Lincoln City 1-1 Cheltenham Town

Happy pig eating


It wasn't a great start to the day if i am honest. I felt a bit rough from the night before and my body clock is all over the place due to the past week of doing the night shift. On waking i was squeaked at by the boys and then realised that the fridge was empty of the fresh food that my ravernous residential rodents required. Although there is an ASDA supermarket just up the road from me, they prefer to dine on Morrison's goods, so i took a brisk walk across town to get in said supplies (plus some Irn Bru to cure the hangover) the result was two happy piggas and the hangover passed.

"When sport goes bad" provided my early TV viewing this morning. The highlight for me was probably the segment about the world tuna tossing championships from Australia. i really must get up earlier to see this show more often, if you like crashes,crazy stuff and people just doing the most insane things in the name of sport then this is the show for you!

Another sign that things werent going to go well today was the fact that i had a quick game or 5 on Mario Kart online and went on to lose 176 ranking points in one race, i got about 100 back in the following races but i was still pissed off! great start to the day.
Cheltenham are in a similar position in the table to Lincoln. Former Lincoln Manger John Schofield is caretaker manager at the moment. On the way in BBC Radio Lincolnshire had an interview with him in which he said how fondly he remembers his time at Lincoln. For me my top Schofield moments was when we won 1-0 at Swindon to go top of the league (even if we didnt stay there for long) Jamie Forrester's four goals at Mansfield and a 2-0 win over Grimsby. There were bad times though as the following season we were cut adrift at the bottom of the league and the 1-0 defeat at Wrexham in 2007/08 was as bad a performance as i have seen from any Imps side.
He did a fantastic job with the Imps youth team and for me this is where his true talent lies.
Another former Imp Barry Richardson is now the Robins goalkeeping coach and he was to have a starring role today for the wrong reasons!



so whats for tea?


Given the overnight rains and the strong winds the game was never going to be a classic although i dont think anybody thought it would be as bad as this.
The Imps were soon one down as we failed to deal with a corner to give the robins one of the most simple goals they will score this season. Sergio Torries limped off with an injury shortly after. Maybe its my fault as i told my dad that he was the one to watch today. Instead it was the new signing Gordan who was catching the eye on the wing causing their full back problems all game. Alas that was the only high point of the first half. Suddenly the thought of watching the Tuna tossing championship was quite appealing



The Imps were level shortly after half time and shock horror it was from a set piece!!!! Gordan sent the corner in low, Fagan stepped over the ball allowing Jamie Clarke to smash the ball home from the edge of the area to bring the Imps level.
For the next 20 miniutes the imps took the game to the visitors; using the wings to great effect.
The game turned when Aaron Brown was given a straight red card for a late tackle. I will admit that we were at the other end of the ground to the incident but it did look a very very harsh decision. For some reason the Cheltenham goalkeeper decided to race 60 yards to get involved in the ruck that followed. In the post match show everybody was at a loss as to why the red card was given.
Then the fun started. As Brown trudged off something was said and both benchs went at each other. Security staff, officials, and players tried in vain to restore calm. When the dust settled Lincoln assistant boss/player Ian Pearce and the Robins keeper coach Barry Richardson were given red cards (as they were named subs) and Chris Sutton was sent to the stands. We know Barry loves a brawl and is a passionate man from his time with us and Ian Pearce is well over six foot so it took a very brave man to split those two up

lets get ready to rumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Imps saw the rest of the game out (plus the seven miniutes added time) to gain what was in the end a decent point.

At the last home game i told you of a rumor going around the Stacey west about a possible romance between two certain stewards. One of them denied it to me, and as a man of honour and the top bloke that he is I should believe him, however if you look in the picture below there is a shady character in the tunrnstyle block just after half time. Is he simply taking his break or is he sending a secret radio message to the other end of the stand? This one will run and run.


Admission season ticket
Food hotdog ok,tea tasted like dishwater
Match quality-football 5/10
the rumble 10/10 WWE watch out!!
Man of the Match- Micheal Gordan

Across the pond

Due to working nights for the last week (and the next one coming up) i have been unable to get to any midweek football so as Jeremy Kyle is crap today i thought i would look forward to the biggest game in the NFL this weekend.
The six times Superbowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers entertain the NFL Surprise package and AFC North rivals the Cincinnati Bengals.The game could well go a long way to deciding who wins the division and who would have to settle for a wildcard.
Both teams are 6-2 and the Bengals won the first game by 3 points earlier in the season in what was the Steelers last defeat.



Another reason why this game is important is that i have had a bet with my best mate Gav as to who will get furthest in the NFL this season the Steelers or the Giants. I have a crap record against him in bets to be honest. I lost £10 when the Steelers goofed up in last seasons match against the Giants in the last few seconds (or last home defeat) and a couple of years ago when like a prat i had a bet with him that England would win the world cup,we went on the lose on penalties to Portugal. A fool and his money are easily parted as they say.
At the moment i may just have the upper hand, After a great start the Giants are 5-4 although a bye this week could give them the time they need to regroup.Even if the Steelers lost this week they have a very good chance of a wildcard due to there record and having some good looking fixtures coming up Raiders,Browns The chiefs etc etc.
All to play for as they say.

A Bengal tiger before Sundays match...

AND AFTER!!!! ( hopefully!)


Meanwhile as we head into winter the USA is gearing up for one of the biggest days of the year.Not Thanksgiving or Christmas day but GROUNDHOG DAY 2010!!!


My contact in the States tells me that the groundhogs aren't in hibernation just yet but it wont be long before Phil and his friends are sleeping for the winter and planning for the impending Rodent invasion off the world!
I can't understand why Barake Obamaba hasn't made Groundhog day a national holiday surly only Thanksgiving even comes close to this great day in the American peoples hearts doesn't it?

Free travel in the FA Cup

The board of Lincoln City have announced that they will be putting on free coach's for the Imps FA Cup 2nd round match away at Northwich Victoria on November the 28th. (Live on ITV 1 12.30 KO)
This is a great gesture by the club and i hope lots of Imps take up the offer.We get a percentage of the gate money in cup ties so it is in our interest to get as many supporter's there.Plus at 12 quid on the terrace it is a cheap day out! And with it being an early kick off could it be an on the way breakfast stop for the Retford Imps?

AFC Telford United v Lincoln City

FA Cup first round proper!
The Imps round to wembley starts to here,first stop conference north side AFC Telford United away


The road to Wembley via Telford

Telford was a new ground for all three of the Retford Imps on board the Bazmobile today. So it was to be expected that it took us a bit longer than we thought to get there. We had a pleasent trip around the backwater towns of the black country. The high point was checking out the local kebab shops while stuck in traffic; The "king kebab shop" was probobly the best looking. The low points were the sweets that we had chosen for the way down. We left Retford at about 11.30 and arrived in Telford at about 2.35. We paid the two quid to park the car (The cheapest of the season) and made our merry way to Telfords Bucks head stadium.

AFC Telford were formed out of the ashes of the old Telford United. I dont normally like the "new" type of lego brick stadium, but Telford have managed to rebuild their ground and it still has kept its character, unlike Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Rushden etc etc. We were on a covered terrace behind the goal. To the right was the clubhouse side which was uncovered and had a scoreboard next to it. To the left was the best stand in the stadium which was covered and fully seated. Opposite us was another covered terrace the same as the one we were in and it housed the most vocal AFC Telford United supporters.


I was nervous about this match before the game. The Imps have a poor record against non league sides in the FA cup. I can all to clearly remember defeats against the likes of Emley, Dagenham and Redbridge (when they were non league)and last seasons defeat at the hands of Kettering Town. The most nervous I have ever been at a football match was when we hung on for a draw at home to Gainsbrough Trinity in the 1997/98 season. The only two games I can remember when we didnt struggle against non-league opposition was when we beat Bracknall Town 4-0 in 2000-01 season and the 4-1 win over Stevenage Borough in 98-99; the last season that Lincoln made the third round!

Telford had already beaten Pegasus junior, Worcester City and Blyth to reach the first round and were out to enjoy there day. They had issued a special half Telford half Lincoln scarf to mark the occasion but at £10 a go I didnt bother. I would imagine that there will be a few left over in the end of season sale! The programme was a great effort; putting many issues in higher divisions to shame (there is a two division gap between the two clubs)
On to the match.
In the first half I felt that the Imps were very comfortable. Telford looked like a small side and seemed to be off the pace as the Imps took control of the match knocking the ball around well and holding the ball as oppose to just launching it long. We took the lead after about 15 mins through Sergio Torres who seems to make a massive difference to our midfield.

half time score

At half time we got a thumbs us from Telfords mascot "Bobby the Buck" never let it be said that this blog doesn't have friends in high places; always ready to give us the goss from high places!!

Bobby the buck!! top bloke and big fan of the "mind of an Imp" blog!

In the second half Telford woke up! They got it back to 1-1 with a great header and from then on totally dominated the next 20-25 minutes; we couldnt get the ball and when we did we gave it back to them. Then out of nothing Jamie Clarke who was having his best game in an Imps shirt put the Imps back in front. That goal took the wind out of Telford and the Imps began to take control. Aaron Brown added a third and the Imps were in round two for the first time in six seasons!

Admission £11
Programme £2 9/10 very good,one of the best I have seen this season.
Match 7/10
Ground 8/10
Food- Baz liked the pie and chips but said the soup was crap
Imps man of the match- Jamie Clarke.




Now in football there are certain moves that we always remember, Be it a bit of skill, a great save mayby, a huge balls up. We all have our favourites; the Cruyff turn, the Jose jive when Porto beat Manchester United in the champions league, Gavs famous Brown shuffle, the list is endless.
As we got there quite late we were at the back of the car park and thus had a long wait to get out. Just as it looked as if we were going to move an old boy to our left made a move "where the f@@K you going old boy?!" said Baz seconds later we let a car to our right out and the old boy takes his chance slipping Baz a dummy as he looks the other way and over takes us!!!!!
Move of the season!!!

old boy to the left!!
"HE'S DONE YOU BAZ,THE OLD BOYS DONE YOU!!!!"

armthorpe

Gainsbrough Trinity1-0 Gloucester City

Worksop Town 0-3 Matlock Town

Wednesday night saw us make our merry way to Worksops temporary home at the New Manor ground; home of Ilkeston Town fc.
Worksop's problems have got alot worse in recent weeks and it was touch and go to see whether or not they would get enough players to field a full 11. As it turned out the tigers only named three subs and one of those was the assistant manager.
I do like the Manor ground; for me its a ground with everything. The Robins club bar is nice and spacious and serves a great pint of Carlsberg Cold, plus we got three pints for just over £7 which is good in anybody's book. The kitchen is next door to the club, I have always found the food most palatable, however Mr and Mrs Waite said that on this occasion the chips and gravy were crap, it must be said however that both trays were empty before we left the club! Thanks to Mr Waite! I enjoyed my cheeseburger, an improvement from when I had one at the Worksop v Retford match


There is covering on all four sides of the ground and when the ground is full, as it was when we saw Ilkeston v Eastwood, it has a good atmosphere. Tonight the ground was anything but full, although a crowd of over 250 was seen as a good crowd considering the 70 mile round trip for Worksop's supporters.
We watched the first half of the match from the posh padded seats at the top of the main stand in the corner. The view up here really is first class and I can't remember the last time I sat in a padded seat at a football match. We were joined by a visiting Matlock offical and I took the chance to quiz him about one of their subs tonight; Ex playoff final Imp Dene Cropper

Dene cropper(in yellow) in action for the Imps in the 2003 playoff final

Dene was part of the side that got to the playoff final 2002-03 season. He started out as the first choice striker alongside Simon Yeo. He was never the most skillful of players, but he did a job of holding the ball up and bringing others into play. I remember him getting sent off on his debut against Kidderminster (away) and his great running style. He left the season afterwards but will always be remembered for the part he played in that playoff final side. Felice was always a fan of his through thick and thin and was gutted when he left us. He has been playing non league football ever since he left the Imps and missed the best part of the last couple of seasons with a bad injury. I asked the offical if Dene ever mentions that playoff final "Only about 50 times a week" he replied!!
Dene Cropper we salute you!
On to the match.


Matlock and Worksop were in similar places in the table so three points would be a huge boost for either side. Matlock were quick out of the blocks and could have had a couple of penalties in the first 20 mins or so. Ex Worksop and Gainsbrough Trinity keeper Adam Soullit made a couple of great saves for Matlock before they took the lead through Benger with a great lob from the edge of the box. Before then Worksop were just starting to get on top in the game, the goal was a body blow for the tigers.
I was chatting to a fellow Imps fan about our upcoming FA Cup tie at Telford when Matlock made it 2-0 when the Tigers keeper was beaten low down at his near post when he should have done much better. Hannah with the goal (another ex worksop player!).
HT 0-2
At half time I took a stroll around to the clubshop to purchase a badge. Worksop have 4 badges out this year all in different colour schemes. So far I have the black and green ones. On the way back round I saw Lincoln city player of the season 01-02; Justin Walker, in the crowd. Another player who should have done much better than he did.He was unlucky really as he always seemed to be at the wrong club at the wrong time as he should have played at at least League one level. His best moment was probably his last minute free kick away at Bristol Rovers in out 2-1 win there in 2001/02.
We stood behind the goal the tigers were attacking in the second half, and watched as the tigers started to get back into the game. They had a lot of the ball but didnt make Sollit do too much apart from a spell when they had a flurry of corners. Dene came on and it was he who made it 3-0 on 88 minutes with an unmarked header from only a few yards out.
All of this was to much for one supporter who shouted to the manager that he had seen more life in a Burtons shop window than watching this shower. At this point the manager charged down the touchline to offer the supporter the chance to discuss this outside in the carpark after the match, all in all not a good advert for the club or the game.
I am undecided about this; the manager has done a fantastic job under very very difficult circumstances at the club and is not in anyway responsable for the mess the club is in. On the other hand, the fan is having to attend home games 40 miles away and has paid money to watch his side conceed two very basic goals that had no right to be seen at this level of football.
If everybody at Worksop sticks together then I have no doubts they will come through this, as their first eleven is more than good enough for this division, if not, and the bickering continues, then you have to fear for the club.

Addmission £8
Programme £2 some very interesting articles about local football 8/10
Food Cheseburger £2 very good 8/10
Clubhouse 8/10
Ground 8/10
Match 7/10