“We should have been more clinical, especially when Portsmouth started playing deeper.”

Views from PerthImp following Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat away at Portsmouth in Sky Bet League One: “Good performance. Not over-impressed with Portsmouth and I can see why they are struggling, though I think they’ll pick up a few wins yet. Not promotion material though. We should have been more clinical, especially when Portsmouth started playing deeper. The problem tonight was being goal-shy and no composure in and around the box. O’Connor, Andrade, Toffolo, Eardley and Shackell the best of us. Honourable mention for Connolly who I thought did very well as a CB. Walker was anonymous. For me, Thommo summed up the problem with Akinde, which is that he doesn’t get across defenders and make things happen in the box – he gets into a position and then waits for the ball to come to him. When he does get into a clear position or beat the defender his touch is not good. On to Bolton – looks like we’ve timed it right again – just as Bolton get themselves back on track.”

Did you go to the match on Tuesday night? Don’t forget to Rate The Players, Vote For Your Man of The Match, Rate The Ref and share your views on our Match Thread!

More views from the Match Thread:

plumbob: “Inability to score or keep clean sheets isn’t a good recipe.

Appleton has tightened things up a bit, but fixing the problems at the other is going to be more difficult. A lightweight midfield that want to walk it in rather than have a pop or play early balls. 2 centre forwards that don’t get service, 1 of which that brings banjos to mind.

We won’t go down, but it might get more uncomfortable before it gets better.”

Imps2018: “Just got back, and not too disappointed with that. I would say 9/11 of our players had good matches, 1 was marshalled out by good defending and 1 never got an opportunity to show his strength.

Vickers looked good again, not much to do though.

The defence looked strong. We look most likely to do something when Toffolo and Eardley get forwards. Glad Connolly had a good game, I did think a game where we’re on top would suit him at CB. Also glad Shackell proved I have no idea what I’m on about as I questioned him a while back.

Morellos was fantastic. O’Connor should be in with a shout if NI squad if that’s his normal performances. Payne needs more in front of him but his running and generally being a pain in the other team’s ass is invaluable to us. Andrade was kept quiet by their RB who I thought was quite good.

Akinde was fantastic I thought, won most headers. For me, his overall game is actually better than Walker’s. Walker is the better goal scorer but offers very little outside the box – and we’re struggling to get it into the box.

The stadium was good, worth the trip and thought their fans were decent (just the other end of the pitch to us). Heard Alan Long dealing with a couple of complaints which was good to hear.

Their goal seemed offside from where I was but I’ve been told that iFollow showed it onside. Not convinced though. Was told we should have had a penalty just before the goal too. In general, the referee was appalling from my very biased view. Should have had a penalty from a corner in 2nd half but they just had to claim something and they would get the decision. Still waiting for that linesman to make a decision. He’d wait for the players to have already played on before he raised his flag. We were perhaps the better team overall.

They were quite average for this league from what I’ve seen. Other than their number 6 who was fantastic and their number 15 who kept Andrade quiet which is no easy feat. Can’t see them getting promoted with that team. Marquis is quite dramatic and didn’t seem a £2million striker.

Our fans I thought were fantastic other than the drunken guy who was abusing their family stand but you always get that person. Great changing throughout the match.

Overall, enjoyable experience. A decent result considering what I would have expected the start of the season. Just disappointing because on the day we could and should have perhaps won that.”

PWould: “Very frustrated at the moment. If we got points for artistic merit and being pleasing on the eye, then we would be much higher in the league. However, we don’t look like scoring despite good possession. Walker and Akinde played together as if they had never met before. Payne had some good moments but kept being crowded out and running into traffic. Bruno was the sharpest of the forwards. The rest worked well with good midfield patterns and a competent defence and keeper. I was particularly pleased to see that Connolly did well. They were so much bigger as a team and mainly threatened from set-pieces. They also went down at the slightest contact and the ref fell for it time and time again. We clearly deserved a point, but this keeps being a repeating pattern where we are pleasing to watch but lack a cutting edge. The jury is out for me and the season could go pear-shaped, or we finish in a comfortable position. We have to start winning games at the Bank again, or our poor away form could drag us in a downward spiral.”

Thank you to Graham Burrell and Lincoln City Football Club for the photograph!

"We should have been more clinical, especially when Portsmouth started playing deeper."https://t.co/zHQ5dtUxxq#Pompey #ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps

— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) October 24, 2019

https://www.facebook.com/VitalLincolnCity/posts/2481405178562379

Portsmouth				Lincoln City
Marquis 28'
MacGillivray				Vickers
McCrorie				Eardley
Burgess				Connolly
Raggett				Shackell
Brown				Toffolo
Naylor				Andrade			86'
Close				O'Connor			80'
Williams				Morrell
Evans				Payne
Harness			68'	Walker
Marquis				Akinde			76'
Substitutes
Downing				Chapman
Curtis			68'	Grant			80'
Bolton				Smith
Cannon				Lewis
Harrison				Melbourne
Bass				Anderson			76'
Haunstrup				Hesketh			86'

Game Statistics
13	Goal attempts	13
5	On Target	5
2	Corners	3
12	Fouls	18
2	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
48	%	52