Weather 0. Players 1

It quickly became obvious at Sincil Bank yesterday that those of us in the Selenity Stand were in the right place. At kick off there seemed to be sleet falling or rather been blown down and the Lincolnshire flag was at right angles to the post. City kicked off with the wind behind them although the corner flags at the far side seemed to indicate the wind coming from four directions at once.

Considering all this the fact that the players produced a highly watchable game is testament to them all. True, City were very much in the ascendancy in the first half and it really was no surprise when Harry Andersons industry was rewarded with a goal and a well taken one at that. The lead was doubled with a trademark John Akinde penalty. For all the doubts about what we’ve got in him those penalties are works of art as was Jason Shackells dead ball strike to race City into an unassailable lead. Or was it?

Akinde gave us a potted history of his Imps career so far as he skilfully carved an opening single handedly for himself only to fluff the goal attempt and even us Akinde converts were wondering if the form of the last few seasons would continue to evade him but once again his contribution could not be questioned.

It was quite obvious that the second half might well tell another story. The weather was atrocious now. Not that we were fully aware of it from our sheltered spot but the crowd diminution later on told the tale of the torrid conditions being endured in the big stand and only fully revealed as we ventured homewards.

Morecambe settled into the second half with the considerable wind behind them. For their part City could not reproduce their buccaneering first half showing and although it was a surprise when Morecambe got a goal back no one was in a mood to castigate Smith for his slip up. Inevitably it was Kevin Ellison who got it. As old as time and just as much a torment as ever at least he spared us the extravagant celebration of yesteryear. It has to be admitted for all his years he was Morecambe’s best player by a mile. Quite why he felt he had to rub our noses in it previously is a mystery. He was something of a hero as an Imp. Perhaps it’s his combative nature but it was hard not to enjoy his performance.

For all the soaking on the way back to the car it was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon especially as MK Dons game had been abandoned meaning City returned to the top of the table. Whether the Imps stay there is not too concerning although I think increasingly they look deserving of another championship.

What’s of more interest is the nice little gap starting to show between City and some of the other contenders. City are, we believe a team for all seasons, that was very much in evidence yesterday.