By Nathan Jackson
December 11 2005

City came from behind to record a 3-1 win over a Chester side who seemed more concerned with causing injuries than winning. Goals from Logan, Mayo and Asamoah (seriously) cancelled out Richardson's effort, however, Keates was also sent off in a very violent game caused by the Chester's WWE branch.

City kicked off the match on a surprisingly warm winter afternoon. The first 2 minutes were cagey but City managed to get the first shot in with just over a minute gone where the ball fell to Kerr on the edge of the area, however, the former Scarborough man could only send it well over the bar. From the resulting goal kick, the Imps won a free kick but Nat Brown headed Dean Keates’ cross over. Then, one of Chester’s 3 former Imps, Marcus Richardson decided to start putting himself about against the team who sacked him for a racist brawl in February. He handled inside the area when attacking and started debating the decision, something that didn’t do him any favours with the referee.

 

The game slowed down but then, just after 10 minutes, Logan produced the perfectly timed run that saw him 1 on 1 with the keeper, however, he lost control of the ball and he laid it back to Birch who had his shot saved by McKenzie. Richardson was again putting himself about again and was booked for persistent fouling, something that didn’t exactly go down quietly with the Imps’ fans as they sarcastically cheered. Logan again saw himself with a golden opportunity to score when Asamoah set him up on the edge of the area, however, Logan’s shot went just wide.

 

Lincoln had controlled the first 20 of so minutes but Chester finally started putting pressure on the Imps when they won a free kick about 20 yards out. Lowe took the free kick and it was deflected for a corner that was easily cleared by the Imps, it was the first decent chance that Chester had during the game.

 

In the 25^th minute, McCombe headed a corner wide before the game slowed down tremendously. The next action of worthy note happened a few minutes from half time when Richardson almost scored when he JUMPED (believe me, this is not a misprint) to meet a cross, however, Marriott kept his cool and easily saved the header.

 

The Imps came close to taken the lead just a few minutes earlier when great work between Birch, Logan and Asamoah saw the smallest of the 3 send the ball into the box when only a brilliant clearance from Bolland prevented Logan from again being left with an open goal. The final action of the first half was Kerr getting booked.

 

City started the second half like they had played in the first and Birch almost provided Asamoah with a great pass but it was just a bit too heavy and McKenzie claimed the ball, however, it came at a price as both players came out of the challenge injured. Asamoah appeared to hurt his knee, whereas McKenzie appeared to break his wrist and sub keeper, Ryan Brookfield replaced him. However, this appeared to improve Chester’s fortunes. As soon as the new keeper kicked the ball, Richardson broke down the right and ran through on goal before slotting the ball between Marriott’s legs and making it 1-0 to the visitors.

 

Richardson was lucky to avoid being dismissed for his celebrations as he provoked Imps fans and wasted time by spending nearly a full minute celebrating with the Chester fans. Chester then started to become violent and on the majority of plays, seemed uninterested in winning the ball and only seemed to care about injuring the City players. This wound up the Imps and especially, Dean Keates who was sent off, without the vast majority of the crowd noticing, I myself didn’t notice until about 3 minutes afterwards.

However, it should have been 10 vs 10 just a minute later when, on the edge of the Chester box, Scott Kerr and ex-Imp, Justin Walker both tried to win the ball, however, with the ball on the ground, whatever possessed Walker to kick (with studs showing) Kerr in the face is beyond me and what’s even more bizarre, was how he wasn’t sent off. Mayo sent the resulting free kick wide.

 

Robinson came on for Birch for City and Walker replaced former Yeovil man, El-Kholti for Chester. This proved vital in the match as Robinson’s presence defiantly improved the Imps and within a few minutes, City won a free kick 25 yards out. Kerr took it and Brown headed the ball on, several bounces later and it fell to Logan who battered the ball into the net from 6 yards out to celebrate his first goal for the Imps and certainly one he’s deserved since joining the Imps.

 

Within a minute, Mayo burst down the left and ran straight into the box and was getting ready to shoot when Bolland came and barged the defender over, referee Grant Hegley awarded City’s first league penalty since March. Mayo stepped up himself and dispatched the penalty to give the Imps the lead, not bad considering we’d been 1-0 down just over a minute earlier. It was a lead that in the overall flow of the game, the Imps had deserved.

 

Chester, all of a sudden, were no longer time wasting but were still flying in with wreckless challenges and again, how no Lincoln players got injured, is quite frankly amazing. Keith Curle was then given a lecture by the referee for something he had said, just as the referee was walking away, Curle said something that the referee heard and Mr Curle was sent off from the dug out and had to watch the match from the stands.

 

City were unlucky not to get another penalty soon after when Robinson was fouled in the box, however, Brown didn’t wait for a whistle that wasn’t going to come and shot, the shot went out for a corner. The corner was headed out by Artell. A nervous groan was heard by the Imps fans as 4 minutes of added time were indicated.  However, the first 3 minutes of this were uneventful before Scott Kerr sent the ball upfield, Asamoah chased the ball with Brookfield closing down, the striker tapped the ball past the keeper and ran it into the box before scoring from his yards out (again, not a misprint) and made the win safe for the Imps. The referee blew the whistle and City had a well earned 3 points.