City lose. It’s not the end of the world.

Scores of Lincoln City fans woke this morning to the realisation that the world had not ended as a result of losing at that graveyard of Imps hope, Plymouth Argyle.

City went behind, yet again to an early goal and clawed their way back into the game from two goals down courtesy of Conor McGrandles and two penalties for Hor Hay Grant who seems to have regained his touch from twelve yards only to collapse at the end as Plymouth shook off City’s dominance and claimed all three points. Cue meltdown in some quarters.

Yet, as the dust settled on a pulsating match the Imps are still in the automatic promotion places albeit somewhat stunned by the experience. The paucity of the squad is starting to be reflected in the results though as City did not really have the reinforcements that would have capped a stirring comeback as Lincoln City seemed to have regained their mojo in a thrilling mid-section of the game but were unable to secure the three or indeed any points for their endeavours.

As everyone knows the Pilgrim Fathers commenced their adventure in Lincolnshire but as far as Lincoln City are concerned, once again the city of Plymouth, having stopped City’s cup journey have now put a spanner in the works of City’s promotion ambitions. Not content with usurping Boston, Lincolnshire’s rightful claim to be the jumping off point of the Pilgrims epic trip to the new world Plymouth Argyle have put the kybosh on City’s unbeaten away run but not, surely their wider ambitions despite the setback. At five o’clock on Saturday though  it was difficult to get things in proportion and realise that City’s prospects are far from thwarted.

If City are to pick up the pieces and finish what they’ve started then yesterdays performance gave all the pointers needed. Stop the ridiculous powder puff defending at the start and cut out the unforced errors. Easier said than done I hear you say. However it’s all good preparation for surviving at the level they strive to reach. In the championship the vast majority of the slips City are making which lose them points, will be punished severely all day long and will lose them games. Just like yesterday.

  

City avenge an insult you have never heard of.

When I sit down at this keyboard to write about a Lincoln City game my intention is to write an account of that game as it happened, honest. Thereafter it’s in the lap of the Gods. I ramble on for a bit and I think, I don’t know what all that’s about but its taken an hour to write so I’ll publish it.

Perhaps Picasso used to sit down expecting to paint a picture of a lovely girl but what emerged on the canvas looked like something dredged from the Marianna Trench, with two heads, one of which protrudes from the lady’s bottom. Anyway, as usual, I digress. Wigan Athletic v Lincoln City.

Long ago in a land faraway (Lincolnshire) Lincoln City were trying to revisit the glory of the Graham Taylor years and had taken on as manager Sam Ellis, a much loved centre half known principally for his penalties. The resultant kick was either avoided by the goalkeeper much in the way you and I might avoid a train as it sped past a level crossing or possibly the ball, goalkeeper still attached, ended up in the back of the net with the keeper wondering if he had attempted to save it or the ball had simply passed straight through him.

Sam had some little success in his earlier managerial career but, sadly, as is usually the case when a manger finds himself at Lincoln, success was conspicuous by its absence and Sam was duly sacked. This was a great shame as Sam really was loved by the fans, think Gareth Ainsworth, and his reputation was well and truly destroyed by the episode.

City had playing for them at the time another revered defender, one Colin Greenall, we may even have voted him player of the season but, upon Ellis’ sacking Greenall announced he had no intention of playing for Lincoln City, he had been playing for Sam Ellis and he wanted a transfer. He was duly dispatched to an outfit which had only just emerged on our radar, Wigan Athletic. I think it was Greenall who subsequently lined up for the Latics at Sincil Bank to quite the worst reception I have ever heard for a returning former favourite.

To say I was stunned that Greenall had left Lincoln to go to a minnow such as Wigan Athletic was something of an understatement. Mind you, I was similarly stung when Graham Taylor left for another small time outfit, Watford. I wonder what happened to them?

I suppose my love affair with Lincoln City can be summed up in the words of Supertramp. “Take a look at my girlfriend, she’s the only one I’ve got. Not much of a girlfriend, I never seem to get a lot.”

Those of you with longer memories may recall not all that long after Greenall accepted Wigan Athletics shilling, twelve pieces of silver might be more accurate, they were taken over by Dave Whelan late of JJB Sports who basically built the magnificent (apart from the pitch) edifice they play in today and bought them a place in the top division. You may gather, I do not approve of such dealings and sure as eggs is eggs, once the money disappeared so did their place at the top table. They are on a downward trajectory which will not stop at league one, provided they don’t go bust.

All of which brings me, you may be surprised to, learn to yesterdays game for which I had invested £10 for the luxury of moving pictures to go along with my BBC Radio Lincolnshire commentary. I opted for the radio, placed in front of the TV rather than the home punditry provided by ifollow but unfortunately the commentary was about a second before ifollow and I found myself groaning, once when Wigan scored and again when I saw the pictures. Similarly I cheered at the goals and again when I saw them.

My friend said he was watching the home offering in it’s entirety and it was ok so I switched off the radio and listened to the delusional conjecture of yet another pair of supporters who thought their team should be in the championship at least and, once again, following the lead of Sunderland, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Charlton and Hull believed the fact they had to play the likes of Lincoln City was, well somewhat beneath them. They did say we looked dangerous though and when we scored, twice they had it confirmed.

So there’s your match report. City dragged themselves over the finish line. The feared drop out of the promotion places did not materialise but it was a tired looking group that trooped off the pitch. It’s the same for everyone though and with a young squad, you’d hope their prospects for recovery might be speedier than some.

I wish our team good rest and thorough recuperation. They’re going to need it.

City won’t be at Wembley-just like us.

 

I was remarkably relaxed about the penalty shoot-out. Over confidently as it transpired. Despite the gushing platitudes of the Sky pundits, who seem to believe Sunderland’s place in league one is some monstrous miscarriage of justice, I thought City looked every bit the league one leaders with a very measured game that I'd imagine most of us expected. On that lovely pitch, City passed the ball around with accuracy. The statistics for the first period of the game had the Imps ahead on possession, not that it matters a jot but nevertheless they did.

The first half was pronounced a damp squib by the panel, I don’t know what they expected. I imagine they thought City would approach the game like some wannabe non-league outfit giving it everything they had before the roof caved in, leaving Sunderland to serenely negotiate the remainder of the game once they’d put five past us.

Of course, it didn’t play out like that. You could see the signs there as City increasingly desperately tried to hang on to their lead and then the dam broke. Just the once.

Thereafter it was the dreaded penalties. Did City look discombobulated? I didn’t think so. People will point the finger at Remy Howarth, or triallist A as I like to call him, but not me. For my money it is all about goalkeepers and Alex Palmer got a hand to most or was it all of them? Unfortunately Palmer was unable to get more on any of them and It’s Sunderland who go to Wembley without support.

I would have liked this young side to get to the national stadium. I would have liked the club to get the prize money. I wouldn’t put it any more forcefully than that. City have bigger fish to fry and can now approach the task in hand with a single vision. For all Sky TV’s fawning, City go into the final approach in considerably better shape than Sunderland. One day, maybe the Imps will get the recognition they deserve. Last night I felt like Bournemouth fans must have felt, performing in the premiership but everyone expecting them to drop off their perch. They did of course, eventually but I bet they enjoyed the ride.

So good luck to Sunderland in the final, I’ve a feeling they might need some. We go on towards a horizon few of us have been over and few of us expected to see. Sky TV thought we were the poor relations. Maybe we are. Personally, I couldn’t care less.

City almost win and nearly lose. That’s the point.

 

The main talking point from Lincoln City’s unaccustomed Sunday evening bout with Accrington Stanley was a rare Alex Palmer howler letting in Stanley to take the lead. Or was it the team changes which some of us thought upset the applecart. Or the missing Liam Bridcutt, or Radio Lincolnshire’s amateur hour disaster of a commentary?

I did begin to wonder if it was the week we let the kids take over the club as time and time again we lost commentary and watched the pictures on ifollow to the accompaniment of jingles, local radio staples and Michael Hortin at one point shouting a despairing No! Fans temporarily lost the football plot and began suggesting what might be the next unwanted interjection. Things can only get better was the best one in my view.

Things needed to improve on the pitch too if City were to get anything from this game, which was starting to look unlikely as Stanley got into the groove impressively playing an uncharacteristic more direct style which left the Imps struggling to get in any type of rhythm themselves.

Poor Cohen Bramall was having a debut he definitely wont look back on with pleasure and I was beginning to wonder if Michael Appleton might revert to the usual full back pairing at half time although presumably Appleton has plans for Bramall and Poole going forward and to get hauled off at half time would surely have a devastating effect on both players. As it happens Bramall got a bit longer and Poole came off towards the end. Hopefully no harm done.

As we all know, City not only equalised but got themselves into an unlikely, dare I say even unwarranted lead, although I’d have taken the win. As it happened Accrington scored a late equaliser that few could deny them.

All the talk on twitter after the game was on the changes with the accepted wisdom that there were too many and if they were made with the Wednesday Trophy game in mind, should have been made for the game against Sunderland, the possibility of a Wembley final again surely not as important as promotion to the championship.

I’d imagine that’s the way the manager thinks too although he has in mind other considerations. It’s not as late as we perhaps think in the season and City are going to have to use their squad to the full. Better to experiment against Stanley who perhaps weren’t going to offer as stern an examination as Sunderland? How wrong can you be is what I think, with the benefit of hindsight.

It’s important too, as we say to ourselves, been there, done that, to realise whilst we have had the joy of seeing our team win at Wembley a certain Mr M Appleton has not. He will maybe think to himself I can give the fans what they want and myself what I want. Let’s hope City don’t fall between two stools but, after all he’s done for us, we can’t begrudge Michael Appleton a go surely?

Great Expectations.

 

I was listening to BBC Radio Lincolnshire after the match on Tuesday. I was tuned in anyway as I turned the sound off on ifollow and listened to their commentary instead of the one provided. It sounds like that was a good idea judging by some of your comments.

Anyway I was dreaming away, a bit ecstatic if I’m honest and not really paying all that much attention when up came what I presume to be BBC Humberside and the interviewer was absolutely slaughtering the Hull manager at the way they played, the result, the players performances. It was quite an eyeopener considering they had just held the league leaders, the team that had knocked them out of the FA Trophy the week before.

We then had played an interview with Ipswich Town’s assistant manager I think it was. Not quite so overt but ditto really. You were rubbish tonight was the theme, why aren’t you top of the league?

Why aren’t they top of the league? Or Sunderland or Portsmouth or Peterborough for that matter. It’s not as simple as that is the honest answer as City found out when relegated. We were showing no sign of climbing out of the mire when we were there, look at Stockport, Wrexham, York. Big or relatively big clubs all of them, certainly in the context of non league.

Compare and contrast with Lincoln City. No one was questioning Michael Appleton on Tuesday as to why we’d “only” drawn with Hull. Personally I was delighted, I dare say you were too. In the wider context delight probably isn’t the word. Disbelief possibly sums it up better.

For quite some time I subscribed to the big club, why aren’t we winning games mindset when we were down there. It amuses me no end to think what the likes of Hull, Sunderland and Ipswich think when they see little old Lincoln looking down at them. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the Ipswich boardroom or any of them for that matter.

And yet it isn’t rocket science is it? I’ll qualify this by saying it does help when the board of directors can sanction an £800000 cash injection but the secret, apart from that is complete harmony between chairman, board, investors, management and fans. Supporters who understand the term and support the club, not just the team, through thick and thin. A team fashioned with due regard for the economics of the situation and in a sustainable way. Oh yes, and the best manager in the league by a country mile. One that’s tried and failed at various clubs and for various reasons but now, I sincerely hope, has realised that he’s come home and is in this enterprise for the long haul.

That’s about all really except to say, well, isn’t life grand?

City top previous effort.

 

Last time at Gillingham turned out to be the sort of game Lincoln City struggle at. I suppose it was a compliment of sorts but Steve Evans’ men shut up shop and City failed to get the shutters open, going down by the odd goal.

Would it be better this time? The answer of course is score an early goal and let them worry about us.

When it came it certainly wasn’t after a spell of sustained City pressure. Against the run of play would be more accurate but it was a very cute goal, in front of the Sky TV cameras and showed how far the Imps have progressed and, on last nights evidence, Gillingham haven’t. You couldn’t fault them for effort though, they kept going in the face a penalty, converted this time and two other goals, three if you count the disallowed one that shouldn’t have been.

For me it was the quintessential away performance. It shouldn’t make a difference, home or away, in the absence of a crowd but somehow it does. There is the inconvenience of a long journey in the case of Gillingham but other than that teams seem to go for it more if they are at home, which Gills did, but they didn’t have enough to get past City.

I heard some fans complain that the Sky pundits favoured Gillingham. I didn’t detect that and I thought they were complimentary about the Imps style which I suppose was brought into focus playing an opponent employing rather more British tactics if I can call them that whereas City are playing the more continental, if that’s the right description, game favoured by most coaches in league one at the moment.

That would seem to infer that Steve Evans is the dinosaur and the big Apple the enlightened thinker. I couldn’t possibly say but our old adversary did manage to get himself in the referees book and it was said in commentary he’d had more yellow cards this season than any of his players which does seem to point to the sort of combative outlook he’s always employed, which is something you wouldn’t expect of the usually reserved Michael Appleton.

Needless to say, on reading the report in today’s paper the referee was responsible for Gillingham’s travails although Evans did have the grace to praise City. Is the old bluffer losing some venom?

Whether he is or isn’t is no concern of ours, City return to the top of the league and, having played on the Friday now have a little more down time to contemplate the latest, massive test against Hull City. Life’s anything but dull.

Lincoln City go through on penalties. I kid you not.

 

Hands up everyone who thought, when the referees whistle signalled the end of the match, right that’s it then. City, in the shape of Jorge Grant, and before him John Akinde, had been the very model of spot kick consistency then all of a sudden those dead certs became less so and then on Saturday not one but two spot kicks went unrewarded.

The game ebbed and flowed, an apt description of a match almost played underwater by the end. Both teams were changed, not a lot but both showed, despite the state of the pitch and despite the changes, why they were first and second in the table.

City took the lead courtesy of Harry Anderson, relishing a start which is a bit of a change to the usual programme, before Hull came in on the tide and threatened to sweep the Imps out to sea. If I had an editor they’d be saying that’s enough coastal metaphors but you get my drift. (That really is that)

So to penalties. To be specific a masterclass of ineptitude although it started off alright, James Jones netting with ease. Alex Palmer gave a hint of what was to come as the competition descended to farce. We can blame the conditions but I’ve seen better efforts at under 12 level.

Then, two, three I suppose moments of grit, determination, bravery and skill. Anthony Scully up next. Michael Appleton revealed afterwards he had placed Scully in the line up to see what he was made of. Large amounts of winning stuff was the answer. You know who was next in City’s penalty roster, for the same reason, Grant, next to face his destiny. If there had been fifty thousand in the stadium the pressure could not have been more intense. Like Scully, Grant confronted his demons and banished them. After Brennan Johnson showed the precocity of youth it was then up to Alex Palmer, the coolest man in the ground, to break Hull hearts and send City one game away from Wembley and possibly a chance for Michael Appleton to banish his Wembley hoodoo too. Roy of the Rovers surely couldn’t have had a script as corny and yet here we are, disbelieving as we watch on our computer screens or listen to our radios but, yes, this is really happening.

Alex Palmer said after the game he thought he should have saved all the penalties and his manager agreed. Me? I can’t remember a thing, a gibbering wreck well before that point.

 

 

 

The better team? Forget it.

 

The times I heard an opposition manager say, on getting beaten by Lincoln City, we were the best team, we played the best football. One in particular now doing rather well in league two springs to mind. I would say to that, who has the points? Well on Saturday City looked the best team and certainly played the better football but did we get the points, no we didn’t. Did we deserve the points? No, we didn’t because, despite all invitations to do it, including two penalties, City did not get the ball in the onion bag as Brian Clough was wont to say, not to mention Lincoln City legend and all-round good egg, Chris Ashton.

Is it a disaster? No. Is it a setback? Not really provided City do what they have all season and bounce back and go on another prolonged points gathering exercise. Was it a surprise? I wouldn’t say so, we always seem to struggle against Doncaster Rovers these days.

The Imps will move on, no doubt about it, in fact looking at the news of comings and goings this week as the transfer window closes City seem to have their eyes on next season already whilst keeping a close eye on this one. For the club, whilst the defeat is a bump in the road life goes on and business continues.

Talking of which I and no doubt many more of you got notification today of the forthcoming AGM for shareholders only followed by a fans forum. It’s probably just as well this event is going to have to take place on line as I’d imagine the club has little idea how many shareholders are going to want to take part with a very large increase in the number of them. For new shareholders, effectively owners of the club, this will also be an opportunity to find out how the AGM works.

Anyone expecting the meeting to be a bit like a fans forum may be a bit disappointed as it’s nothing like that. The club hierarchy will be there and any questions, about the running of the club, finances, likely stadium improvements, this is your opportunity to ask them. You will also vote to appoint directors, approve the accounts and hear what the clubs accountants have to say about the figures. If you want to find out what the manager thinks about tactics for the next fixture, what players are training well you’re at the wrong meeting. You can ask that at the fans forum.

Don’t necessarily expect an answer though.