Lincoln started the game kicking towards the Imps Stand end and straight from the kick-off returning, Marcus Richardson shoot.  Rushden goalkeeper Billy Turley was alert to make the save. Rushden quickly recovered and gained a corner which was cleared by Butcher but the ball fell to Stuart Wardley who shot well over. 

The game quickly turned flat and nothing really was happening. The 28th minute was the next moment of incidient when Lincoln should have scored. City won a corner and it was taken by Blackwood but Richardson's header went well over.

Lincoln won two corners in quick succession but the second from Blackwood was like his quickly becoming trademark, a very poor, low and rather unpowerful ball gave Rushden possession. Almost immediatly, the ball was being passed around the Lincoln area before it was laid off for Braniff whose shot made history as it was the first goal Rushden had scored with Ernie Tippett in charge (after 6 games) as it went in off the post sending the Rushden fans wild and the Imps fans ruing the incredibly sloppy play that the Imps fans were seeing for the second home game in a row.

Yeo replaced Green at half time and within a minute, City should have made it 1-1 but Fletch's deep cross was about to be met by Richardson but Turley managed to push it against Richardson who was going for a header, it hit Marcus's knee and struck the post.

Rushden were looking dangerous and Braniff could have easily got a hatrick but all his shots were going wide or over. Lincoln finally scored in the 54th minute when a small run from Fletcher (whilst I was saying "he'll waste this" and he turned a few defenders and smashed the ball through several defenders and into the goal to make him one of only 2 players to score every league game so far (Macclesfield's Jon Parkin being the other)

Butcher then almost made it 2 almost immediatly but much to the disappointment of the now awake Sincil Bank crowd, his stinging volley was blocked by Wardley.

This was Lincoln's best spell of the game, Taylor-Fletcher then had a great chance to put City in the lead when he was fed by Gain. Fletch ran into the box but his low shot was well saved by Turley in what was a golden oppurtunity. Weaver then almost scored his first goal since the playoff semi final first leg against Scunthorpe 2 seasons against but his neat chip was well saved by Turley. Blackwood delivered yet another poor corner but this time, Yeo was there and his header was just inches wide of the post.

Blackwood was then, not for the firsttime, out of position (if you're assigned to leftback, don't hang around in the centre leaving no-one to cover the left) and this proved costly, a through ball fell to a Rushden player and his low drive once again hit the inside of the post and made it 2-1. At this point, City started falling apart.

McAuley came on for West and was put up front despite the fact HE'S A FUCKING DEFENDER. I mean, what's the fucking point putting a defender up front. Look at the playoff final for the best example of this, our front line then was a reserve striker, a midfielder and a defender.

With 13 minutes to go, the Imps recieved a major blow not only for the match, but potentially the season as Morgan hit the deck, he was down for ages and eventually had to be taken away on the stretcher. It is believed his had injured his ligaments which could mean anything from a week to upto a year out.

Rushden scored again with 3minutes to go when Dove flew around the box and after a few lucky bounces, hit the shot against Futcher and the ball deflected past Marriott to make it 3-1 and game over.

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