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Deja vu
By Nathan Jackson
November 7 2004
A Lincoln substitution chanced the game dramatically for the second game in a row but with very different results. Gary Taylor-Fletcher proved the inspiration as City came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 with the winning goal coming from a player who got booed by his own fans when he came on.

The game started slow as two of the pre-season title favourites met for the first time since April and it was Lincoln who carved out the first goal scoring oppurtunity. City got a free kick just on the edge of the area where it was floated in and McAuley headed the ball across goal and it appeared to go in but alas, it remained 0-0 as a scamble resulted in Northampton punting the ball upfield.  A promising start for City but that was soon to change.  A long ball caught out McAuley as the bounce went under him allowing ex Boston and QPR player, Eric Sabin to run towards the goal unchallenged and neatly chipped over the onrushing Marriott to make it 1-0 to Northampton after only 5 minutes. 

Minutes later it could have been 2-0 when Bojic had a decent long range effort that didn'y really trouble Marriott. Bojic and Jaszczun both had decent efforts but neither were on target.

Green produced a through ball for Yeo  but the offside flag was up well before Yeo even shot and even though Yeo shot into the net, the Sincil Bank crowd went beserk at the linesman even though it was one of the most obvious offside decisions you're ever likely to see.

Suddenly the goalmouth was a hotbead of action with Yeo nearly scoring after Harper ran out and missed the ball but Yeo took the ball to far wide and his shot was easily cleared for a corner. McGleish then fired a shot quite wide but City's defence didn't stay re-unbreached for long as a good passing move saw Low and McGleish pass neatly between them to which Low tapped the ball past Marriott with a defender in site.

The first half ended to a chorus of boos but it was all cheers at the beginning of the second half when GTF came on for Green. The impact was instantanious as City looked very keen to go forward and were putting together good moves, it looks like it was a different side. GTF infact had the first shot of the second half, albeit it in the 51st minute and his shot was well saved. Within two minutes, Sandiwth crossed the ball into the crowded area, Harper punched the ball out and it fell to Yeo who shot first time and the thunderbolt went straight into bottom left hand corner.

All of a sudden, City were on a roll and it was a return to the team of recent seasons, everything was going City's way when they gained a free kick around 30 yards out. Sandwith took it, not a shot for once but a good cross, the ball fell just infront of Harper but he didn't move, it was quite literally 2 or 3 feet in front of him with no player within 8 yards but nothing, Yeo stormed in and made it 2-2 to the Imps and although maybe not deserved, City were heading for at least a point.

Infact, just minutes afterwards, Northampton were clearly unsettled by this and their fans, who had hardly made any news all game were now even quieter than before (is it possible to get quieter than mute??). Butcher and Gain produced neat interplay with the former producing a fierce shot which was deflected wide and City were storming, it was hard to see why Northampton were favourites for the title. 

Then in a rather disgusting act by City fans, Marcus Richardson, returning from injury, a player who always gives his all, got booed by his own fans, well prosuming you already know what happens later in the report, I hope he shut you up and you stop using him as a scapegoat.

Neither side was willing to commit men forward and only some ineffective long range efforts were all to be seen of the rest of the game, until just one minute from time when City gained a free kick. Sandwith took it and it was flicked on by Futcher to Marcus who buried the ball and people were absolutley delighted, yes, those same people who had booed him and sarcastically cheered whenever he won a header, a word called Judas' come to mind. City are now 10th in the table.

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