Tues 12/Weds 13 March fixtures

[YEO YEO YEO]

Sorry Cambridge fans, we were brutal with you tonight.

Before the game I wanted an early goal, and we got just that. Felt it should have been a free kick to Cambridge for a foul in the build up though.

Cambridge then had their best spell for next 10 mins with a few half chances before we regained control and went in two nil up.

2nd half Cambridge couldnt deal with us first 5 mins and we score again. At 3-0, not sure why, but you took off a defender and bought on Bonne.

You had a few chances with Kaikai doing alright down the wing, but we tweaked, made changes and everytime we attacked felt we would score.

Monks got some work to do. Great again that we could rotate so much of the squad, hope House's injury isn't too bad. When he went off when we were 1-0 up, he's a big part of our attack, and we had no choice but to put on our academy striker. I didnt expect us to score another 1, let alone 5.

What a night - feels horrible to say, but come on Peterboro tomorrow night.

 

[GeneralLee]

We were a disgrace tonight. It was a horrific performance and we’ve downed tools. I can’t recall too many performances of this magnitude other than Wigan a few seasons ago. This was on a different level and I’m embarrassed

Not taking anything away from Bolton, they were terrific though they didn’t need to get out of first gear. We were shameful, though it’s been coming for a while…

 

[leedsvaliant]

What have Lincoln got in their boots!?

On fire

I have to be honest, I didn't see that coming after they played us. They were better than us (obviously) but looked pretty short up front. In fact both of their goals we handed to them and they created little else. I'd like to think we gave them the confidence boost they needed! Fair play to them, they're absolutely flying!

 

[valefan16]

Didn’t watch it but sounds like it was a much improved performance, especially defensively as Orient didn’t have a shot on target until the last ten minutes.

Sounds like we missed a couple of big chances and Massey and Meighton caused issues, strange he took them off.

First clean sheet in three months is a positive but doesn’t help us a great deal, win Saturday and it might become a great point.

We will now complete two full years without a Tuesday night league win (21 attempts)

 

[dannylad01]

After tonight's 3-0 loss to Exeter, we've now played 9 midweek games in the league, scored 3 conceded 19, with Bolton away still to come.

Excuses tonight are the red card after 6 minutes and then the clear foul leading to the 2nd, but Hurst was talking before the game about the difficulty this squad has with playing midweek games and fitness levels. Comes back to the lack of preparation in pre season

 

[leedsvaliant]

We were a disgrace tonight. It was a horrific performance and we’ve downed tools. I can’t recall too many performances of this magnitude other than Wigan a few seasons ago. This was on a different level and I’m embarrassed

Not taking anything away from Bolton, they were terrific though they didn’t need to get out of first gear. We were shameful, though it’s been coming for a while…

No doubt you'll come to us all fired up on Saturday and absolutely pump us!

 

[leedsvaliant]

After tonight's 3-0 loss to Exeter, we've now played 9 midweek games in the league, scored 3 conceded 19, with Bolton away still to come.

Excuses tonight are the red card after 6 minutes and then the clear foul leading to the 2nd, but Hurst was talking before the game about the difficulty this squad has with playing midweek games and fitness levels. Comes back to the lack of preparation in pre season

It's still over 2 years since we've won a midweek league game. We are hopeless in the week. And at weekends too.

 

[thewwfc]

Only caught the last 30 mins of our game, but maybe that’s a blessing since it was a damn hard watch, the entirety of the bit I saw was us sitting back on a 1-0 lead.

But…we were completely unable to grind out results in the first half of the season, and we were the worst team in the division for conceding late sickeners.

So it’s progress if we’re now able to shut up shop against a better footballing side, the teams who do well at this level have to have the ability to see games out.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Having said that we were better tonight. Orient looked a shadow of the team we played only a few weeks ago...looked a bit like they've settled for where they are.

If we were 10% better, we'd have won the game. I thought the best chances fell to us and we probably should have had a penalty.

We look more comfortable with 4 at the back and creates more danger from wide areas...looked a bit tired towards the end but never really thought we were holding on.

One point clawed back towards safety and it looks like some of the teams around us are equally as bad as us. Some are proper tanking. We need to win on Saturday, we won't, but we need to.

 

[codaplenty]

A thoroughly deserved draw for the Gas tonight who looked a very useful side. Fleetwood never really looked like scoring and Tbh did some outstanding defending at times. An opportunity wasted to reduce the deficit with Salop thrashed, Cambridge getting walloped Burton losing and Vale just getting a point. As so often happens a team tightens up the the back but then can't find the net ! Keep right on to the end of the road ( Harry Lauder, even I wasn't born when this record came out, in fact my parents weren't even in their teens .

 

[valefan16]

Having said that we were better tonight. Orient looked a shadow of the team we played only a few weeks ago...looked a bit like they've settled for where they are.

If we were 10% better, we'd have won the game. I thought the best chances fell to us and we probably should have had a penalty.

We look more comfortable with 4 at the back and creates more danger from wide areas...looked a bit tired towards the end but never really thought we were holding on.

One point clawed back towards safety and it looks like some of the teams around us are equally as bad as us. Some are proper tanking. We need to win on Saturday, we won't, but we need to.

Win on Saturday and that Burton game becomes huge, we will still bottle our 23rd last chance saloon though! We looked better with four at the back in the early games under Moore which made it baffling we went back to theback 3!

 

[dannylad01]

It's still over 2 years since we've won a midweek league game. We are hopeless in the week. And at weekends too.

Sounds like a Shrewsbury v Port Vale midweek game would be a cracker!

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Sorry Cambridge fans, we were brutal with you tonight.

Yeah, but not clinical still, somehow. The fairest reflection on this match would probably be something like 8-2, but even that is a stretch.

We are THAT club this season, and I really don't think Monk grasps the gravity of our situation. We don't play another home game until Jesus comes back from the dead, so we may be smart to take heed.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Reading might be cursing the ref too.

1-1 v Derby then have a man sent off and now behind to a penalty.

Never a penalty that. Derby got a homer

 

[Don Tonberry]

How that game tonight was as close as it was is baffling. Absolutely cruising at 2-0 up against a piss poor Burton side only to concede a late goal out of nothing and then to seemingly get away with what looked like a nailed on penalty shout for the visitors.

Maybe the Football Gods finally want us out of this horrid division. This Saturday is massive in terms of the promotion race.

 

[The Terminator]

0-0 was what our game deserved, two teams struggling in front of goal.

Port Vale should've probably lead at half time, we was a bit unlucky not to steal it at the end, but overall it was a low key game with not alot of quality. We just don't have the squad to push any higher, particularly in the attacking areas, we've just come up short at the wrong time.

Vale a bit unlucky not to get a pen near the end, another ref probably would've given it but Gavin Ward is fussy.

 

[GeneralLee]

No doubt you'll come to us all fired up on Saturday and absolutely pump us!

No doubt we'll come to you and do absolutely nothing!

 

[Mansfield_Ram]

Strange game tonight. Won it deservedly but looks like a helping hand from the officials.

Saying that, Reading got away when ref booked their centre half for bringing Gayle down 1 on 1 with keeper, barkazen was shoved in the back with a tap in but no penalty. He’s a poor ref who sent wildsmith off against Bolton earlier in the season for handball and it got over ruled as well as ruling out a penalty for us for blatant foul in the box only for us to score from the follow up.

We are always shit against reading so nice to do one over them. Huge game Saturday now.

 

[Si Robin]

Great results for us tonight - it's back in our own hands.

Now if we can just find a win from somewhere....

 

[masi51]

We were a disgrace tonight. It was a horrific performance and we’ve downed tools. I can’t recall too many performances of this magnitude other than Wigan a few seasons ago. This was on a different level and I’m embarrassed

Not taking anything away from Bolton, they were terrific though they didn’t need to get out of first gear. We were shameful, though it’s been coming for a while…

I dont think it was. Second half perhaps your heads had gone and i think by the end they just wanted to get back on the coach. Our play in the first half was what got us into that position. You say we never got out of first gear...so wrong that is the best we have played by a country mile all season.
We played well first half Saturday but not at that pace. We simply have cut out the tippy tappy shite that restricts us. All season our play has been knock it around at the back until Santos plays it wide or into midfield.
Now all our play is directed through Sheehan and he is that good with the ball at his feet that as soon as the opposition press he finds gaps and exploits the space way better than santos
Sheehan is to us what Bannon was to Wed last season

 

[Imp in Branston]

What have Lincoln got in their boots!?

On fire

It’s mainly because we are being coached properly now after Kennedyball, under him we would have sat back at home against sides we should be attacking, playing boring dull crab football.

Skubala has got to grips on the training ground and it’s finally showing genuine signs of sublime promise. We have also been severely hamstrung by having most of our forwards out for two thirds of the season and still we pick up injuries to key players virtually every game. Somehow though the ones we can shoehorn into the side seem fully on ball with the new systems and everyone now knows what is expected.

If only we had a normal injury hit season and Skubala had been here from the start, we would have already been in with a shout of the play offs at least.

Makes me feel sick to say it, but hoping for a Pish win tonight.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Wow, what a whingefest Paul Hurst's interview was. I'm pretty sure the red won't be overturned, there are angles apparently which clearly show the studs up challenge and the ref was right there. Perhaps if they had shown the attitude in the first half they had in the second they may still have got something from it.
Still, nice to be on the other side of whingery for a change

 

[folletto]

Referees in this league are atrocious. Every major decision in the Derby Reading game was wrong, with the Yiadom Red being a farce, neither yellow was a yellow. Hopefully there’s a retrospective ban for the player who dived to get him his second yellow.

The Shrewsbury one I’m a bit less sold on. Can see why it was given and would be surprised if it gets rescinded. Originally looks like they both lunge in but you can see the Shrews player catches him recklessly. Camera angle blocks it so can’t see it perfectly but the ref is right there

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

At least Carlisle seem now to be fighting and becoming more of a team it’s all they can really do between now and summer is frankly work on next season.

I must admit I only get highlights now as not living in Carlisle and I’ve seen many more horrendous Carlisle sides previously but man alive I am struggling to remember a side as inept defending as this Carlisle side currently……every goal seems to come from large periods of Carlisle players plopped into random positions marking no one while numerous attackers get free reign to roam the pitch and get space to cross or shoot.

A sheer lack of any organisation there and the closing down is so slow it becomes ineffective……..no.1 goal has to be to find Simpsons next Kev Gray, the old headed defender who leads from the front, organises the lot and gels it together…..you’d think we have it with Huntington but clearer he isn’t in that mould because Gray could easily here have been slow or not quite good enough but he’s been able to organise the rest.

The slow response and closing down will improve with the relegation we won’t face as effective an attack and pace drops, but the organisation needs 2-3 new faces back there l.

Is no wonder Carlisle hardly score when so inept in defence when they have 8 players around their box…..you cannot dare push any others forward

 

[K-Win]

That was a very nervous last 15 minutes against Burton. We should have been out of sight by then but missed so many good chances.

Complete bottle job by the ref to not give Burton a clear cut penalty near the end. "Do I upset the 20,000 Pompey fans or less than 100 Burton fans?" Sometimes it really helps when you have a big, noisy crowd backing the team.

We certainly deserved the win and dominated the game for long periods, but that non-decision was huge.

 

[E10rifle]

0-0 was what our game deserved, two teams struggling in front of goal.

Port Vale should've probably lead at half time, we was a bit unlucky not to steal it at the end, but overall it was a low key game with not alot of quality. We just don't have the squad to push any higher, particularly in the attacking areas, we've just come up short at the wrong time.

Vale a bit unlucky not to get a pen near the end, another ref probably would've given it but Gavin Ward is fussy.

The fact that prissy little Ward is a mediocre ref at this level is telling about the pathetic overall standard. Happy to give free kicks galore for the slightest nudge but bottles every single big decision.

Awful game. Vale were okay defensively but pisspoor going forward outside of Massey who remains a good League One player. We were dominant in fits and spurts but 6 first team player missing is just too many for us at this stage of the season. The young players should be proud of themselves but they’re all absolutely knackered.

 

[valefan16]

The fact that prissy little Ward is a mediocre ref at this level is telling about the pathetic overall standard. Happy to give free kicks galore for the slightest nudge but bottles every single big decision.

Awful game. Vale were okay defensively but pisspoor going forward outside of Massey who remains a good League One player. We were dominant in fits and spurts but 6 first team player missing is just too many for us at this stage of the season. The young players should be proud of themselves but they’re all absolutely knackered.

Massey has been largely awful for the past two seasons with us, all be it played often out of position. 6 out is lucky, we've spent most of the last three or four seasons with that!

We are terrible going forward, only have one senior striker in Wilson fit (and he isn't out and out forward), plus a 17 year old youth player and totally useless Ryan Loft aside from a crocked Uche (who I think is a massive loss to us overall). Good old Flickers "Tried" though in January... and the Summer... and the previous January to sort it.

 

[Luke Imp]

Looks a terrible decision in the Shrewsbury game (from the angle I've seen), if anything the Exeter player went in, in a worse way.

 

[Luke Imp]

What have Lincoln got in their boots!?

On fire

As Branston says, January has obviously helped us where we completely rebuilt the top end of the pitch and in Taylor we have a striker who can score goals but gives us a big threat in behind and compliments the physicality of House (when he returned).

With McGrandles and Hamilton, two less creative and more battle type midfielders, out for the season, we've had no choice but to play a more attacking midfield with Mandroiu and Moylan in there who are more wide forwards/number 10's (actually played a striker in there for the first half at Barnsley). Bishop returning last night, gives us another CM but he's an attacking one as well.

It's basically handbrake off, let's give the PO's a good go type of football now although behind all of that, it's actually little deeper and bodes well for next season. We currently look very well coached in and out of possession, players are coming into the side and it doesn't really impact the overall performance, the pressing is improved and aggressive, patterns of play improving etc. Just a shame that the loan players will go back and we have others who only have a year left on their deals and will probably have to sell in the summer.

Only downside was House and Mitchell going off injured last night to add to the list.

One of the striking things heading into last nights game was that the Cambridge side from the weekend had an average age of 30 apparently, whereas ours was 23 (I've not checked the Cambridge figure).

I can't recall ever seeing us change both our wing backs with 20 minutes to go and both getting on the scoresheet!

 

[E10rifle]

Massey has been largely awful for the past two seasons with us, all be it played often out of position. 6 out is lucky, we've spent most of the last three or four seasons with that!

We are terrible going forward, only have one senior striker in Wilson fit (and he isn't out and out forward), plus a 17 year old youth player and totally useless Ryan Loft aside from a crocked Uche (who I think is a massive loss to us overall). Good old Flickers "Tried" though in January... and the Summer... and the previous January to sort it.

Outside of missing your best chance Wilson barely touched it. Pretty similar to us starting with donkey Piggott up front on his own; both players very limited in their movement and exceptionally easy to mark out of the game.

Thought Sang and Jones looked okay at their respective fullback positions but never really found the confidence to push forwards. The overall lack of intent and aggression for a side in the trouble you’re in was baffling to me. We were the flattest we’ve been pretty much all season, played a half at Wigan with 10 men and frankly were there for the taking.