FL2: Lincoln City v Torquay United 24th Oct 2009

No glaring misses..The best chance was TT who turned well in the box but shot wide. Most of the headers just dropped the wrong side of the post but judging the ball in the air was not easy with the wind. It was a shame that (as far as I remember) the chances did not fall to Sills

Good evening everyone.

Just got back to London. What a shame that a very good performance, especially in the 2nd half didn't reap us more than just the solitary point.

There were a few raised eyebrows at the announcement of the team in the Trust Suite before the game while watching Wolves V Villa and sipping on Marston's Smooth. No Ellis. No Lionhearted Ellis. Harsh on the lad but Robertson and Charnock are a better partnership, especially with Charnock's left foot. There's a better balance.

As for the formation. I guess you would call it a 4-5-1 although for the first 10 minutes Sills was a bit isolated. The big man won absolutely everything in the air but it wasn't until 15 mins or so that he gambled on making a run past Sills to get onto a flick on. Lincoln threatened with a couple of crosses and one of their lads had a free header. But apart from a 35 yard swirling effort from Stefan Oakes, Michael Poke didn't have a save to make for the whole game.

Carlisle, Sills, Thompson and Robertson with a header all had half chances in the first half but none of the efforts broke the deadlock.

In the second half we controlled the match completely and started, through the excellent Thompson, to create some decent chances. Thompson, Stephens, Carlisle and Sills all went close. Thompson turned his marker but dragged his shot wide and a Carlisle header beat the keeper only to be cleared off the line. I thought the formation worked quite nicely especially as Thompson grew into his role more and more. We controlled large periods of the game and created more chances without being troubled that much.

A good performance and a clean sheet. It's just a shame that we couldn't snaffle all three points. PB and the team were applauded by everyone at the end of the game. Then we all got together for a Buckle group hug and brief session on how we were going to put a postive spin on a 0-0 draw.

I'm a bit disappointed to read DavetheGull's comments above. I've driven for about 6 hours today to watch my team, paid a fair bit of money to watch a good performance and yet because it's a 0-0 and because he doesn't rate the manager we are treated to yet another pointless contribution of negativity. I try to picture myself in Thailand surrounded by many pleasures (cheap, dangerous and otherwise) and I try and work out how I could be so negative about manager of my football club when I'm so far away and I haven't seen my team play. I remember living in Paris in 1996-1997 when Kevin Hodges led us to a very successful season which almost culminated in us getting promoted. The only information I got was through a couple of friends, match reports sent to me and weekly phone call from my father.

Maybe its because I didn't have the luxury of the internet but to be honest if I don't see a game with my own eyes I rarely offer a comment, positive or negative on the match report thread.

I listened to 606 after the Chelsea-Blackburn match and out of about 30 callers there was a really good call from an Ipswich supporter who was trying to remain positive about his teams future with Roy Keane in charge. He thinks his side are playing much better and it's only a matter of time before they start to progress up the table. The next caller said that Keane had to go. When Alan Green said "Why?", the caller said in a dismissive way "He's got to go, he's had his day"! Had his day? Can it really be true that a 38 year manager who's got a promotion season and a full season of survival in the premier league can be washed up already? Does the same go for Gareth Southgate? He had the cut the wage bill twice and made 25 million in transfer profit this summer alone. This season he had to sell Tuncay, Robert Huth and Stuart Downing, Cattermole the season before.

The internet is a very useful tool but it's making certain football supporters lazy and arrogant. Before you had to go the game and rely on DT's match report or your father's version in order to get a grasp of the facts. Nowadays it seems all you need is a reasonable ability with Championship Manager, the internet and an axe to grind no matter where you are in the world.

Anyway before I let some far flung lunatic spoil an otherwise enjoyable day at the football here are a few pictures I took before the game. A steward very politely asked me not to take photos during the game.



















The best of the local cuisine. It makes Hele Village look ok.

After getting into the ground 5mins late (due to traffic problems, sat nav crapness and timing issues) I was told by Longie I'd not missed owt so I settled into watching a scrappy 1st half where we, IMO, performed similarly as against Notts for the first 40mins (not closing down well enough and passing to feet enough). Contrary to an earlier report, Poke did make one save, and it looked a bloody good one. Having to deal with a shot from distance that seemed to move in the wind, and was well swiped round the post at short notice.
The 2nd half was a much cheerier occasion. Can't remember too many games where i've been out of my seat so many times with my hands clasped to my head in despair as another chance went begging. We really were the only team in it, and judging by the quiet oppo fans they knew it too. As time passed, I really began to dread being caught on the break or by a fluke, but thankfully it was not to be.
A thoroughly deserved point that could so easily have been 3 against a very poor home side. My insider (mother-in-law based in Sleaford, Lincs) who listened on Radio Lincoln stated that the match commentators thought they were very lucky to get a point as the Imps were a poor second all game.

Another good game made better by good company (Longy, Teddy et al) and keeps an improving unbeaten run going. But Longy, it really wasn't cold enough for you to be wearing those pink earmuffs!

I'd heard Chandler had changed employers, but I thought he was still a "brief" not running a chinese takeaway! ;D

;D
My gaff is next door. Hard times.

Nice match report, Chris.

Great match report Chris, many thanks to everyone for making this yet another top matchday thread, the TFF has come up trumps again with so many top contributions today.

Quality has always what we have been about and you sure have proved that again today.

Many thanks you have made me a very happy man tonight.

Take care all and hope to see you on the TFF again tomorrow.

Dave R