The first pre season match is always a high point for me, the weather is normally great,the result of the game doesn't matter,you get a chance to check out the new signings and to top it all off this time we get to go at a new ground. And with this being a good 3 hour drive its a great chance to have some banter with the guys. Not many Lincoln fans made the trip which to me makes it even more special. All the Imps fans there deserve a huge pat on the back for being there. I can think of plenty of fans of various clubs who "give it large" on message boards or in the pub but never travel to these kind of matches, yet they are the first to slag the side off even though they didn't see the match.
Staines Town play their football in the Blue Square south premier league (two below Lincoln, one below Grimsby) they are based in the south west of London. This means you need to negotiate Europe's longest metal snake, the M25 motorway the road which circulates London.
So armed with sandwiches, The non-league guide book, and a bottle of sambuca, we set off around 10 am. The traffic was fine till we hit the M25; It took us a good hour and a half to crawl around London which fucked up our beer time as we made it to the ground at about 2.20 pm. The banter on the way down was what you would expect; conversations about the normal; beer, women, and food. Also we were trying to decide if the chap driving a Chelsea tractor on the motorway was indeed Mr Burns due to his lack of chin!
Mr Burns!
To our surprise Staines looked like a decent enough place. Although there was no sign of Ali G, maybe the football ground isn't in the "westside" of the town. The ground is just off the motorway and it was easy enough to get parked up. The stewards seemed to be of the "good old boy" types and were very friendly and helpful. We payed our £10 at the turnstile and entered our first match of the season.
Programmes were being sold for £1 and although there wasn't a great deal in it, it was good to see that the club had issued one as many non league clubs don't bother, so hats off there. A raffle was also being collected near the turnstiles but i am afraid the prize of either a jigsaw or a cuddly elephant didn't entice me enough to buy a ticket.
To the right as you enter the ground is the clubshop/shed and the food hut. I didn't have any hot food but the reports i had from two of my travelling companions were very positive. The burgers were £3 each and went down very well.
Normally i get a metal badge when i go to a new ground but seeing how they came in at £4 i didn't bother. If you are a member of the Staines supporters club they are £3.50 which is still at the top end of what i normally pay. I can understand that they want people to join the club but i am sure that i am not the first nor the last to be put off by the duel price list.
We ambled round to the far end of the ground so we could stand in the shade. We had a brief chat to the Imps goalkeeping coach Paul Musselwhite about the training at the Army base the Imps had been at all week. Apparently the had been "working their balls off" all week. A bit like me then.
As is often the case in these sorts of games, the Imps fielded almost two different sides in each half. New signings, keeper Joe Anyon midfielder Josh o'Keefe and winger Albert Jarret all made their first starts for the Imps. The match was quite a tame affair with City controlling the play as you would expect. Also as you would expect Staines took the lead on the 24 minute mark. Somethings don't change.
Lincoln were soon level with a finish from close range from Scottish trialist Scott Anson. So it was all level at 1-1 at half time. Half time brought a raft of changes as City looked to give the whole squad a run out. In the second half Lincoln took control of the game alot more and pinned Staines back in the own half for much of the game as fitness levels started to show. If anything, City played too much pretty stuff instead of going straight for goal. I never thought i would write that. Don't think i will be writing that in a league match review though. Lincoln took the lead when a free kick into the box was headed in by another new signing Canadian international Gavin McCallum. This guy could well be the signing of the season and yes we have a Canadian flag on the way!
Imps boss Chris Sutton
The game petered out with City looking more likely to score but Staines gave them a decent workout especially in the first half. It has to be said though that City did make a hell of a lot more subs that the home side so its not surprising that Staines tired towards the end.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable start to the season. Staines made a very good impression and its a cracking club to visit. My only gripe being the prices in the clubshop.
On the way back we stopped for a Kebab in Dunstable. It came in at a hefty £5.20. The chili sauce was hot and the salad was fresh although the meat wasn't as hot as it could have been so its a steady 7/10 from me. It was washed down with warm cola, a couple of Sambuca shots and some Percy pig sweets.
Next up is another trip to London on Friday night to see the Imps play at Woalton Casuals. Its a stay over trip, then off to watch a two more games in London the next day. (non Lincoln ones)
Admission £10
Programme £1 5/10 not a great deal in it but at least they went to the trouble of doing one.
Food The burgers got a steady 7/10 from Baz(£3)
Ground 8/10 decent enough and the club staff were very helpful
Match quality 6/10
Man of the match Mr Burns.
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