Town Reserves 0 Lincoln Reserves 0

By: Paul Holmes
Date: 10/12/2002

ON a cold, cold, cold night would the frozen crowd be warmed up by an entertaining game of reserve team football? Not a chance!

Town's team included the 'regulars' of Young, Bolder, Hockless, Downes, Thompson etc etc. Returning centre-back Steve Chettle was included as the only real experience in a very youthful side which lined up as follows.

Lincoln included former Man City player Adie Mike up front as well as former Mariner favourite (!!) Adam Buckley in a central midfield role.

The game matched the weather.........dreadful. The wind restricted Paul Wilkinson's passing tactics and with the non-defenders all standing under 6 foot long ball was a no-no against Lincoln's giants (in comparison at least).

To their credit Town were by the better team by a mile, or two hundred. Wingers Graham Hockless and Stephen Downes were using their tricky skills to good effect and Chris Thompson was linking up well with American trialist Jake Sagare.

Town were bossing the game and dominated the possession but failed to make it count, sound familiar?

Best chance of the half came when a good series of passes from defence to attack found Ian Ward just on the edge of the box only for his low shot to strike the post. The rebound fell invitingly for Sagare who somehow managed to shot behind him with the goal at his mercy, his 'pass' fell to Hockless who's shot was tipped around the post by Paul Pettinger in the Imps goal.

Other than that the half was pretty drab with Chettle organising his young defence well against the very frequent Lincoln attacks, I say attacks but it was more of a tiptoe into Town's half.

After the break Town replaced Wes Parker, who went down with a knock late in the half with David Soames. Ward dropped back to right back with Thompson going into midfield allowing 'Digger' to play upfront with Sagare.

Parker may have gone off injured or Paul Wilkinson could have had instructions to rest him with John Mcdermott unlikely to be fit for Saturday's trip to Preston.

2nd half was just as poor as the first only colder.

Again Hockless and Downes were the main attacking threat with Greg Young also venturing forward from left-back to good effect.

It was a Hockless cross which found Sagare in space but his header was superbly saved by Pettinger.

As the game wore on Lincoln were more than happy to sit back and hold onto a precious point which they did not deserve.

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