Oft thought the ugly duckling during the stuttering Schofield eras end, the Swan arose. Our softly spoken arch angel with wings of driven snow, stood out like a beacon on a dark night at the very Edgely of Parks. Elegance, poise and an eye for goal Ben`s beauty tamed the beast in a battle that saw Benny Wright Wright Wright lift the Imps off the bottom of the football League. But it would be the Imp`s youth that and the hearts and voices of the travelling Imps that would hold the foe at bay.
Like the Spartan 300, 191 brave Imp souls made the trek to hold the charge of the Cheshire light Brigade. The aim to at least gain a point and cheat the Cheshire grins. Unless of course, you have practicing Action Jackson the messiah by your side. How great it is to see a manager of passion, not just a suited & booted city man but a real fans man. We love him the players clearly love him, and now it would appear the Gods love him too. Peter Jackson is the chosen one, the long prophesised Lord of the Imps. For if anyone can Impspire League survival or a Hartlepool charge to the playoffs, it is he. On this showing faith in youth will be his mantra.
With Warlowe and Danny giving width and pace we were clearly setting out our stall. Defensively another stormer from Hone, ably assisted by big bad Bencherif. This is a lad who clearly eats raw meet, shin pads and all. So clearly pace and strength at either end would earn the points, Elding and Dickinson would take some holding after all. Despite nervy moments we went in even.
Oh to have been a fly on that away dressing room. The Imps came out with the belief of a top side written all over them. Wright`s first a hook in after a mazy run from The Gassman, weaving his way down the left. Goal two a ball from Kerr freed Warlowe, his thirty-five yard ball finding the Swan. Ben hit low, the bounce beating Logan. They pulled one back for a nervy 2-1. Could the Imps hold out. Oh yes indeedy! The youths would have their day. Kerr found Lenell JOHN-LEWIS, a greyhound of a footballer. His twenty-five yard sprint, whippet like with the ball glued to his boot, was finished with a cheeky, classy chip.
Rejoice oh sons and Daughters of Impdom for Lenell John Lewis has been baptised an Imp this night. He, the fountain of youth and the white winged one – the swan – have lifted us from the abyss.
And the Angels weepeth!
Praise the LOTI!
LINCOLN CITY
28 Ben SMITH 2 Paul GREEN 25 Hamza BENCHERIF 27 Daniel HONE 3 Gary CROFT 7 Lee FRECKLINGTON 11 Scott KERR 8 Jamie FORRESTER 20 Owain WARLOW 15 Ben WRIGHT 17 Dany N’GUESSAN
subs
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS (for N’GUESSAN 83) 26 Jamie HAND (for KERR 90)
19 Louis DODDS 21 Phil WATT 1 Alan MARRIOTT
GOALS: WRIGHT (50 & 53), JOHN-LEWIS (86)
STOCKPORT COUNTY
26 Conrad LOGAN 3 Michael ROSE 4 Jason TAYLOR 5 Gareth OWEN 7 David POOLE 9 Anthony ELDING 11 Adam GRIFFIN 15 Michael RAYNES 18 Greg TANSEY 20 Liam DICKINSON 28 Paul TURNBULL
subs
14 Keith BRIGGS (for TANSEY 62) 31 Adam PROUDLOCK (for ELDING 63)
21 Tommy ROWE (for ROSE 63) 16 James TUNNICLIFFE 24 Adam NOWLAND
GOAL: DICKINSON (85)
BOOKING: GRIFFIN (28)
SENDING OFF: PROUDLOCK (76)
ATTENDANCE: 5,260 (191 City supporters)
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