Give a little respect.

I’ve been away for a few days. Scotland, yes very nice thanks for asking. Our accommodation, being co owned by my football buddies wife was equipped with Sky Sports so those of us who wanted to saw the game on Saturday before we went out later.

Now I try to be objective in this blog. I don’t follow the herd, I’ll say if I thought the referee had a poor game but won’t blame him if City lose. I’ll say if I thought the opposition was good and let me say this now, Bury were better than good, they were irresistible.

The TV people had clearly got their own views on how the game ought to pan out. So the pundits, it seemed to me, were either connected to Bury or were wishing them well. Good against evil. Gentlemen verses ruffians. They certainly didn’t expect what they got which was Lincoln City taking the game to Bury in their own back yard and almost coming away with all three points. Almost but not quite. I’m sure I heard the sighs of relief when Bury clawed their way to a point.

Bury looked really really good. I fancy both of us to be in league one next season but City and I would say this wouldn’t I? City looked like champions elect. I was waiting for the they’re good at what they do and long ball comments and I’m sure we got them. City ARE good at what they do. They play the ball to feet when it’s the right thing to do and quickly forward when that’s the correct option. They stand their ground and don’t take prisoners, what’s wrong with that?

Everything listening to that commentary. Praise did come but it was grudging. They looked and looked but couldn’t find anything wrong with the penalty, one of the goals was offside but that decision is the referees, sorry pundits. Complements were heaped on Bury, we did so ourselves but come on, they came from behind three times to snatch a point from us at the death. That, as far as I’m concerned makes Lincoln City a very good side indeed.

Lincoln City. Small squad brings big opportunities.

This last couple of games has brought considerable relief from the tensions of trying to escape league two in the right direction. City demolished Grimsby Town without putting them to the sword as did Forest Green Rovers last night. The Imps played well within themselves on Saturday though whatever some of their supporters might think and FGR did not have the local element to contend with like City.

Last night brought a different feel, City coasting right from the start as was evident from the commentary I listened to on BBC Radio Lincolnshire. If ever we got the impression that Steve Thompsons contributions were effectively the longest job application in history those views seem more like a very educated fans appraisal now and according to him the Imps looked every bit the finished article.

We mustn’t let Danny and Nicky Cowley hear that of course. The day the City squad is complete and cannot be improved upon is the day they walk out of the door so lets be careful what we wish for.

In any event a much sterner test awaits on Saturday evening when the Imps must overcome Bury. Or must they? The Imps are sitting pretty at the top with a handsome cushion, particularly over fourth place. I don’t know about you but I’m still of the opinion that promotion to league one is the overriding objective but you’ve got to admit and yes I know it’s still January but you have to say after the last two games City are looking potential champions elect. Who else has shown the consistency City have and who has a better squad?

Well, you might say others have got bigger squads and whilst they may not be as talented individually size does occasionally matter. To that I’d say every one of City’s roster must feel to a greater or lesser extent, they all have the prospect of game time.

We were discussing the inclusion of Danny Rowe to the Imps number in the garden at the Eagle on Saturday. The younger element of our group were a little underwhelmed at the capture not due to any lack of ability but in terms of fitness. Rowe’s performances at Sincil Bank and at Yeovil last night will surely have quelled any doubts there and you only have to look at Neal Eardley to see what effect the medical team and management can do with a previous crock to put it crudely. I’m assuming the intention is to sign Rowe permanently come summer and the difficulty there as far as I can see is if he continues in the same mercurial vein bigger fish may take note.

Still, there are worse problems than having wealthier clubs coveting our players don’t you think?

All part of the plan as City hit the cruise control button.

Like you probably I’ve got so many memories watching the Imps recently, visiting the likes of Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Wembley and now Everton. The joy and pleasure of seeing my team so frequently at the top of the league, winning a championship and looking capable of winning another.

Having written just last week of the routine nature of the match against Grimsby Town, just another three points on offer I can hardly complain when the Imps treat the game as just another hurdle to negotiate and yet afterwards, whilst being delighted at the win found myself strangely unsatisfied. Not dissatisfied, unsatisfied.

City, having fatally it turned out, wounded Grimsby Town early on with a Harry Toffolo strike worthy of any winner, then not took their foot off the gas, anything but however they seemed to be determined to hang on to their one goal advantage instead of pressing on and getting more. It felt like watching Leeds United in their pomp, we could get more goals but we’re not going to, just to show you we can do it.

Much has been made of referee Mike Deans performance, some saying he looked like he didn’t want to be at Sincil Bank and I don’t agree with that. For me City rather forced his hand, he was a bit card happy but that’s probably a reflection of the level he normally operates at and we know referees are encouraged to show cards for not all that much, we certainly got that but I think City’s delaying tactics annoyed him and I don’t blame him because they annoyed me too. So many times we have argued for a strong referee on these highly charged occasions so we shouldn’t grouse when we get one. Be careful what you wish for as the saying goes.

There are two clubs I can think of currently in league two who don’t like City’s present ascendancy, both local and both play in black and white stripes. Both think their place in the football firmament is considerably above the Imps and they don’t like it one bit. One we played yesterday and the other we play shortly. One looks a real basket case and to be fair the other, Grimsby Town, is improving but on yesterdays evidence has considerable catching up to do.

I saw on social media a comment by a Mariners fan along the lines of enjoy it while it lasts, the Cowleys will move on and you’ll be back at the bottom. The Cowleys will move on of course we all know that but what we have at the moment which other clubs probably do not, is a board of directors looking to the future, determined to make the best of the current situation to ensure that when the inevitable happens there is a good chance of continuity. I’d be more bothered about losing them if I’m honest.

Sincil Bank is sold out and a stellar line up on the pitch.

Of officials that is with Mike Dean the man in the middle, the powers that be finally realising that we do have big games in league two and it’s probably best not to have some no hoper in charge.

I don’t know about you but for me this game has to take its place in the general scheme of things. You can’t ignore the fact that tickets were snapped up some time ago, both sets of supporters eager to see the derby but in terms of importance it’s three points no more or less than any other game.

Having said all this it should be a cracking game with a pulsating atmosphere. We may not be neighbours on particularly good terms, at least as far as the fans are concerned but one thing you can say is that as a crowd we will have to be on our mettle as their supporters make a fine old racket. Must be all that sea air and fish and chips.

Michael Jolley has done a good job steadying the ship and that has been marked with the manager of the month award so as good a time to play them as any. I’ve not heard any of that long ball Lincoln nonsense from the Mariners supremo either and that’s to his credit so, yes, I’m looking forward to the derby but then again I look forward to every game.

City’s research and development arm finally swung into action this week with new signings arriving. For me the capture of Cian Bolger says two things. Danny Cowley is planning for league one and Bolger thinks he’ll be playing in it next season. So do I and the reason is two fold. Shay McCartan is staying for the rest of the season and Danny Rowe is coming in for a second spell at the club. If he can be got fit and is anything like his old self he’ll be a big asset.

There’s a bit of me that sees some of these marquee signings so loved by some clubs and feels a teeny bit jealous. However there’s more to constructing a winning team than splashing the cash, look at some of the supposed big name transfers that didn’t work out? Compare that to the Cowleys patient approach, one that looks to the future but at the same time recognises the hard reality of where City are as a club. I’m confident I’ll still have a team to support in the future at a good level. You only have to look at Notts County to see that a large financial outlay and a big name manager counts for nothing at this level. Surely Magpies are not due to suffer the same fate as that other fallen giant, Stockport County? I wouldn’t wish that on Notts and if I’m honest I’d sooner the likes of Grimsby Town picked up the baton and followed the Imps out of league two provided of course that is our destiny but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

So there we are then, big game, big atmosphere, big time referee. Big result please, that would do very nicely.

When the going gets tough. Is this the result that opened the gate marked path to promotion?

I don’t get to many away games these days. I was in Liverpool last weekend and Wembley and I’ve seen City win at Swindon. You don’t have to be Chris Ashton to know that was either last season or way back when Jamie Forrester got the winner in a game where City were mainly penned back in their own half but snatched the result in an outrageous breakaway, Yep, it was that one.

You’ve got to say, despite all that went on what with the sending’s off and the rights and wrongs of it all, that backs to the wall performance, snatching a point in such unpromising circumstances, that has to take the biscuit when it comes to sheer bloody minded, up against it, never say die, they shall not pass, no surrender belligerence. If you were really in the last chance saloon, that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid moment on the top of that cliff you’d want one of our team holding your hand saying lets jump and you know what? You would. You’d jump for your life and if one of them were with you, or Danny or Nicky or Clive Nates you’d survive. You’d survive because they’d tell you that you were going to.

It’s a tough place to go at the best of times, Swindon. Forget southern softies, they’re not. It’s a hard place to go, ask anyone who’s been. It’s hostile territory, it’s a difficult place to go, to get ahead, to stay ahead, protect your lead. They’re a big club. It’s an impressive stadium at our level. It tells of better times. You go there and you’ve got to be on your mettle because if you’re not they’ll slaughter you.

If you do go there and win there’s no better feeling though, you’ve earned it and if you’ve salvaged a point with two less men, hung on to the bitter end, survived the interminable injury time, kept hold on to what you’ve got you’ve got to feel you can survive anything.

City did that. I believe that result in those circumstances set the wires humming in league two. There were the usual mealy mouthed they’re good at what they do, others are easier on the eye nonsense from a manager knowing he was going to get the biggest test of the season.

As it was it was the Imps biggest test of the season and you know what? They passed it, passed it with flying colours.

A grand day out.

I sat at my keyboard on Thursday awaiting the inspiration that always comes to write something about the Imps forthcoming game against Everton. It didn’t come though. It wasn’t that I wasn’t looking forward to the game, it was just unimportant somehow so I did something I wouldn’t normally do or rather didn’t. I wrote nothing.

Now that it’s all over I’m actually full of enthusiasm for what I saw, the way we were treated, once again by a club and supporters some considerable distance up the food chain who gave us a respect rarely afforded us by our peers. I saw with my own eyes that there really wasn’t much difference between our players and Everton’s, a bit more polish, a swagger, accuracy but not a lot of difference when it came down to it and I saw how our players coped with playing supposedly stratospherically better players. For fifteen minutes they played like it but as City settled and realised they were at Goodison Park as of right and began to play in a way befitting a more modest outfit grappling with supposed giants a miracle happened. The gulf in class disappeared.

In the end I’m not going to say City deserved to win but if they’d fashioned the draw their exertions merited I don’t think the home fans could have complained or would have complained.

In one respect the Imps have bridged that divide, us, the fans are the finished article. Loud, very loud, we’ve always been good away from home and numerous. In fact it’s a testament to City’s drawing power, admittedly aided by a realistic pricing structure that Goodison Park was filled to capacity, home and away as the locals were curious as to who these new kids on the block who have been around forever are and we in turn wanted to experience Goodison.

Imagine if you will that Lincoln Cathedral was the last remaining historic gothic structure and all the others had been turned in to a Coventry and other modern masterpieces. You’d want to see the last remaining one wouldn’t you? Well there you are, Goodison Park in all its out of date splendour, those stanchions, the rusty creaking turnstiles the ancient brickwork, those none existent sightlines, the staircases, like the inner workings of a castle.

Well we have seen it. We’ve seen our team, almost on a par with those superannuated superstars. We’ve had our day and gone home happy, even in defeat. We’re happy because it’s all over for another year. We’ve made a bit of cash but that’s not the most important thing. What we want isn’t the fourth round of the FA Cup. We’ve been there. What we want is to be lining up at the start of next season a step closer to the likes of Everton.

We don’t want to stop there either do we?.

Imps only themselves to blame as two points go west.

No one checks out this blog hoping for in depth analysis of the latest City performance, that’s not what I’m about. I’ll talk about the weather, historical trivia, political nonsense that maybe some of you latch on to maybe you don’t. Even I though have sat at Sincil Bank lately watching City retreat ever further back, playing the ball back to the keeper from our own half, trying to ping the ball about in our own penalty area thinking, one of these days we’re going to come unstuck here. So it came to pass.

A draw at home isn’t the end of the world, it isn’t even the end of the Imps at the top of the table. It’s going to happen and certainly it will if City take their foot off the gas as they did against Port Vale. They did and whilst it took a wonder strike to force the draw a tired looking, I thought, Imps surrendered a winning position. Harry Anderson, not for the first time took a bit of a battering, Bozzie looked out of sorts, Matt Rhead found himself surrounded, it had been a mixed Christmas with a loss, couple of wins and a draw. Worse things have happened.

Unlike previous occasions our opponents did not mirror our slip, so it’s a bit tighter at the top as we have to expect but City are still clear at the summit, the sun will rise tomorrow and people will still struggle with the concept of two lanes becoming one on Canwick Hill. It’s to be expected. We all know what to do but still manage to do it badly, just like The Imps on New Years Day.

City, as usual, started off with a bang but this was quickly snuffed out as Port Vale forced a series of corners to pen the Imps back in their own half. It took some time to get out. I had an idea in my mind an early goal and maybe a relaxing afternoon at Sincil Bank but it was far from the case as, once again an inspired opponent, no doubt stung by the mauling City gave them previously, relished playing in front of a packed stadium and gave the lie to their humble points tally.

Just when it looked like City had survived with the points in the bag they were undone by a strike worthy of winning a game let alone rescuing a point. Vale supporters were understandably jubilant. I suppose we should take some comfort that a draw should be so triumphantly fanfared. There was a slight air of menace in their celebration as a few walked back to the buses. A pity as City are making such efforts to be as welcoming as possible but the Imps are a big scalp at the moment even if it was only a draw.