thankfully we got the 12.20 train to Lincoln so i could grab an hours sleep after i watched When sport goes bad while drinking the Irn Bru. I only saw the second half of the show, i wish it was in a bit later as i dont normally get my arse out of bed at 9.00 am on a saturday. The high point was the highlights of the Redneck olympic games. Its held in Georgia USA but looking at the people in them they could we have been held in Boston or Doncaster England.
Lincoln and Grimsby is the biggest derby in Lincolnshire, the two clubs have been at each others throats for well over 100 years and it is always the first game that Imps and Mariners fans look for when the fixture lists are released. The Imps 17 highest league attendances have all been against Grimsby. Lincolns highest league attendance is 23,146 in the 1948-49 season. Todays was about 4,900 with 1,200 from Grimsby. It makes you wonder where all the fans have gone. Sadly I cant see the glory days of the 50,s with second flight football and regular 5 figure crowds back at Lincoln any time soon.
Things have calmed down a lot between the two clubs in the last couple of seasons. When Grimsby returned to this division there was a fair amount of trouble before derby matches leading to 12.00 noon kick offs and most of the pubs in Lincoln high street being shut on match day. With both sides in the bottom third of the table it seemed very low key in the city centre before the game, there were a few police vans and officers around but nothing like what it was when both sides were going for the playoffs. All the pubs were open and it just seemed like any normal match. It was only in the 2005-06 season that Grimsby beat the Imps over two legs in the playoffs before losing the final to Cheltenham Town. Now we are both much nearer the bottom than the top.
Poacher the Imp!! best mascot in Lincolnshire
I felt pretty rough on my way to the station but a couple of beers on the train woke me up, hair of the dog and all that. The weatherspoon pub in the highstreet didnt seem as busy as it normally is for some reason. I have found Weatherspoon pubs generally lack atmosphere what with not playing music or showing live sports but there are the only pubs i have found that serve Kozel beer. Next call was the Centre spot bar at the ground. Alas no Czech beer on sale in here so it was back to bland old Fosters. Felice was glad that Stuffing was availble to have on the pork sandwiches. Liverpool versus Manchester City was on the TV (2-2) it really does seem to be going from bad to worse for the Reds at the moment.
Great lincolnshire weather!
The weather has been pretty crap over the last couple of days but what with the floods in Cumbria we cant really moan. It didnt rain before the game but it started to about 10 minutes into the game. We normally sit on the front row but me being a bit of a wimp i moved back 4 or 5 rows some people stuck it out on the front row though, brave or not? make up your own mind (see above)
Romeo Romeo where for art thou Romeo?
The Imps are struggling for players at the moment; We have three suspended, two long term injuries and at least four others out. Scott Kerr who has been frozen out of the side by Chris Sutton got his first start under the new management. I have been quite critical of Kerr in recent seasons but I will give him credit today as he played the best match he has had for a while today and totaly deserved his man of the match performance, well done sir! I still cant see him getting a shirt when everybody is fit and available though.
The game was awful. Derby games are never classics and what with both sides struggling in the league and the wind and rain it all added up to a poor match to watch. Grimsby probably shaded the first half but neither side landed many shots on goal. Without the injured Torres we lacked creativity in midfield. Up front Fagan and Clarke were getting little change out of the Grimsby centre backs. Although they are both decent players i feel they both need a big target man to play off. Michael Gordan on the wing was having a decent match but with the lack of height in our attack his crosses were often wasted.
The Imps had more of the second half but again chances were limited. Both sets of fans tried to lift there sides (the atmosphere was quite good given the crap that both sides were producing on the pitch)The Imps played alot better when Rene Howe was brought on to add some height into the attack. Howe was out injured last week so was probably not 100% fit. Howe seems to have split opinions between Imps fans. Although i have seen better target men and his first touch isnt great as today proved, we miss him when he isnt there. I would prefer Paul o'conner to play upfront if he ever manages to get fit, until then i feel we need to play Howe.
The sad thing about the match was when Adam Watts, fresh back from injury, was stretchered off half way through the second half. I didnt realise until i was talking to my Grimsby supporting friend on the phone after the match that he had to be given oxygen and was taken from the ground in an ambulance. As off yet there had been no news about his condition.
The Imps had the best chance of the game when a goal bound shop hit a Grimsby player and when out for a corner.both sides will look on this as a steady point and both sets of fans will be glad that they didnt lose.
The train was packed on the way back. For the first time that i can remember we didnt get a seat till Gainsborough.
Final thought why do chavvy girls with pushchairs have to barge past/into people with them instead of saying "excuse me?" when they are on a train.
Addmission -season ticket i feel sorry for anybody who paid to watch this crap
Food -meat and potato pie 7/10 Tomato soup 8/10
Match quality 2/10
Imps performance 5/10
Man of the match-Scott Kerr i never thought i would write that.
I watched Mansfield v Eastbourne... that was really crap!!! I could not be bothered to write a blog entry about the game - so well done Adam -- a very good report from someone who can be bothered!!
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