Lincoln V Bristol Rovers match thread..?

Went yesterday and can say I thoroughly enjoyed watching the game, but in particular watching Rovers.

I was slightly nervy about the line-up and formation pre-match but it worked a treat. We looked very dangerous going forward, Matty Taylor was a constant menace and Andy Monkhouse was a nuisance up against their tall centre halves. Lincoln got the ball forward a bit too but I wasn't ever really concerned that they would score, certainly not early on. With the way we were playing I fancied us to score and we did when Taylor's cross was inexplicably left to go across the box and Sinclair was on hand to take a touch and calmly slot home. It was thoroughly deserved and we were looking very confident on the ball.

Dan Leabitter, who had a very good game upon his return to the side, was causing problems with his pace down the right and he then capitalised defensive hesitation to run through on goal and with his left foot caress the ball beyond the goalkeeper. Gasheads were loving it, the team were enjoying themselves and all was under control. We were unlucky not to score a third when Mansell did well to meet a cross but it was blocked near enough on the line.

Then a ball into the box apparently hit Trotman's hand and the ref awarded a penalty to give the Imps a route back into the game which they scarcely deserved. After that was converted it was all about seeing the half out and we never looked under too much pressure until the final few minutes and the inevitable happened. Moment of poor defending allowed Burrow the chance to poke home from close range. It was horrible to be going in level at half-time when our performance deserved and promised so much more.

We weren't as threatening in the second period and we did have to contain some pressure from the home side but there were few moments where I feared we'd concede again. Trotman, who has otherwise been a revelation at centre half this season, had a shaky game and he did kit-time some headers which gave the Lincoln forwards a sniff of an opportunity but they were all snuffed out by Mildenhall. Dave Martin's introduction changed things though and we began to grow as an attacking force once again. He was very lively down the left and caused their full back plenty of problems. I like him as a winger.

Cunnington and Harrison both had positive impacts when they came on as well and then came the moment we had been threatening to produce for a little while. Sinclair was bundled over in the box (looked innocuous from where I was but there seemed few complaints and the ref had little hesitation in pointing to the spot) and we had a chance to win the game late on. I don't like Browner as a set-piece taker of any variety and didn't want him to take the penalty but he clearly felt confident and wanted the responsibility. He repositioned the ball two or three times as the ref told the players not to encroach and it only added to the nervousness. The goalie dived the right way and the ball hit the inside of the post and rolled to safety. To say I and the 210 other Gasheads were deflated is an understatement.

Happily though we kept pushing - something we never did late in a game under previous managers - and Brown then played a good ball through to Harrison, who twisted and turned past his man and fired a low drive past the keeper and into the back of the net. Everyone went mad because it was no less than we deserved for a perfect away performance overall.

The final seconds were as nervy as anything though and I thought for all the world that they would equalise as a game of pinball broke out in our penalty area. Trotman and two others threw themselves in front of shots to keep the ball out and when a strike did fire through the bodies Mildenhall was on hand to save superbly before a Gas defender cleared away. The ref then blew for full-time and Mildy & co. ran over to us and embraced the congregation of fans at the front of the stand. It was a great moment and showed the passion the team and supporters have. I high-fived a delighted Harrison and you could tell it meant the world to him to make yet another match-winning contribution. Irene rang around Sincil Bank (not for the first time) and the embarrassing Lincoln 'Ultras' stopped banging their awful drum to listen!

It was a fantastic team performance and it's hard to pick out individuals but Lee Mansell was outstanding and my MoM by an absolute mile. He led by example, inspired his team mates and played really, really well. His best performance without a shadow of a doubt. Also special mentions for Leadbitter, Taylor and Darrell Clarke, who got it spot on yesterday. I have always backed him, to some criticism from some, and I'm pleased that he has shut the moaners up for a while because he's doing a great job at the moment and is receiving little recognition for it. As WCG says, Ward's start last season was disgraceful and yet nobody was calling for him to go despite the football being 100 times worse and the results even more so. Well done DC.

Overall I loved an away day for the first time in a long, long while and feel quietly confident about our chances. It's a big week for us now and I sincerely hope we will all be smiling after Nuneaton and Woking.

Just a couple of comments for your next one.....

i) When you're recording don't sing into the mike,
ii) Try not to swear so much,
iii) Get a long distance lens so we can see what's happening down the other end of the pitch
iv) Make sure you stand behind someone a lot shorter, that blokes head kept getting in the way of your shots.

I'm only kidding (well not about the singing), brilliant to see so much of the game and to see and hear the enthusiasm from our fans and big respect to you and all the others for going too.
Loved the comment about the pie as well.  

DC is out of his depth and Harrison in extra time is his rubber ring ... again.

DC is out of his depth and Harrison in extra time is his rubber ring ... again.

Just thought it might be of interest to some. I went on a Lincoln website (vitalimps) to read their take on the game. Not one Lincoln supporter thought we deserved to win in fact a few suggested that they were the better team over 90 mins.
Happy with 3 points but am not going to get too excited until I see/read that we are clearly deserved winners and start to win by more than a goal.

Many games at the mo look like a fine line between defeat/draw/win e.g. Lincoln Halifax and Wrexham - games like these could easily have gone the other way !?

But did you catch your bus?