By Nathan Jackson
December 26 2005

In the first derby of the Christmas period, City dominated Boston, however, the Imps were forced to settle for a point. City controlled the game from start to finish and if we'd have had a bit more luck (or Asamoah not on the pitch), we'd more than likely won by a comfortable margin.

Boston started the game and had the first opportunity when Stewart Talbot hit a long shot well wide of the target. However, City started to then camp themselves in the Boston half and won a 2^nd minute corner. Mayo put the ball in and Birch headed the ball goalwards and it took a deflection for another corner. However, Birch gave away a free kick from this one after he used a high foot when trying to win the ball. Boston had loaned in goalkeeper, Conrad Logan and he got his first significant touch on the ball when Richard Logan flicked the ball to Asamoah, however, the young goalkeeper reacted well and smothered the ball at Asamoah’s feet. Logan was again on hand to save Birch’s long range effort.

 

Then came a typical Derek Asamoah incident when Asamoah, Logan and Birch were all running towards goal and 3 defenders closed in on Asamoah leaving the other 2 unmarked and instead of passing the ball, Asamoah decided to try and run in between all 3 Boston defenders and it’s safe to say that he didn’t exactly get through and he yet again, wasted a great chance for City, although the ball did go out for a corner. Boston broke after a poor delivery but Luke Foster, who was having yet another good game for the Imps, stopped Chris Holland running free.

 

A 4^th corner came City’s way but typically, Lincoln failed to make it count as White headed it out. Yet another corner 5 minutes later when good work from Foster and Logan saw Asamoah cross the ball in, however, his cross was headed away. Hold on, what’s this? Could it be true? Were Boston in our half of the pitch? Surely not. Boston’s 2^nd shot of the game, the first on target, saw Danny Thomas cross for Holland who sent a shot in from 10 yards and he produced a fantastic save from Marriott.

 

Just under half an hour had gone when City again run at the Boston defence, this time 3 on 3, all 3 Boston defenders were closing on the City attacker, no prizes for guessing who it was and no prizes for guessing what happened, however, this time, Asamoah did get a shot in, a sizzling 0.5mph thunderbolt which went well over the line, the 18 yard box line that is, before being cleared by the Boston players.

 

City got lucky a few minutes earlier however when former Imps striker, Lawrie Dudfield got around the back of the City defence and then went to ground, it was impossible to tell from the angle I was sat at to see if it was a foul or not, however, the referee had a perfect view and judged the Dudfield, had dived, something that he didn’t need to do.

 

Asamoah decided not to try and go through the entire Boston defence with 10 minutes of the first half to go and shot from 25 yards (no, no, seriously) and only a fantastic save from Logan kept the shot out. The half turned really quiet as Boston’s hoofing and time wasting was counted by the Imps giving them the ball straight back.

 

City won a free kick within 7 seconds of the restart. Mayo’s delivery took the shot and it fell to the feet of Jamie McCombe but his shot was blocked by Ellender. In the 52^nd minute, Birch set up a great chance for Logan and the former Boston player ran one on one with his name sake. Richard Logan slid the ball under Conrad Logan, however, the ball dragged just wide of the goal and it was at that point that you knew it was going to be one of those games. Dudfield again ran into the Imps box but his incredibly tame chance failed to trouble anyone and went well wide. However, this was only a small blip in the general run of play and City again started to camp themselves in the Boston half. Logan almost scored but Conrad Logan made another fantastic save before Luke Foster had a great chance from the edge of the area before it was deflected for a corner that came to nothing. Logan again should have found the target just after the hour mark but his header from a Mayo cross, went just wide.

 

Boston again decided to give a damn and Talbot wasted a chance from a corner when he hit the ball straight at a grounded Marriott. Marvin Robinson replaced Gary Birch and that was the only substitution of the game. Tough defender from Boston saw them keep City out on the 70^th minute mark when McCombe tried an overhead kick but it went to Foster who played to Robinson but a late White tackle kept the goal from being penetrated.

 

10 minutes had gone and despite City continuing to dominate, they couldn’t create a chance until Nat Brown sent a “par for the course” screamer straight at Logan after Marvin Robinson had passed to the former Huddersfield man.

 

Going into added on time, City had a great chance to score but then, the ball fell to Asamoah so predictably, the chance came to a waste as he shot wide from an angle where virtually any other striker in the world would have challenged the keeper.