Lincoln City 0 Oxford United 1 (Basham)

        So, the same result as just a few months ago.
But for those of you who weren't catching a dose of heatstroke with us at Sincil Bank don't make the
mistake of thinking this was a retread of the last game with the U's defending aerial bombardment for
most of the game with little ambition or guile. The simple truth is that both sides for the most part
tried to play football and the visitors were the better side. I would go as far as to say that when
Lincoln tried the aerial assault they looked more effective. Add into the equation probably the most
pointless sending off you'll see this season and you can see dear reader just what a good game it was.
         Disappointingly Ian Atkins chose to keep Dean Whitehead on the bench preferring more the more solid
(overweight?) figure of Paul Wanless. That said Wanless did something that the midfield of last season
notably failed to do and that is to drive the team forward.  I have not seen an OUFC midfield play so
well in a long time. Loanee Ashton did well too, slotting into the right of the 3 centre half
positions.
       The U's meant business from the first whistle as Alsop was first to a deep McNiven cross but the
ball went the wrong side of the back post.
      The scene was set and with only 5 minutes on the clock the presence of Alsop helped the U's to gain the
lead. A left wing cross form Robinson on the left was punted high on to Alsop's head, Marriott left high and
dry by his defence came for the ball and succeeded only in clattering off the big man. The ball spilled
loose to Basham, a mere 6 yards out and he gladly tucked the ball into the empty net.
       The Imps' defence had few answers to Alsop and Brown's nicely flighted free kick to his head was just
a whisker wide. The U's were controlling the play in the searing heat, and with Lincoln obviously tying to
justify the cost of their new pitch by actually playing football on it; it seemed to many that that
was the way things were going to stay. Of the Lincoln team only Liburd seemed capable of opening United up,
finding Yeo (damn you) who headed wide. On 11 minutes there was a minor tussle between Yeo and Ashton to which debutant referee Marriner saw fit to caution both players.  This was to eventually have a massive
bearing on the game.
           On 26 minutes Townsley, who was controlling the right, found Alsop with a diagonal ball to the
edge of the box. Showing surprising deftness Alsop turned and shot and Marriott was fortunate to see the
effort roll just wide.
                   3 minutes later Simon Yeo saved Lincoln City's bank balance 2 weeks wages. A ball was
played over the top for him to chase, he was called marginally offside and proceeded to petulantly kick
the ball into the stand.  Referee Marriner and no choice but to send him off and not a single Lincoln
supporter or player complained. Surprisingly Lincoln played most of the rest of the game with only one up
front.
            Lincoln tried their best to attack but lacked the guile to create any gilt edged chance.
Notably Futcher's forays forward were few and far between, and United ended the half with a superb
box-to-box move that started with a McNiven interception. That found Brown who passed inside to
Townsley who passed diagonally to Wanless whose shot went just wide.
             Lincoln regrouped at half time and came out with renewed vigour. A Liburd cross across goal
saw Woodman rooted to the line as McNiven tapped behind to concede the corner with Mayo in close
attendance. Lincoln were piling on the pressure and the U's were looking far less assured.
         However as the minutes passed so Lincoln's frustration grew. Townsley and McNiven were linking up
well on the right as Lincoln gradually reverted to the hoofing game so beloved of John Beck and the beasts on
Weston-super-mare beach that give small children rides.
        It was a shame that Townsley's contribution to this victory will probably be forgotten due to his
howler on 66 minutes. Basham's neat play set up Alsop on the left of the box. Unselfishly he squared to the
big Cumbrian making a trademark late run into the box.
He side footed wide of an open goal ten yards out.  A minute later McNiven set him up again, this time with
several defenders to beat and he was unable to dig the ball from between his feet.
          Lincoln were lucky to finish the game with ten men, as following an Alsop challenge, Mayo swung a
fist in the forward's direction. I got the impression that the referee thought he hadn't made contact, but
it was clear that, yes, he had, albeit a glancing blow and should have been on his way.
          Lincoln continued to press, Gain fired embarrassingly wide at the back post, and Townsley
showed character by still looking to create opportunities to shoot when many would have tried to
hide.
        The last major scare was on 77 minutes when a Lincoln free kick on the right was nodded towards the
back post by Futcher, and substitute Remy conspired to hook the ball over the bar from 6 yards out.
          Hackett came on to bamboozle Morgan into handling just outside the box. Whitehead's free kick
found the ever-willing Wanless, but Marriott caught his weak shot low down.
          Another Hackett run set up Whitehead and his volley whistled wide of the left post. Lincoln had
tried has hard as everyone had expected but had no answer to a confident United side.
        But does this confidence extend to the Kassam Stadium?