City give masterclass in how not to defend.

By Nathan Jackson
January 20 2007

A truly shocking defensive "display" from City meant that the Imps were forunate to come away from Gigg Lane with a point. Marking was virtually non-existent on set pieces, where City created very little at the other end, mainly due to Scott Kerr belting a free kick unnessacerily out of play.

City started the game and Lee Frecklington almost carved out a chance for Amoo, he couldn’t get his cross away though before a challenge. Bury kicked the ball up the other end, and Glyn Hurst shot before it was saved by Marriott, despite the fact the ball was going wide anyway. The first display in the “Lincoln City defensive-crapathon” quickly followed as Marc Pugh sent in the corner, and Andy Bishop managed to run towards the goal unmarked before heading in from less than a yard out with no-one challenging him at all.

 

A few minutes later and Bury had another corner, this one was played out to the edge of the box where, you’ve guessed it, there was an unmarked Bury player who had all the time in the world to volley goalwards before it hit a random body and bounced out of play. City broke from this and Frecklington could only watch as his shot went just millimetres wide of the target.

 

Hurst easily broke the questionable offside trap from City but Marriott produced a fine save to keep the score at just 1-0. City obviously hadn’t paid attention at the last corner as Bury against crossed to the man on the edge of the area, and yet again the unmarked man’s shot hit a defender and went out for a throw. The same player wasted a glorious chance minutes later when he headed wide when unmarked (surprise surprise) just 6 yards out.

 

It had been a half where City had gotten forward plenty of times but failed to create any chances, and the next foray forward saw the ball fall to Mayo, he controlled the ball before sending a cross into the box, and Jamie Forrester had a simple tap in to equalise for the Imps. So City were level despite the fact they should have really been at least 3 goals down.

 

City’s season long incompetence to set pieces against continued as the first corner for the Imps sailed over everyone and out for a goal kick. What’s this, are the defence doing what they’re paid to do? Well I’ll be damned. Moses successfully denied Hurst a run on goal before Frecklington tried unsuccessfully to head in from 15 yards out.

 

City had an early second-half claim for a penalty when Amoo’s cross appeared by handled by Kennedy, however a corner was awarded, I’m not even going to bother describing what happened because it was another fine example from the book “Lincoln City’s How Not to take Corners.”

 

Mayo was the first in a quick succession of players who shot from 30 yards out that went closer to the touchline that the goal. Ryan Amoo, Lee Frecklington, and Jeff Hughes also wasted similar efforts. Buchanan was replaced by Adams after 62 minutes. Hurst wasted a good chance as he shot straight at Marriott despite being through on goal. Barry-Murphy was the first player booked.

 

Amoo broke down the left and beat several players before sending a cross deep into the box, it was met by the head of Lee Frecklington and the ball sailed into the back of the net to give the Imps a lead that their general control of the second half had deserved, although the overall gameplay made it a little harsh on Bury.

 

Within a few minutes, Bury won a corner but the referee decided to wait 2 minutes whilst a Bury substitution was made despite the oncoming player not even being close to ready. Fitzgerarld replaced Brass, ran into the box and smashed the ball into the net from the corner. Paul Morgan was then brought on for Moses.

 

Then Scott Kerr decided to do his best to waste a great opportunity. Frecklington had won a free kick in a great position just outside of the area. All the ball needed was a small chip into the box, but Kerr decided to absolutely belt it over to the other side of the box, and Paul Morgan would have needed a rocket up his arse to get to the unnessacery over-hit free kick. I mean Jesus Christ, how hard can it be NOT to boot a free kick as hard as you can when there are about 15 players within 10 yards.

 

Bishop hit the bar whilst UNMARKED (again), whereas Weir-Daley couldn’t get a shot away. That was the final incident of a frustrating game for City.