What an insane year that was - March
By Nathan Jackson
December 19 2006
March was a frustrating month for the Imps as City won just 1 out of 4 but that just happened to be a 5-0 win over Grimsby. It was a month that saw players join, injuries, last minute equalisers and winning goals against, 2 local derbies and the moment that secured our playoff place.
March started busily for the Imps with Gareth McAuley making his debut for Northern Ireland with a 1-0 victory. His compatriot, Jeff Hughes, won the "McDonalds Restaurants" Lincoln City Player of the Month, he celebrates by signing a new contract for the Imps. Keith also won a monthly award as he was given the Manager of the Month award for 4 wins from the 5 games in February. Matt Bloomer left City as loan after impressing on a trial at Cambridge and Simon Yeo was named by 442 as the Imps best player. City’s game at Carlisle was also called off in a busy opening few days for City.
The Imps’ first game of the month would inevitably turn out to be City’s final chance to stop Rushden winning every single match they played at Sincil Bank in the football league before the men from Nene Park were relegated. It started well for City as the Imps dominated the game and opened the scoring when Yeo chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 1-0 to the Imps. It appeared as though City would finally beat Rushden at home before about 10 minutes from time, Rushden went on a scoring spree and within the space of 5 minutes, scored 4 times for the Imps with 2 of those being disallowed for offside. City equalised in the final minute of injury time when Jamie McCombe headed his goal for the Imps.
The following week saw Imps fans rejoice as youngster Lee Frecklington, renewed his contract with the Imps. There was less excitement when Ollie Ryan signed his new contract.
City’s went to Boston United’s York Street without defeat in 2006 up until that point. The Imps managed to start the game well but fell behind when Julian Joachim tapped in midway through the first half to give Boston the lead. Midway through the second half came the moment that won City a place in a playoffs as Simon Yeo went off injured, 3 minutes later and the Imps were level through a spectacular effort from Marvin Robinson that saw several Imps fans, myself included, return to Lincoln with injuries. It appeared as though City would remain undefeated until ex-Imp, Lawrie Dudfield, tapped in to an open net in the 2nd minute of injury time and the run of just 1 defeat in 18 was over.
Some of you may be curious when I said Yeo’s injury is what caused us to get in the playoffs, that’s because with him being confirmed to be injured for 6 weeks, Keith Alexander spent the next week searching for new players and former Grimsby and Scunthorpe striker, Jamie Forrester was brought into the club on loan, something that wouldn’t have happened had Yeo not go injured. Danny Bacon also returned from a broken leg in a friendly at Mansfield Town.
Forrester wasn’t the only man to join the Imps that week as Jamie Sherlock joined City from Gainsborough Trinity and at the time of waiting this, he has yet to make a single first team appearance for the Imps. Rayner also extends his loan at Alfreton.
Earlier in the season, Grimsby Town had given the Imps a 3-0 annihilation at Blundell Park with City barely put up an effort in a game that could have easily ended in double figures for the hosts. It was finally time for the Imps to try and get some revenge but it seemed like it would be a repeat of the game at Blundell Park as Grimsby dominated the first 10 or so minutes before Luke Foster gave the Imps the lead very much against the run of play. Within a few minutes and Jamie Forrester marked his debut with a goal that would eventually win "Goal of the Season" as he lobbed Mildenhall from 30 yards out.
Shortly before half time, City won a penalty after Marvin Robinson did a great impression of a Chelsea impression by falling over dramatically when Mildenhall got a slight touch of his ankles, and won City a penalty. Paul Mayo stepped up and made it 3-0 from the spot. Green hit the bar within minutes and then just on the stroke of half time, Marvin Robinson scored City’s 4th. The second half was a no contest as both sides knew who the winner would be and Lee Beevers completed the scoring with a deflection off of Ben Futcher to give City their first 5-0 victory since the 1999/2000 season. It was also Lincoln’s 1,500th win in the football league.
Just days before the re-arranged game against Carlisle, the matchday programme was official proclaimed as the best in League 2, this followed several awards given previously in the season and was a well earned award for John Vickers and the rest of the people who contribute to the programme.
So City made a 2nd Tuesday night trip to Carlisle in the space of 4 years and it was yet another game where the Imps dominated and only the bar denied the Imps taking a deserved lead. Despite the domination, the Imps were undone by one of Carlisle’s few shots in the entire match as Michael Bridges scored in the second half. City did have a Gary Birch goal disallowed for offside but the 1-0 win for Carlisle was very undeserved as yet agin, the supposed "best team in the league" failed to show why they were crowned as champions. Not a particularly good way for the Imps to end March.