Imps v Rovers

[bigmart]

New game in on a 1 week loan, safe to say Pilling needs to move on in the summer if he wants to play first team football

 

[Boz]

Chapman looks potentially decent, but only one week? Going to be silly if we get a different emergency loan keeper in every week until Scott Davies is fit again, given this suggests no future at Rovers for Pilling beyond the bench.

Is Wilson injured, given he's served all his ban? That defence looks brittle as a four. Disappointed that Ponticelli is on the bench ahead of Walker-Rice, when we've already got two striker options there in Payne and Mullin. Unless there's a MoM performance from the new keeper, fear we'll lose it.

 

[Ian]

I'm sure Pilling is pretty frustrated with this but we do what's best for the team not the individual. Come on Rovers!

 

[Sparky]

FFS Blackett Taylor sent off for 2 bookings

do we top the disciplinary league?

 

[Ian]

What a joke. Referee showing no common sense as per usual. Really good competitive game probably now ruined with a silly yellow. CBT was having a great half too, looking dangerous and was a real outlet for us. Looks like it's backs to the wall in the second half.

 

[Ian]

Rovers still going for it here, great effort. Games opened up second half. Could go either way.

 

[Boz]

The teams around us aren't doing too badly; Accrington winning, Wimbledon, MK and Southend drawing. Need something today.

 

[Sparky]

Lincoln in front and mk dons, Accrington and Wimbledon all winning

 

[Ian]

I thought that result was harsh on Rovers. You could not fault their effort. They battled for 90 minutes and the obvious turning point was the soft second yellow dished out to CBT just before half time. Rovers were easily in the game at this point against a mediocre Lincoln team. Referee made some awful decisions during the game and I'm not even sure if the Akinde goal went over the line. It bounced off the crossbar and hit the line. Very frustrating but when you're down there and the luck just aint with you it's a long road. We deserved more from that today.

 

[Boz]

This gets very worrying given we are now only out of the bottom three on goal difference and as MK play before us next Saturday, we could be in the drop zone by the time we ko in the must win game v Wimbledon.

Maybe unlucky with a harsh sending-off and debatable other decisions, but this game is gone and we desperately need to be in the right frame of mind to win the next one, before a challenging festive period.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It was a decent performance and we should have taken something from the game. Lincoln very poor and scored from virtually their only chance of the game. Red card decision was very harsh and we had been the better side before the sending off, CBT and RHM both playing well.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought that result was harsh on Rovers. You could not fault their effort. They battled for 90 minutes and the obvious turning point was the soft second yellow dished out to CBT just before half time. Rovers were easily in the game at this point against a mediocre Lincoln team. Referee made some awful decisions during the game and I'm not even sure if the Akinde goal went over the line. It bounced off the crossbar and hit the line. Very frustrating but when you're down there and the luck just aint with you it's a long road. We deserved more from that today.

I agree about the Lincoln 'goal'. Not convinced the ball crossed the line.

 

[Sparky]

I hope Mickey doesn’t blame the officials as the amount of dismissals we’ve had this season can’t all be down to the refs

 

[keep the faith]

starting to worry now we don,t seem to be able to get anywhere near the level required to actually win games, ok to battle but need much more

 

[Ian]

We can battle all we like but we still don't have the required quality in certain areas. You could not fault their work rate and attitude today.

Regarding the sending off, if you go by the letter of the law, then yes, but it was a nothing challenge in a non threatening area of the pitch. A quick word in his ear wouldn't have gone amiss. To get sent off for something so trivial was a joke imo. I saw worse challenges later on in the game unpunished.

He set the bar early but then wasnt consistent. I think MM has given up criticising the refs as it gets him nowhere and ends up getting himself in trouble.

 

[bigmart]

We do not look like keeping a clean sheet and do not score anywhere near enough goals, we are in big trouble, I just cant see were are next win is going to come from. As low as our budget is its not the only reason we are struggling, just look at Accrington today they hammered Portsmouth and are now 5 points ahead of us.

I hope we can bring in better quality in January but think it will be tricky to do

 

[drwhoman]

I think I read a piece by Lincoln fans before the game and it was clear that they thought, at that time, that the ref was rubbish given their past experience. How do these guys get a gig every week. Surely someone vets them?

 

[bigmart]

I think I read a piece by Lincoln fans before the game and it was clear that they thought, at that time, that the ref was rubbish given their past experience. How do these guys get a gig every week. Surely someone vets them?

We cant keep blaming the referee, we have had more sendings off than league wins this season which is simply not good enough

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

As low as our budget is its not the only reason we are struggling, just look at Accrington today they hammered Portsmouth and are now 5 points ahead of us.

Accrington have been struggling all season, despite their victory today. The budget is still by far the biggest factor behind our struggles.

If you are suggesting that the manager's position should be questioned, then I think you are misguided. With some journeyman manager we would be screwed in this division with our current budget; Mellon performed a miracle to win a promotion last season that we had no reason to expect. As I have said previously, even if we go down this season I want Mellon to remain in charge. He is a good manager and a great fit for the club.

I agree that it will be a struggle to stay up, but this was always going to be a very difficult season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought we were the better side today and should have taken something from the game with ten men, and could well have won the game with eleven. In the first half an hour our football was good and we had more pace and quality in the attacking areas than a very unimaginative Lincoln side. Even after the red card we looked comfortable and Lincoln created virtually nothing, while RHM continued to be a threat on the break with his pace. It made me smile when I read above that our keeper would need a man of the match performance to keep us in the game: Chapman barely touched the ball all afternoon and did not even have to pick the ball out of the net for Lincoln's contentious winner.

However, playing the better football and showing a good attitude can only ever take you so far when you are not ruthless in both boxes. We should have been at least one goal up by the time of the red card, but again we failed to score the opening goal when we were on top. At the other end of the pitch, we defended excellently for the majority of the match, but once again switched off momentarily and failed to keep a clean sheet. We just lack that something extra at both ends of the pitch to get us the victories we desperately need. If we don't bring in a couple of quality players in January - which will be incredibly difficult - we might well be relegated this season.

I thought the red card decision was harsh, and it was a tragedy for CBT as he had been the best player on the pitch to that point. The first booking was very harsh, for a tackle a long way from goal, and I thought a better referee would have shown common sense with a young player and given CBT a final warning after the second incident. However, it was naive of CBT to prevent a free kick being taken when he was already on a yellow, which is another example of the inexperience and naivety in the squad which has cost us a number of times this season. The age profile of the squad is not right, with too many inexperienced kids and too many old stagers, and that again largely comes down to finances.

Individually, there were a number of positives. CBT and RHM both played well and caused problems with their pace and trickery, the centre halves were solid, and Liam Ridehalgh had a very good game up against the awkward Harry Anderson. The biggest plus for me was the performance of Connor Jennings, who I think is finally starting to look comfortable at this level. In fact, I thought most players had good games, which makes the defeat very difficult to take.

A victory against Wimbledon next week is vital and would do a lot to lift spirits.