By Nathan Jackson
December 29 2005

Another poor performance from Lincoln ended a 5 game unbeaten run after conceeding 3 first half goals at Grimsby Town. In a game that was controlled by the hosts and they scored 2 brilliant goals although all 3 were helped by a considerable lack of decent defending from the Imps.

Grimsby kicked off the match but Asamoah quickly won the ball and proceeded forward and despite the defence getting the ball clear from Kerr’s mis-control, the ball went straight back town towards the Grimsby goal and Asamoah was fouled just outside of the box, however, Mildenhall simply had to catch Kerr’s free kick as the ball flew straight at him. However, Mildenhall was lucky not to be beaten by his own man a few minutes later when Tom Newey headed over the onrushing keeper and the ball went just over the bar and onto the top of the net. The corner came to nothing.

 

Ex-Imp Ciaran Toner sent in a very weak effort in the 5^th minute before Kerr again failed to worry Mildenhall as the midfielder’s shot went straight at the goalkeeper. Good work from Michael Reddy saw him pass the ball to Toner and the former Imps smashed the ball against the far post and into the net to give Grimsby a 9^th minute lead.

 

City went up the other end in search of a quick equaliser but Beevers’ cross was completely missed by Asamoah who tried a bicycle kick instead of a standard header which would have defiantly been the better option, then again, it is only Asamoah we’re talking about here. Just before the 20 minute mark and Mildenhall had to palm away a potential own goal and the ball fell to Logan, however, the striker’s shot went straight into Tom Newey’s leg. McCombe was the next to aim a shot straight into the hands of a motionless Mildenhall.

 

In the 25^th minute, yet another defensive error gave Grimsby a 2 goal advantage when Reddy ran at Cryan who slipped, the former Sunderland striker advanced on Marriott and shot and Marriott decided to help it in by pushing it into the net when it would have been considerably easier to simply catch the ball.

 

In the 33^rd minute, Beevers had to go off injured and was replaced by Matt Bloomer who was introduced with “Welcome back to Blundell Park….Matt Bloomer,” something that not a single person in the entire ground responded to. Marriott then managed to make a save when he tipped 6’7 defender Gary Jones’ header onto the bar, however, Marriott was helpless a few minutes later when Andy Parkinson scored a brilliant goal from 30 yards out which left a lot of Imps’ fans applauding the effort, a word that couldn’t be applied to several Lincoln players during the first half.

 

A number of Imps fans, I say fans, I mean hooligans, decided to leave at half time, fighting with police and stewards on their way out and as soon as they left, it started snowing again and then the best moment of the evening, when Keith realised the Asamoah is useless and took him off at half time and replacing him with Robinson.

 

Grimsby came out and controlled the opening of the first half but couldn’t make their control count into a 4^th goal as both Andy Parkinson and Toner wasted good efforts. McCombe had City’s first effort on goal in the 2^nd half but his 60^th minute header when well wide of the target before Toner again wasted a good opportunity.

 

It was an incredibly slow half of football with noteworthy efforts very few and far between and only a few laughable penalty appeals from both sides filled the rest of the game up and City slumped to their first defeat in 6.

 

 

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside