatch the points and at one point in the second half, with the crowd behind them, as ever, really looked as if they might gain the winner but Cambridge held out. Despite Danny and Nicky Cowleys attempts to whip up more fervour from the fans City's body language made the situation quite clear, the Imps were going to hold on to what they had.

Maybe it would have been a draw in the end without all the needless shenanigans, Cambridge certainly deserved something out of the game. Lady luck did not entirely desert our heroes, Grimsby did us a favour by holding Exeter (bless ‘em), Newport took a tonking at Crawley. Instead of a classic, played in front of another 9000 plus gate we got a humdrum affair that will only live in the memory for all the wrong reasons. Thanks for that, thanks very much.

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