The yellow sock away day saw the Imps go to table topping Rochdale and grab a deserved point in a backs to the wall performance that would have pleased Keith no doubt. A minute`s applause in honour of Alexander the Great Imp kicked off proceedings with more than a hint of yellow in Imp hair on FA Cup Quarter Final weekend. This was keenly observed by all and in particular Captain Kerr the only survivor of Team Lincoln, a solid unit where Keith plucked plucky players from virtual obscurity. Keith could turn a pint of Best into mead fit for the gods.
The opening quarter of an hour of a shot shy game saw the Imps digging in for a counter attacking ‘we`ll scrap for what we can get then play a bit ` kind of game plan against a side who given the chance would have put more past us than Port Vale.. The Chessman had reasoned that two up with 8 impassioned Imps running their socks off was the best way to get anything out of a game where the odds were stacked heavily against us. An unexpected point at the leaders or better would do Keith`s memory justice not to mention give us high hopes going into next Friday. I could have read it wrong but they will be presenting the world cup so we will be wanting to win that in normal time and avoiding penalties. Dale fans will naturally criticise us but we tried to play football when we could and time wasting apart last knockings each half battled to earn the right to play, albeit nullifying a top side who were clearly in their stride was paramount throughout. If your opposition beat The Millers 4-0 four days earlier you don`t put up targets for them or play an open game do you? That said a second week of 4-4-2 does seem attacking by our recent standards. So it was no surprise to see the first shot of the match arrive fifteen minutes in, just as many were heading for a burger. Ex Imp Toner latched onto a Kennedy freekick and his crisp drive from a tight angle naturally found an in position Rob Burch.
Suddenly the game came to life with Somma hammering a howitzer that Fielding knew little about, keeping it out with his chest by the looks of things. Dale`s Jones then hit one well wide from 35 yards, as the saying goes how wide do you want the goal? Such comments however make light of the oncoming bruising black and blue Rochdale juggernaut that was threatening to rout the Imps resolute double battle lines of four. Then against the run of play a moment of magic on twenty seven minutes from Lincoln. Some smart one touch interplay on the edge of the box fed Hughton who`s low cross back into the middle was controlled superbly by Somma. The Leeds youngster turned and played into the path of on rushing Aussie assassin Chris Herd who curled in a sublime drive giving Fielding no chance. Indeed about as much chance as Dale were going to get as the party pooping Imps shut up shop and tried everything to interrupt the hosts show as Dale were denied despite plenty of possession. Three efforts come to mind, O’Grady`s angled cross come shot evaded Atkinson at the back post; while the marksman`s shot on the turn over the bar impressed few outside Twickenham. All held their breath when Dagnall`s left foot livener had Burch at full stretch to turn round the post as he flew to his left.
The Imps continued to frustrate second half despite heavy bombardment from the off. Atkinson`s header after all of Toner`s hard work was alas straight at Rob Burch. O’Grady tried a curler that was well saved by Burch as usual in fine form. The Imps then broke forward with a swift counter finished with a Somma drive that nearly broke Fielding`s fingers but alas no one could turn the ball home. It was all Dale as the Imps continued to frustrate Rochdale. Indeed they were fortuitous to get an equaliser in all fairness. The Imps failed to clear as the ball fell kindly to Dagnall about a dozen yards out. He still had a lot to do turning like a slippery serpent between two Imps to drive instinctively at goal. The advancing Anderson and desperate Burch could do little more than divert the ball home. With 20 minutes to go the expected cavalry charge commenced with Higginbottom and Thompson being thrown on to get beyond the tired legs. The Imps meanwhile conceded 4 yellow cards in the last 15 minutes as Burch, Broughton, Lennon and Somma all took one for the team. When you are clinging onto a hard earned point after conceding a late equaliser at the League leaders, you are not out to win friends are you? It was close, Higginbottom fired at Burch from distance, Jones cleared the stand, O’Grady then curled wide before Dagnall headed wide. The Imp goal certainly led a charmed life yesterday Keith. On a Friday afternoon chocoholic Keith used to do a five a side match where ‘only the winners gets the Mars Bars lads`. Yesterdays point was a massive one , lets hope everyone got a couple at least on the way home.
Looking at the fixtures around us today we ran the risk of dropping to 21st given our game against the leaders was a ‘toughie`. Results elsewhere did indeed see the Imps drop to 21st but we are still 4 and 8 points clear of Cheltenham and the finally victorious Grimsby respectively. Macclesfield also leapfrogged us after an emotional 2-0 win at rivals Hereford, our opponents in a 6 pointer next Friday. Next Friday is the acid test, win that one and notch a couple more home wins before the season is out and we can wave this one goodbye. It has not been a good 125th anniversary season has it? Mind looking at Rob Burch`s goal for the last ten minutes of yesterdays game someone is looking down on us now. RIP Keith next Friday`s win will be for you.. Not just Team Lincoln, but an entire City fighting for the three points.
17 Barnet 33 -7 38
18 Hereford 33 -14 38
19 Torquay 34 -4 36
20 Macclesfield 32 -11 35
21 Lincoln City 33 -20 35
22 Cheltenham 33 -16 31
23 Grimsby 33 -23 27
24 Darlington 30 -42 15
Cheltenham 0v1 Chesterfield, Conlon (pen) 41
Crewe 2v2 Barnet,
Darlington 1v3 Torquay,
Grimsby 3v0 Shrewsbury,
Stats
Possession Rochdale 49% Lincoln City 51%
Shots on target Rochdale 5 Lincoln City 4
Shots off target Rochdale 11 Lincoln City 2
Corners Rochdale 17 Lincoln City 2
Fouls Rochdale 12 Lincoln City 10
34 Fielding 3 Kennedy 4 Stanton 23 McArdle 26 Dawson 6 Toner (Higginbotham 64) 7 Kennedy 8 Jones 32 Atkinson (Thompson 82) 9 Dagnall yellow card 19 O’Grady
Substitutes 1 Arthur, 2 Wiseman, 28 Flynn, 15 Thompson, 33 Taylor, 14 Obadeyi, 18 Higginbotham
Yellow card 9 Dagnall
Lincoln City
1 Burch 5 Swaibu 13 Pearce 38 Anderson 11 Kerr 16 Lennon 25 Hughton 34 Herd (Clarke 45+1) 39 Saunders 15 Broughton (Connor 83) 18 Somma
Substitutes
20 Musselwhite, 6 Hone, 7 Oakes, 19 Clarke, 31 Gordon, 35 Gilmore, 9 Connor
Yellow card
1 Burch 15 Broughton, 16 Lennon, 18 Somma,
Ref: Foster
Att: 3,453 (212 0f Imp decent)
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