Notts County 3 Lincoln City 1, A Veiw from the Stacey West.
The Imps made just the two anticipated changes from the side that beat Bournemouth on Saturday. Kerr came in to partner Keltie at the expense of Shane Clarke and Hughton`s suspension gave Lennon an outing on the right.
No sooner had the game begun than the temperature rose to boiling point as Green took out Ben Davies to concede a free kick. Just like the corresponding fixture earlier in the season the Magpies were one up in the opening minute as Davies sent in a superb freekick for Hughes to head home from six yards. An immediate response from the Imps in the third minute saw Soma play in Lennon who fired coolly into the bottom right hand corner.
As early as the first five minutes the tiny ref had clearly lost control as the tackles flew in. Ravenhill did Herd and Saunders evened things up with a choice challenge on Thompson. Ben Davies saw another smart set piece saved by Burch who hoisted it up the other end though Somma was deemed to have got an unfair advantage over Edwards. The tackles continued with Green and then Moses making firm challenges. Moses despite hurting himself went through Westcarr and is sent off by a referee who was not up with play and influenced by the fans and Hughes who deserves a scholarship with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Hughes is booked moments later for doing Burch at a freekick.
Midway through the first half, after a shaky start Burch makes two fabulous point blank saves from Hughes the second a superb left handed desperate clawed effort. A Bishop drive from outside the box goes narrowly wide before Graeme Hurd is booked for dissent. Clarke Keltie becomes the third Imp to foul Bishop in a minute but escapes a booking anf Burch comfortably saves a shot from Ben Davies. Play moves to the other end with Green sending over a cross that Thompson half clears and Herd hooks wide. The remaining 10 minutes of the half saw an end to end exchange littered with fouls that led to Saunders getting a yellow in injury time for his umpteenth foul on Thompson.
Despite no changes at half time an injured Herd quickly returned to the changing room forcing the Imps to 4-4-1 with Shane Clarke on to spoil the Notts party. County in truth battered the Imps as we lived on borrowed time, the ten men seeing out the hour on level terms. Such was the one way traffic that Lennon and Somma both took a yellow for the team in the 54th and 56th minute respectively. Thompson and Hughes were rampant with Burch saving one and a second header just clearing the bar and a third going just wide. Burch also made saves from Facey and a Hughes cross come shot in the 63rd minute. On 64 County got a deserved second with Westcarr floating a beauty to Lee who heads home to raise the roof.
After another 11 minutes of County pressure Sutton sends Flash Gordon on for Saunders in a desperate throw of the dice for the brave ten men. Well that or to avoid a red that would rule him out of Saturday. That said despite living dangerously we went for the jugular. We had to as Barnet and ourselves were the only two of the bottom eight losing. Jack Lester however equalised for the Crooked Church to take it to 2-2 at the house of Cod leaving us eight points clear of the relegation places. Inevitably with us throwing so many forward we were left with a few one on ones at the back. Another threaded assist from Westcarr found Facey who beat his man and coolly fired home the third into the top right hand corner. Kerr kicked Ravenhill for another late booking and there was just time for County to be denied in a goalmouth scramble before the ref blew for time.
In truth we tried, put in a spirited performance and got the expected result at the house of Trew. Thanks to Jack Lester its onwards and upwards from hereon with the Cod 8 points behind with 4 to play. Barnet are now 22nd 7 points ahead of Grimsby after Daggers beat them 4-2. Cheltenham scraped a nil nil at Shrews to move up to 21st level with the Bees on 45 points. Its close between these two with a goal difference of minus 11 and minus 12 respectively. The Imps are 20th on 46 points with Torquay now 19th on 47 points after a 2-0 win at high flying Aldershot. That one was definitely worth the journey. Maccs drew 1-1 at home to Burton to hit the magical 50 points mark and 17th.
Notts County
23 Schmeichel 4 Edwards 5 Lee yellow card 6 Thompson 18 Hunt 08 Ravenhill 10 Bishop 11 Davies 9 Hughes yellow card 20 Westcarr 22 Facey
Substitutes
1 Hoult, 17 Clapham, 07 Hamshaw, 21 Jackson, 15 Hawley, 19 Rodgers, 30 Akinbiyi
Scorers
Hughes 1 Lee 65 Facey 87
Lincoln City
1 Burch 2 Green 5 Swaibu red card 33 Baker 38 Anderson 11 Kerr 16 Lennon 23 Keltie 39 Saunders
34 Herd 18 Somma
Substitutes
20 Musselwhite, 6 Hone, 19 Clarke, 31 Gordon, 35 Gilmour, 9 Connor, 14 John-Lewis
Scorers
Lennon
Ref Quinn
Attendance 7,501 (682 of Imp descent)
Possession – Notts Co 57% Imps 43%
Shots on target – Notts Co 13 Imps 2
Shots off target – Notts Co 7 Imps 2
Corners – Notts Co 7 Imps 1
Yellows – Notts Co 2 Imps 4
Reds – Notts Co 0 Imps 1
Fouls – Notts Co 2 Imps 8
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