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N'Guessan inspires Imps to win at Grantham
By Nathan Jackson July 19 2007
Lincoln City's Dany N'Guessan proved inspirational in a 4-2 win at Grantham Town on Thursday night. He scored one and set up two of the others in a performance that will be City confidence. City were 3-0 up at half time before shocking marking and good finishing pulled 2 goals back for Grantham before Ollie Ryan secured the well earned victory for the Imps.

The game started quietly but with City controlling the play. Several good runs from N’Guessan saw him produce a few good chances but none of them were converted, Jamie Forrester being the main culprit by missing an own goal, but the two did link up for the first goal when N’Guessan’s cross was missed by the goalkeeper and Jamie Forrester tapped into the empty net to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute.

It wasn’t long before the net was bulging again, clever work from Amoo and trialist Smith saw the latter cross across the box to N’Guessan and the impressive attacking midfielder tapped in for his first goal of the pre-season. It was just award for N’Guessan who finally appears to be living up to is potential.

The convincing display continued before Grantham finally managed a shot, a long range effort that went well wide of the target. The game slowed down with neither having a shot for a considerable amount of time. Frecklington had a good chance after a run past several defenders before eventually losing his footing on the edge of the 6 yard area.

Grantham started to get into the match and created a few chances, but all of their shots miles over the bar and City didn’t look like conceding at all. Infact, they made it 3-0 just before half time when N’Guessan, Forrester and Stallard ran three on one with the goalkeeper. N’Guessan crossed across box and Forrester had a simple finish for the third.

City had a great chance to make it 4 at the beginning of the second when good work from the midfield saw Semple released, his cross decieved the keeper and fell to Warlow at the back post, but the Welshman blasted it well wide of the target. Grantham could have pulled one back but a good save from Marriott prevented the ball entering the net from an impressive volley.

It was 3-1 a few minutes later though when City failed to clear a corner and the ball went back out right, it was crossed in and an unmarked Ian Wilkins rose to head into the net with Grantham’s first chance of target. Stallard then blasted over from close range within a minute of the goal. It was soon 3-2 though with an absolutely storming goal from when the Number 9 curled a shot in from 30 yards.

Stallard headed wide after good work from Warlow and Toddy. Semple had a goal disallowed for offside with 15 minutes remaining. Ollie Ryan made it 4-2 by heading in from close range following Stallard’s header from an Amoo free kick hitting the bar. Ryan then missed a great chance to score his third in two games when a great Semple cross went over to an unmarked Ollie. He couldn’t gather his feet though and the goalkeeper gathered the ball.

Ryan then almost scored his third when he broke free, he was eventually tackled when again struggling to get the ball from under his feet.

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