I’m not getting into the John Akinde debate again, I’m a little sick of it. There’s a section of support wanting to get on his back just as they did with Frecklington at the end of last season and Paul Farman at the start. This anger and desperation to have a scapegoat upsets me a bit. I’ll be the first to admit John Akinde didn’t appear to have a good game yesterday. Perhaps he was carrying the injury that kept him on the bench, maybe the constant barracking has left him low on confidence. Maybe he heard the so-called fan somewhere up behind me who booed him coming on. I kid you not, I heard one man boo. I accept it was one voice in amongst many, but that in itself made me incandescent with rage. I suppressed it though, by tutting and telling my mate Matt that it wasn’t on.
What I will say is that at one point Akinde picked up the ball in the middle of the park, ploughed his way into the area and ended with a cross which resulted in a corner. It wasn’t a goal, it wasn’t an assist but it was a glimpse of what he can do. He doesn’t look confident at present and I just hope he gets the same break as Matt Green got last season.
From there until the end of the half I thought we settled into the game, we always looked like conceding but also offered a threat ourselves. The back two of Wharton and Wilson looked composed, Wharton was a contender for Man of the Match in my eyes. Considering their lack of game time together and the extra man Cambridge had roaming around up front, they defended well.
The game was being lost in the middle of the park, as you’d expect with three of our four central midfielders out of the picture. Tom Pett didn’t have a bad game, but struggled against the sheer volume of players he was up against. It seemed as though they had two or three extra at times. That was either down to their excellent organisation, or the fact we remained committed to having numbers back, rather than pushing on. Oddly, our fans were getting angry with their keeper taking his time, when it played into our hands. Ten against eleven (or twelve) always meant a draw would be a decent outcome.
It might not have been, had Bozzy been sharper in front of goal. His could have put us 2-1 up and had that gone in, I think we would have won the game. It sounds obvious, we drew 1-1 so if we’d scored one more of course we would, but I mean had we bagged it the balance of play swings back in our favour, Cambridge have to come at us more and we could always hit something on the break.
After the break they brought on David Amoo and I noticed something about him; he seemed to want to please our fans. He scooped a ball back to Josh Vickers at one point and out fans cheered him, to which he raised a hand in acknowledgement. He’s a tricky wide player with a good delivery and he currently plays for a club from which we have a couple of back room staff. January window anyone?
Anyway as the second half went on I felt there was a winner in it somewhere. If Cambridge had a decent striker I think we would have been beaten. Ade Azeez, linked with us once upon a time, looked the part but didn’t play the part. He had a swagger, a good physique and looked like he should be a danger, but when the chips were down he didn’t have it in him. They applied pressure, making lots of box entries which were all dealt with, eventually. It wasn’t concise but it was typical Lincoln City, dogged and resilient.
When we got a chance to break we took it, more often than not through Bruno Andrade. He had to be a contender for our Man of the Match too, he was a constant thorn in their side and was unlucky not to create more. His corners caused some problems, Scott Wharton might have scored from one of them. throughout the game Bruno looked dangerous and if anyone was going to create a chance for us, it would be him.
Lee Collins wasn’t up for letting the game take its natural course though, he was shocking for both sets of players. His decisions did seem to favour Cambridge at times, but having denied them a stonewall penalty in the first half it wasn’t all one way. He overruled his linesman twice for throw ins, he definitely got a blatant corner wrong and right at the end of the first half he incensed Bozzy to a point where Danny had to come on the pitch and pull him away. In the second half he continued in much the same vein. Something needs to be done, but it won’t be. Red card or not for Ellis, Lee Collins is not a consistent, measured or fair referee.
As the game ebbed away, Matt Green came on and we finally got to see that Akinde / Green partnership we’ve all wanted. I wanted it, I thought they’d play off each other well. I was wrong.
They went for the same ball on two or three occasions, giving us less width and attacking threat than before Matt Green came on. Unbelievable as it may sound, it seems like Danny Cowley, the man who works with them every day, every week, knows them better than you and I, people who see them on a Saturday afternoon. who would ever have thought that?
Towards the end Danny began to get the crowd lifted and the atmosphere went through the roof. To be fair to the visiting fans they tried to add to that too, making it a loud and passionate finish. The sight of Danny and Nicky trying to rev up the crowd was inspiring and it was hard not to get caught up in it, but the on-field action did their motivational efforts an injustice. Whilst we were all off our seats willing the ball into the net, Josh Vickers was taking an age over goal kicks knowing perhaps that a point was a decent result.
That was pretty much it. Despite a late corner delivering a bit of hope we might snatch another unlikely victory, the delivery didn’t quite work and we ended up with a point.
I was impressed by Cambridge up to a point. Their midfield won the battle, although having an extra man allowed them time and space to play the ball. They were well organised across the back and I liked George Maris whom we know well anyway. David Amoo added some width in the second period, but they were let down by the lack of a decent striker. I thought their keeper was a clown too, came out far too often and if we’d kept all our players on the pitch I suspect it could have ended up 3-1 purely by virtue of his erratic behaviour. We didn’t and that is that.
Tuesday will soon be here and if we can get a victory there it will be back to business as usual. It was a shame to see Newport losing and Exeter drawing, knowing we could have pulled further away, but those two are not going to be our main challengers. Tranmere, Colchester and MK Dons are the ones to watch. Although it will certainly be worth watching which referee we find ourselves lumbered with each week as well, because they’re seemingly as important as anything or anyone, red card or no red card.
Interesting article again Gary and don’t disagree with your opinions. What I did notice especially in the 2nd half their no.6, the other half of the Ellis incident was pulling a lot of strings in the 2nd half with acres of space around him, wouldn’t have had that luxury if Ellis was still on the field. I am very voiciferous at a game and don’t mix my words but will never boo and call one of our own and cannot understand any moron who thinks that it is helpful to the individual or the team. I’ve stated my opinions about referees before. Properly trained and full time in all leagues and Nat. Lge. Until that happens bring on the clowns. On another field on another day we will benefit from a clown like yesterday.
Still don’t think it was a red, even after seeing the still image, it was mistimed, there wasn’t any malicious intent, yes his studs are up, but realistically if he’s going for the ball where else would you expect his studs to be? You would also expect to see 3-4 red cards every game.
I back your view. The still photo gives no indication of the force involved. If Ellis had slid in from distance and caught him high with some force it was possibly a red. But their player got there slightly earlier and Ellis caught him as he tried to block the ball. It was a coming together- no more than that. A foul – maybe a yellow at most. And the point about the speed of his decision and lack of seeking a second opinion remains valid.
As for Akinde I think the jury is out but very unfair to judge him on yesterday’s game as he was generally isolated and crowded in by their players due to the red card.
I think your initial reaction and blog was over the top. I criticised you and you did not publish my comment. The Ref was most likely correct in law but could have sold it better with consultation. He didn’t have to though. No referee goes out of their way to miss incidents or indeed even things up. Maybe you should try doing a ref’s course before casting the first stone especially around fitness as I sit here with a pulled calf and sore Achilles from doing it myself on a weekend. I like your blogs but you do waffle occasionally and your last effort was tripe. Budding blogger or populist vote chaser?
Incorrect, I publish all comments on my blog. I just don’t look at them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You’ll find it there now.
Sadly I couldn’t be there but I hear what is being said and think your open letter to the FA is spot on Gary.
On the same topic but a sideways glance to stagsnet the mansfield town fans Forum.
Have a look at Yorkshire stags comments on page 2 and 3 of the topic, will this team finish in the top 3. Disparaging and an incredibly infantile approach to we imps after their match yesterday when THEY also had a man sent off.
Watching the replay, Wharton’s defending for their goal leaves much to be desired.
Have You deleted the open letter to FA Gary? Playing devils advocate I could argue that The referee was totally convinced that the tackle was late high and studs up…a potential leg breaker. The fact that the collision ended up as a glancing blow is neither here nor there, I dont think there was any malice in the challenge but it is what it is……
Bozzy had a couple of chances that on another day would maybe have gone in. Still no midfield, either in attack or last line of defence, and, appear to back peddle and not try to stop the opposition before they get to a shooting chance. Rarely did we attack at the back post, where potentially good opportunities have presented themselves. Disappointing day but a point is much better than none. And, still top of the league.