City learn a hard lesson (hopefully)

One time Lincoln City manager George Kerr once said “this is big time football.” He wasn’t manager of City when he said it, he was managing Grimsby Town and he wasn’t talking about league one it was the championship. These days as far as I’m concerned for championship then read league one now. Such is the gravitational pull of the premier league the general standard is higher. Much higher.

We all noticed, I’m sure, league two seemed to have moved on since we were in it before and league one has too, considerably, I can say that as one who was there there when we were in it last.

The first three away league games perhaps polarise things somewhat. Despite our local sensitivities, Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers and certainly MK Dons in terms of stadia, crowds and general set up, present a whole new ball game to the one we’re used to. Another 10000 plus gate yesterday, helped of course by in excess of 3000 Imps rocking up adds to the perception were moving in more exalted areas.

Much is made of the finishing in the premier league but, again the standard filters down so errors that are made are punished more forcefully in the league we are now, so it was yesterday. The first Doncaster strike was a wonder goal from a player on loan from Wolves, the second the result of an error. No use crying over spilt milk. The fact of the matter is City have played really well in two away games, net gain nothing. You could say, as Danny did, that we took too long to recover from going behind. Difficult to argue with that but recover we did and found ourselves level only to lose the game due to a slip up. Such is life in league one.

Another thing we’re agreed on I think is that the standard of refereeing is better. You wouldn’t find many Imps arguing that sentiment yesterday as City seemed to fail to get the rub of the green but again, you might say, bigger stadium, bigger crowds the ref is less likely to incur the wrath of the home support. The really big talking point, the Andrade penalty shout that happened right in front of us was a bit of a grey area. One offence outside the box, play on, then one inside. Penalty we shout, take it back to the first offence rules the referee. We can’t have it both ways I suppose. Time was when we were the free kick kings, we made nothing of that one.

What to do about it? Well the pundits among us argue that with Cian Bolger in the side the team conceded nil goals and without him, four. Accommodating him means either moving Bozzie from defence to midfield, I did think that might happen yesterday, or leaving out him or Shackell, both offences of high treason and in any case Shackell hasn’t put a foot wrong in the games I’ve seen so that leaves Bozzie. Will you tell him or shall I?

I didn’t feel too downhearted about yesterday, it was still a good day out at a very nice stadium and City did entertain me and, apart from a couple of errors could have come away with something. I’m not going to say we go again, except I just did. We all make mistakes.