City came away from Luton Town with a share of the points yesterday, in a game with incidents and controversy.
After taking a two-goal lead, the home side battled back to make things level at half time. In the second 45, referee Scott Oldham had a torrid time trying to keep order in a game punctuated by fouls, holding, pushing and big moments.
The official didn’t have a lot to do in a first half that was all about goals, two for us early doors from a team that Wilshere believes doesn’t care about anything but balls into the box.
“We have to do better in starting a game and conceding two goals like that. We knew that was their threat,” he told Luton’s official channel.
“They had two moments, and I’ve spoken a lot about moments in this league and when you face a team that you know doesn’t really care about anything else apart from putting balls in your box and being aggressive, you have to do their moments better.”
Some Lincoln fans might take umbrage with that, as not only do we load the box at set pieces, and rightly so. We made as many successful passes to the final third as they did (39) and had the same number of positional attacks (22). They actually had more corners, and there were only two crosses more from us, 16 to their 14. It’s not a huge disparity.
At the time, I did agree with Wilshere’s comments on their disallowed goal. I’ve watched it back and while the angle isn’t perfect, I do think Wells nudges Wickens as the ball comes over, but in real time, and even watching at normal speed on the monitors, I wasn’t sure.
Wilshere had watched it back, and he was sure.
“I’m going to have to talk to the ref. I wouldn’t normally go in and talk to the ref, but this is one I think I will, because I want to understand it as well.
“I think he thinks someone’s pushed the goalie, but I’ve watched it back, he hasn’t.
“I think you can see now across all leagues, Premier League, everywhere, that the aim is to try and create chaos. And when you create chaos in the box, you know, there’s going to be bodies all over the place, and the ref has to be really sure if he’s going to give that decision.”
I think the former Arsenal midfielder might need to watch it again, as it does appear that Wells backs into Wickens and knocks him off his feet as the ball comes in, which accounts for the erratic dive.
City now go into a crucial run of two home games, with Burton Albion set to visit on Thursday night, and then Bradford City, beaten yesterday, set to come to the Bank a week on Tuesday. Four or six points from those games make this a very good point for the Imps.