It started optimistically I grant you. Before the very eyes of 5,600 for a friendly, Oakes and our magnificent seven fired 3 past Villa. The Princely playmakers Imps peelings experienced instant fruition. Kovacs, Lewis and a final pirouette from the Swan; had Sincil salivating on a warm summers evening that said so much of the optimism hereabouts. Peter Jackson had returned anew, afresh and transformed the side. The side had, strength, youth pace and vision. All that really lacked was a left back and an animal to win the ball up front. I could be wrong but league 2 to me screems Geoff Horsefield. Hard as nails, shot like a cannonball and would barge you fairly with his hod of a shoulder (ex brickie).
We dominated proceedings early season. Rotherham nabbed a one nil. Derby after equalising in the 83rd minute of normal time, went on to win 3-1. Daggers then turned it around at half time and totally annihilated us 3-1. We then more than held our own losing 1-0 at Wycombe to a fluke. The Cods at home was a bit scary until Frecklington equalised with a penalty in the 73rd minute. Honours perhaps duly even given the efforts of Bike to the Bank, an initiative by both sets of fans to raise money for charity.
Then the Count arrived. Destiny has layed its mark and blessed Adrian Patulea, this a man who believes it is his job to score goals for the fans. Having netted a hatrick on his debut to Lincoln United the fans had offered a whip round for the lad, praying and begging for use of the Counts fangs. Having taken his wife off of his back, and come off the bench against Barnet in the second half, the Count pounced to devour a debut dream goal. Peter Jackson, amid criticism of tactical naivety, went for 4-3-3 as we put two goals passed a team more negative than an Italian football defensive master class. Someone should tell them you are not automatically offside if you cross the halfway line. Bury beat us as we were undone by set pieces, well one led to a penalty that made it 3-1. They scored all 4 as Buchanan helped out with an own goal. We then got a battling draw at Brentford with Adrian scoring again. More please. We then had two more draws. The nil nil at Leicester saw us fluff our penalties before a disappointing 1-1 at the Bank against Morecambe. Yep we were misfiring like the King of flatulence after a week on cabbage and beans.
Jacko however reshuffled the pack for the away game at Chester. The ransacking Rumanian Vampire chalked up another, whilst Kocacs sealed things for us on the verge of half time. It looked to be shades of September as Hone saved a home draw against Rochdale in the 86th minute. A bullet on the volley at the far post up the home end was something to savour. A young side, perhaps finding their feet, we then tackled Chesterfield. We were strong, stylish, dominant and perhaps even brilliant in patches. The football was sublime with Oakes reminiscent of his match against Villa. He got the first with a free kick that crept in low at the far post. Patulea then tested the bar with an overhead kick before pouncing on a scrap of a rebound to blast home. Kovacs the Giant of the Imps then rose at the far post to nod home the third. Magnificent gesture from the Spireite fans who saluted the goal. We came from behind to beat Maccs, Keith and Yeo`s early opener as man of the season and born again left back Beevers brushed in the equaliser; and won by Freck finally starting to get forward. He built on that and got a fine headed opener as we played some awesome early stuff against the Gills. Dany waltzed diagonally to hammer a howitzer from 25 yards to put us two up after 14 minutes.
Port Vale and the manger of the month curse mugged us to ruin Jackos official Imp birthday on November the first. Horrible month. Darlo with 10 men, should have been 9 and the ref in the stands; beat us 2-0 after a 1-1 at K-K-K Kettering. Really must get this keyboard sorted. Low point coming here, we were then undone at home in the replay 1-2. A second half every bit as harrowing as the first half against Accy. Even aided by the new Stacey West drum we then passed to everyone including 10 man Shrews as we lacked just a cutting edge to have opened the floodgates. Aldershot then swept us aside 2-0 to finish the month.
December arrived with a narrow defeat to Exeter in injury time. Another bright performance saw us take the lead through Lewis before pressing the self destruct button and conceding 2 one so late the bookies were paying out on the draw. Accrington first half was so bad they had hidden the forks when we went for some half time sustenance. 442 rang around the Bank as the players left the field. Three subs later, one the return of Adrian Patulea, saw us hammer 5 in the Stacey West second half. It was poetry at times. Some good football certainly but direct from two guys who could cross to two guys that could convert. Patuleas got 2, Wright one, one from Brown – the man-of-the-match – and Freck denied Adi his first hatrick with a penalty. Strange one that, but then what do we fans know? The local paper and its chief Imp correspondent of course kindly pointed this out to us all. Oh we are not worthy. To be honest even though Jacko has not signed a contract I would swear blind every decision he has made is genius if we go up. And that triple substitution Peter was, as they would say in French les ballons de le chien. That`s another passed the swear filter.
Bradford proved that we can mix it with the top sides, especially if we can score, with a credible nil nil. A bit of a calamity all round saw Luton finish up the year with a 3-2 win on Sunday. Let`s not dwell on that one as top scorer Patulea sat out 2/3`s of the game before coming on and getting a late one.
This time last season we had 18 points, we got another 40. This year we have thirty points already and Geoff Horsfield joining us. If we can mould together this youngish side and show more consistency in the box we will undoubtedly edge more games than we lose in our second 23 games. If Peter Jackson can get them playing to their full potential he will indeed be the Lord Of The Imps that many of us believe him to be. Many sides, Bradford and Wycombe included, have been quick to commend our performances, as the best opponents they have played, in spite of results. Surely the war horse and Vampire fairy tales must have a happy ending? As for Ruled out a further transfer spree? From what I gather within the club that does not rule out any loans ahead of a further rebuilding in the summer be we in League 1 or 2.
Something tells me that we are going to achieve something ahead of our 125th birthday in an otherwise uncertain year. But let’s smile because
We are Imps.
Share this article
Related Articles
