Due to the busted flush of a hand shown by the Imps against Cheltenham lets do 'a view from' commensurate with our villain’s performance. Well perhaps not, as we at least pride ourselves on a level of professionalism at LCM, contrary to opinion. If we did the words ‘the end’ would now conclude this match report along with a picture of a white flag with LCFC R.I.P
Imps 4-4-2
Parish
Hughton Green Hone Anderson
Howell Fuseini Kilbey McCallum (Y)
Hutchinson Grimes
Substitutions Keltie on for Kilbey 71 Broughton on for Huchinson
Substitutes 1 Anyon, 4 Watts, 19 Clapham, 8 Keltie, 14 O'Keefe, 10 Broughton, 39 Spencer
The Robins Go 4-1-2-1-2
Brown
Pook Riley Elliott Andrew
Bird
Pack Low
Smikle
Green Thomas
Substitutions Green on for Lewis 82 Artus on for Thomas 90 + 2, Melligan on for Smikle 90+5
Substitutes 12 Lloyd-Weston , 5 Gallinagh,16 Haynes, 14 Melligan, 20 Artus, 18 Lee, 23 Green
But to the game & the Rant Imps
Cheltenham are a poor side but did enough to weather the Imps early wimper with a McCallum cross come shot eclipsed only by Fuseini’s rising 25 yard drive. Was the keepers save for the cameras benefit? Did we even huff and puff our way to saving our Lincolnshire bacon? Alas no, with only 3 shots on target and 4 off during the whole game. Cheltenham had 57% of the possession and in truth you knew what was coming way before they scored, because our midfield is the duel carriage way our county actually needs down the middle.
This shocking display, despite 80 minutes of fantastic support from the home end, saw the Stacey West give far more than Hughton and McCallum, such unfair critics ever can. Neither put in a shift or gave me a glow ahead of a tough week. Passion is oh so far out of fashion at Sincil Bank once you cross that touch line or part with your money and hear that turnstile click. The Imps as usual killed that stone dead as they ‘played’, for I do not want to use the word ‘attack’; towards the home end second half. Superlatives fail me; excrement in fairness has a far nobler use on Lincolnshire fields than one beholds every other Saturday at Sincil Bank.
Cheltenham knew that if they sat there long enough they would get a goal or two even at the canter they played at. We are that scriptive in 4-4-2 mode whether Carayol, McCallum, Jarrett or even DNG in his prime are in the side. Its down the middle that sides take the piddle or during a corner when its clowns to the left and jokers to the right Smikle incredibly unmarked a foot from the line, tapped an Andrews cross over before Low powered home a bullet header from 15 yards. Andrews then curled home a 25 yard free-kick to the delight of the 144 Robins on 85 minutes, but in truth the Imps were long dead way before then
If we go a goal down we have had it. With two games to go and now just two points above the drop zone, we are the favourites to go down with Stockport now. Believe me we got lucky today with Northampton, Barnet Hereford and Burton all drawing. The trouble is can we create any more chances let alone take them.
We might just get another chance, if they follow the resilience set by three people at the beginning of the game on the Stacey West. With the right side driven off by people complaining of flag waving and having their photo’s taken by the Echo, three Passionistas piped up on their own in the middle where ‘the right side once was. Thank you Posh and son take a bow. For as the three of us, sang on our own we were joined by our brethren who scampered back. Three voices became a roar, and to be honest I choked back a tear or two.
The Passionistas were fantastic today, the trouble is no one else really values us do they? Well except at season ticket renewal time or when players need an excuse for underperforming on the stage that is their bread and butter.
Buck up Imps, in the words of the song Hoist up the Lincoln flag, hear the red Imps sing because if you don’t join in we will still sing on our own. Because if there is one there is three, then four, then more. It maybe a farce and a disgrace on and off the pitch at our club. ah but then that is the fault of the ground and our fans is it not?
Well I for one am proud to be one and proud to know all who stood with us today. Its not over yet, even if the fat lady is clearing her throat and eyeing up the flowers, because Barnet and Northampton blew it today with draws and have two tough games apiece to come.
See you against Aldershot and lets hoist up the Lincoln flag again- together as one because we are the only here when all is said and done.
Lincoln City 0-2 Cheltenham (HT 0-0)
Scorers Low 65 Andrew 88
Att: 3,007 (144 Robins)
Ref: Evans
Possession
Lincoln City 43% Cheltenham 57%
Shots on target
Lincoln City 3 Cheltenham 3
Shots off target
Lincoln City 4 Cheltenham 6
Corners
Lincoln City 11 Cheltenham 3
Fouls
Lincoln City 9 Cheltenham 9