For some reason i wasn't overly looking forward to this match. A match against any "XI" can often be a let down. Personally, i am never bothered who the other side puts out as long as i am there to watch Lincoln, but these kind of matches attract the floating fans who help boost the attendance and only turn up if the opposition puts out a decent side. In the past few years we have only sold out for the Liverpool game who had a few first teamers playing. Both the Arsenal and Villa games attracted good crowds and we were hoping this would to.
In the build up all week all we heard in the local media was that Celtic were going to bringing up to 4,000 supporters down for the game. In the end that, not to put to fine a point on it, ...was Bollocks. They were given 3/4 of the co-op stand when half would have been plenty. In all fairness it was a crap turn out from the home fans as well.
Driving down Lincoln high street on our way to the match it was obvious that there were plenty of Celtic fans around and secondly there were plenty of police about. Although we didn't see it at the time subsequent reports suggest that a fair amount of trouble had kicked off. Speaking to people i know who watch or have watched Scottish football on a regular basis this was no surprise. Nor were the IRA songs or the ARG-EN-TINA! chants inside the stadium. All in all this wasn't what you would want when you are trying to promote and get new fans down to watch Lincoln City. Obviously not all Celtic fans were up to this, far from it in fact as quite a few were mixing and chatting with the Imps fans but as we all know it only takes a few dicks to tar everybody with the same brush.
Anyway rant over.
The programme this season will cost £2.50 as it has since 2002/03. This is something the club deserves credit for as again they seem to have come up with a very good programme and have resisted the temptation to bung a cardboard cover round it and hike up the price. It was decent enough with plenty in it for both clubs.
I had a brief chat to the stewards who all seem fit and ready to go for the new season as ever and we made our way into Sincil Bank for our first home game of 2010/11.
Then another down point. I always try not to buy any food in the ground due to..
1) It is normally crap
2) its a rip off
But seeing how it was quite hot a cold drink was required. That will be £2 sir!! A bottle of water comes in at £1.50. The food has also gone up. Although it does now come in a crappy plastic box, quite how that improves the taste i am not too sure.
Just to really piss me off the club DJ played Irish rover over the PA and "You'll never walk alone" when the teams came out. As the home team surely we should have had our anthem the Dambusters blasted out?
The match started at a decent pace. Celtic have a Champions league qualifier this week so it wasn't a huge surprise that their side contained mainly reserve and young players although they did look good on the ball. The match was keenly contested in the opening exchanges with Celtic creating the better chances. The Imps were again looking dangerous on the wings as we tried to stretch the Celtic defence. Adam Watts again started with was another huge plus point for the Imps.
It was a bit of a surprise when Lincoln took the lead through Adam Jarret as he beat two men and blasted past the keeper. Up until then the high point had been watching a group of Celtic fans fighting with each other in their section of the ground and for some reason letting off smoke bombs. I can understand it for a Slavia v Sparta Prague derby but for a crappy pre season match? When the guy with the flares was kicked out the Celtic fans applauded the police as he was marched out. Celtic scored two quick goals about ten minutes before halftime to turn the game on its head.
HT 2-1
In the second half Celtic started to take control and put the Imps under pressure. Just as it looked like Lincoln had weathered the storm and were getting a foot hold in the game, again Celtic made it 3-1 when Anyon making his home debut in goal rabbit punched a shot out in the penalty area, The ball was passed across the area and slammed in.
On the next attack it was 4-1 when a curling shot from the edge of the box nestled in the bottom right hand corner. The shot wasn't travelling at a super pace but it was well placed. Even so, i think the keeper should have got to it, given how much time he had. When Anyon gathered a cross a few moments later a sarcastic cheer went up from a couple of city fans with was met by a glare from the keeper. Hopefully it was first game nerves and to be fair he was always in for a hiding today.
FT 1-4
4-1 was harsh on City as we had competed well through out most of the game, but it was a good work out for the side. The defence still needs a bit of work but i think things are ticking over ok at the moment.
Next up we have our toughest challenge yet. Championship side Norwich City at home on Wednesday night, the side that got me into following and watching football when a certain Chris Sutton was the most deadly striker in England way back in 1993.
Admission £15
Programme £2.50 solid as ever
Food Fleech gave the hot dog a 1.5 out of 10. I think the chip shop outside the ground will do some great business this season.
Man of the match DELROY FACEY.
No comments:
Post a Comment