Something for everyone a comedy tonight. On Tuesday night to be precise. Despite scoring early, a collectors item, City were decidedly second best to a lively Oxford outfit who were first to the ball, first to the second ball, better passers, well passers, City didn’t seem to be bothering, enthusiastic and motivated. It was no surprise when they drew level and no surprise that it was a defensive error, Trevor Carson once again in the baggy trousers, pointy hat and honker horn in his hand. Did Joe Anyon have a rather smug look on his face in the half time lark about with the subs?
After the break, fans were expecting a team chastened by Steve Tilsons appraisal of their performance putting right the deficiencies of the first period. Not a bit of it, they set about being very ordinary again and given a thorough chasing by the side from the South backed by a good following who proceeded to chant “yellows yellows” at the team in blue. Thought they were supposed to be smart, down in Oxford?
Just when it seemed the U’s must score they did. Cheers lads. Facey’s hook may have been heading for the net but after Worley’s intervention it certainly was. Cue delirium from the Imps faithful. Delirium turned to incredulity when Tonkin put a much better howler past Oxford keeper Clarke following good work by Carayol to get the cross in. After that, to be fair City did see the game out well and didn’t seem to be in too much danger of throwing it away. The Comedy of Errors would have made a suitable headline but somebody else got in first with that title.
All of which brings us to Accrington, much speculation about them in the late summer or more particularly their manager who was thought to be interested in the Imps hotseat . Was that just a convenience though as the Stanley board, whoever they are, were stalling on a contract renewal and had been for some time. Not after the conjecture as to Lincoln’s new manager they weren’t and John Coleman duly got his new deal. Good luck to him, he’s a good manager and City fans would not have been disappointed had he become our leader but he didn’t, Steve Tilson did and Imps are not disappointed about that either particularly when he has luck on his side as he did on Tuesday.
Tilson had expressed a desire to gain at least four points from the two home games. Most fans would have assumed that Oxford would have been the most difficult of the two so to go in to the Accrington game on a win and a fortuitous win at that will hopefully send the team into this game on a high. March is something of a defining month with two games every week so City could emerge from the winter period safe, with a good month or still in the mire if the recent form continues. Three points against Stanley would see the Imps in a much better position, depending on what the others do and with a good view, in the rear view mirror, of their competitors as the finishing straight is entered.
Financial considerations still dog the North West club with the latest indignity being the proposed sale of, amongst other items, seats and floodlights from the clubs Crown Ground, a sale forced on the club by the Revenue in view of an agreed monthly payment of the clubs outstanding tax bill not being paid in full. The Lancashire Telegraph reported this week that the sale was averted when the instalment was paid, albeit late. The Telegraph stated that the players apparently haven’t been paid on time either. These financial matters and the continuing uncertainty over ownership continue to beset the club but Lincoln City will content themselves with denying Accy any further accumulation of points. After Oxford the team will believe this is well within their capabilities.