Imps may have checked out of the trophy or maybe not. We’ll have to wait and see.

In a thoroughly enjoyable match City couldn’t quite get over the line against Wolverhampton Wanderers under 21’s at Sincil Bank last night. We’d had some success in penalty competitions in this tournament but this time it was the youngsters that prevailed. As it happens, and I can appreciate some detractors view that this underlines the rickety state of the competition, the Imps don’t know yet whether they are still in or out.

The penalty competition provides an extra point to go with the point from the draw and at the end of the game I wasn’t sure where we were. Too much televised football gets you out of the habit of thinking about the rules of the competition and I suppose the lack of the sort of scoreboard that could make matters plain adds to the confusion.

Anyway, it was a pleasant evening and unusually a stress free experience as I’m sure you like me, if you’re going to the games, are of the opinion what will be will be. If we go through fair enough if we don’t, well it’s not as if we haven’t been to Wembley is it? I was reminded a bit of the reserve team games I used to attend when we had such a thing and I think that’s the level of importance given to the games by the Cowleys. They certainly didn’t look too despondent at losing the penalties.

Before that, a look at the Wolves and Imps shirt mini exhibition provided by Danny Nesbitt and Gary Hutchinson that I found most interesting. Danny I know and Gary I was pleased to meet for the first time. We actually go back some way on line as we have collaborated on some writing projects but have never actually met in the flesh. Now we have so it was a double pleasure.

Because of the exhibition we turned up in our seats five minutes before kick-off. The crowd was just under 3000. Just like the old days really, not that I’m anxious to return to them.