What an insane year that was - October
By Nathan Jackson
December 30 2006
October was a great month for the Imps as we won all 4 league games, giving out two thrashings to Barnet and Rochdale as we went top. The Imps scored 15 goals in October, 8 of which came from Jamie Forrester and it was a month that eventually saw John Schofield become "Manager of the Month"
The month starts with pointless signing, Jamie Sherlock being loaned out to Ilkeston Town and Luke Foster joins York City for a month. Nottingham Forest’s Nicky Eaden also extends his loan deal for a second month at Sincil Bank.
The first game of the month is a visit from rapidly improving Hartlepool United. The Pool should have been a few goals up early on but Joel Porter couldn’t put the ball in the net from quite literally inches out. City punished them by scoring with their first chance on target as Jamie Forrester fired in from the corner of the area. Jeff Hughes doubled the Imps lead by volleying in a cross in the second half as the Imps put the disappointment of 3 defeats in 4 behind them. Nicky Eaden and Jamie Forrester were put in the division’s "Team of the Weak."
Mark Stallard is announced as the division’s "Powerade Power of the Month" after scoring four goals in September, all 4 coming with braces against Accrington and Wycombe Wanderers. Meanwhile, Duffy and Kemp extend their respective loans whereas Gary Birch makes a return from injury, helping the Imps win 3-2 at Doncaster Rovers in the reserves.
Next up for City is a tricky looking trip to Barnet and although the home side are hit with several injuries, they are slight favourites and satart the game well, dominating the early periods as City struggle to settle. Marriott has to make some impressive saves before Frecklington is released on the right, drawing out the goalkeeper and laying the ball off to Jamie Forrester, he slots into the empty net to make it 1-0 with City’s first chance. Alan Marriott produces a world class save a minute later, palming away a goalbound volley.
It’s not all City and when the worst goalkeeper in the league, Ross Flitney fouls Forrester, the striker steps up for the penalty and sends the spokesman for the "Why you shouldn’t catch the ball outside the area at Old Trafford" support group, the wrong way. It’s soon 3 as a defender whack’s his clearance against Lee Beevers and the ball sails into the net to give City a lead that their dominance since taking the lead had deserved.
It’s not long into the second half until it’s 4 as Forrester slots away another penalty to secure his hat-trick after Frecklington had been brought down in the area. Mettam makes it 5-0 and that completes the scoring.
City go into the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on a high but are outplayed for the majority of the match. The game finishes 0-0 at goes straight to penalties. Everyone scores except for Jamie Forrester and Grimsby go through to be eliminated at Mansfield.
The games are coming thick and fast now and the Imps have what initially appears to be a difficult home game against Rochdale. City race into a 2 goal lead as Jamie Forrester’s thunderous opener is followed by Stallard completing a great team move and it looks like City are in for a comfortable afternoon. Rochdale pull one back with a neat volley and it looks likely that Rochdale will equalise at one point, however, Jamie Forrester re-established the 2 goal lead on the stroke of half time when capitalising on a goalkeeping mistake.
It becomes 4 within minutes of the second half beginning when Forrester taps in from close range for his third hat-trick of the season and it’s not long before the 5th goal when Hughes’ shot from the edge of the area takes a deflection on it’s way into the net. Stallard sweeps home the 6th before Jeff Hughes completes the scoring with his second and City’s seventh for a biggest win since beating Bournemouth 9-0 back in the 80s.
In the week that follows, Eaden returns to Nottingham Forest and Gary Birch is loaned out to Hucknall Town as he continues to make his comeback from injury. Lee Frecklington also signed a new 2 year contract with the Imps.
The final game of October is a difficult trip to Swindon, a side who are seemingly falling apart after losing near enough their entire coaching staff. However, you wouldn’t have guessed it as the Imps are second best for the majority of the match and it’s anyone’s guess as to how Swindon didn’t score. In the middle of the second half, Jamie Forrester scores the only goal of the game to send the Imps top for the first time since December 1997.