Shock, we waste a chance to make it relaxing

By Nathan Jackson
April 24 2005

Going into the game at Northampton, City only needed to avoid defeat to guarantee a playoff place, so guess what happened. In typical Lincoln City style, instead of making it easy on ourselves, we now have a nail biting end to the season thanks to a solitary goal from Northampton's Josh Low.

The opening minutes were full of mistaken corners with neither keeper being particully challenged. GTF won a free kick after being fouled by Hearn. Sandwith delivered the ball in which GTF headed over.

Hearn again was the cause of a chance of scoring but this time at the right end when he ran forward in the 10th minute before his shot was deflected out for a corner, however, that resultant corner was easily cleared by Futcher. Northampton started to use dirty tactics to try and win the game  by committing very rash challenges on the Imps and several City players were lucky to avoid broken legs. The referee, Harpal Sing decided to ignore these incidents, it was hardly suprising considering in all the games he'd refereed, no away side has ever won.

Northampton, despite their dirty tactics were all over City. They had the vast majority of the few chances there were with Josh Low going closest on 19 minutes when his shot went just wide. 10 minutes later Hearn#'s cross was met by McGleish but the header was well saved by Marriott who managed to tip it over the the bar.

City finally got forward with 10 minutes of the half to go. They got two corners and both were easily cleared. A few minutes later, another corner was headed over by GTF. City finally had enough of Northampton's dirty tactics after after a dangerous challenege on Gain from Williamson sparked a small brawl. Singh again didn't take any action other than to have words. Kirk was booked just before half time after yet another foul on game. Just after the half time whistle, tempers flared again between several players.

City got a corner  but it was punched away by Harper. News filtered through the Darlington were beating Rushden that meant Northampton had to win to keep any realistic chances of the playoffs alive. Despite and up-age in tempo, the game still failed to live up to the hype. Kirk was replaced by Sabin for Northampton before Beevers came on for Asamoah for City. Gain got a booking in the 61st minute when he fouled Murray. Singh was infact being very poor. After tempers boiled over again, he was speaking to a Northampton player and seemed oblivious to the fact Northampton had just taken the free kick quickly and were already half way up the pitch.

GTF then almost scored a wonder goal after picking up the ball in the City half and running towards goal. After rounding several players, he finally got into the area before a last minute tackle stopped the hitman possibly getting his best goal since that goal at Orient last season. News had come through that Darlington were now 2-0 up so Northampton pushed forward again. They got 2 corners, the first was cleared out for another corner. The second saw Marriott come to claim it, miss it and Josh Low picking up the pieces to make it 1-0 to Northampton.

Sandwith had a free kick easily saved from 30 yards and Northampton suddenly slowed down, even Battersby could have reacted quicker than they were to several pieces of action. Sandwith was then replaced by Green. Low volleyed just over the bar 7 minutes from time before McGleigh shot wide. Hanlon came on in place of GTF.

Yeo then had a great chance 3 minutes into injury time to equalise when the ball fell to him inside the area, he volleyed towards goal and the shot beat Harper but not the post and it proved to be the last action of the game. If that shot had been 3 more inches to Yeo's left, City would be a guaranteed fixture in the playoffs but now will be biting their nails as City's difficult run in could open the door for Northampton who have a relatively easy run in against as-good-as-down Kidderminster and Chester.