Sport

Following the Imps - Imps 1 Magpies 1

Finally the day that all football fans have been waiting for, the start of the footy season had arrived. All across the country fans would be travelling to their respective clubs to watch their respective teams play in the country of the birth of football. But for me, I don't get to go anymore, distance other commitments and cost has meant that I can no longer follow my beloved Lincoln City. So here is a report, as usual completely biased based on their opening game against Snotts I mean Notts County.


The first thing I have always wondered was, why is Notts County not short for Nottingham County, whereas Notts Forest is short for Nottingham Forest?? Oh well on with the game.
A balmy Saturday afternoon and a decent crowd greated the players as they ran onto the pitch. Three debutaunts for the Imps in the shape of Aide Moses, Mark Stallard and Ryan Amoo,
The Magpies kicked off, but it was City who almost took the lead within 90 seconds, Lee Freklington finding space, and slotting the ball across to Amoo, who unfortunately blazed over from just 6 yards. Banjo and Barn door came to mind hey ho!
Then disaster, striker Danny Bacon received a nasty cut above his eye, and had to go off for treatment, the Imps were down to 10 men and there wasn't even 10 minutes on the clock. But they didn't show the disadvantage, as seconds after going off Amoo headed a Jeff Hughes cross just over the bar. then Scott Kerr had his shot well saved from County keeper Kevin Pilkington. Marriot took the catch from a County corner, and hoofed it upfield, where Matt Somner took out Hughes, Pilkington tipped over the resulting free kick. Corner to the Imps! Come on City roared the crowd, and come on they did. Hughes sent in a fab corner and Austin McCann had to block on the line, but the ball rolled toward Aide Moses who smashed it gleefuly into the net. His first ans City's first of the new season.

Get in There! Aide Moses makes it 1-0. Where's the ball - In the net by the post.

Lincoln were cruising now, 10 minutes gone 1-0 up, and the county players were getting a bit upset, none more so than ex-imp Jason Lee. So it came as no suprise he was booked for an elbow, his 2nd in the space of a minute. But Lincoln got on with it, and still the Crunching tackles rained in, County Manager Steve Thompson another ex-Imp was always known as a hard bastard at Lincoln, and he wasmaking sure his players were the same.

On 20 minutes Danny Bacon came back on, and into the fray after two County corners came to nowt, City attacked again, this time it should have been 2-0. Bacon and Hughes combined well, before Hughes sent a dangerous cross in, Pilkington missed it and Beevers was on hand to smash the ball, not into the gaping net, but over the bar. Bloody easier to score the crowd thought!

On 33 minutes Moses almost got his 2nd, his deft flick of Kerrs inswinger just inches past the post, with Pilkington doing his best musical statue impression.

Countys aggressive tactics though were giving Lincoln no time to play their passing game. WHAT!!! Lincoln's PASSING game? I hear you cry. That's right we do have a new management team after all. The first half ended and the management team of John Schofield and John Deehan the happier of the bunch. But that was going to change for the 2nd half.

City started with the same 11, including Danny Bacon, sporting 9 stiches above his right eye, and actually started the brighter of the two teams. Stallard forcing a save, and Forrester shooting just wide.

Oh Horahh we are leading!

Schoey made his first switch on 52 minutes when Ryan Semple (another debutuant) came on for Danny Bacon. Mendes coming on for County in place of Lawrie Dudfield, and it was Mendes introduction that led to an unfortunate equaliser.

A free kick awarded just after the introduction was hit by Ian Ross, and the inswinger appeared to bounce off Jeff Hughe's head into the net. Bugger own goal! Imps 1 - County 1.

Not much really to speak of for the rest of the half, remember the report is biased. As both teams came close to scoring, none closer than County, who somehow contrived to miss with the Lincoln Keeper on the floor and an empty new saying "hit me, hit me" Seems like the County players were pacifists though as none of them thankfully, could hit the net.

So the final whistle went with honours even, a fair result if truth be known, and at least not a defeat at home, so it's off to newly promoted Hereford, who won 2-0 away, on Tuesday evening for our first away game. It's Hereford's opening home game, so I am not hopeful for anything there!

Teams sheets

Lincoln City

Notts County

1. Alan Marriot

1. Kevin Pilkington

2. Lee Beevers

2. David Pipe

4. Aide Moses

3. Austin McCann

5. Paul Morgan

4. Mike Edwards

24. Jeff Hughes

5. Alan White

7. Lee Frecklington

6. Matthew Somner

11. Scott Kerr

9. Jason Lee

14. Ryan Amoo

10. Lawrie Dudfield

9. Mark Stallard

11. Andy Parkinson

10. Danny Bacon

12. Gary Silk

22. Jamie Forrester

24. Ian Ross

Subs

16. Ryan Semple (for Bacon 52)

20. Junior Mendes (for Dudfield 53)

17. Colin Cryan (for Kerr 62)

15. Tcham N'Toya (for Lee 68)

3. Paul Mayo (for Forrester 74)

21. Tom Curtis (for Ross 80)

8. Gary Birch

22. Dan Gleeson

13. Simon Raynor

23. Saul Deeney

Ref eree: Tony Bates (Staffs), Assistants: Mark Lawson & David Richardson

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