By theimps.tk
March 1 2009
Lincoln City's unrealistic Playoff hopes took another blow from the battleaxe of reality as Rotherham dominated the Imps at Sincil Bank. Although the Imps were never realistically going to make the Playoffs, this defeat shows exactly why with the Imps failing to trouble the visiting goalkeeper once. Rotherham got the game underway but it was five minutes before either side could manage a chance, infact it came from Micky Cummin's deflected shot for the visitors. A City corner came to nothing before a Brown free kick sailed wide in the 17th minute.....nothing quite like an action packed half!
Clarke forced Burch into a save from an angle that the goalkeeper usually concedes from, Burch tipping it around the post before Reid headed a Clarke cross over the bar for the dominant visitors. Green was booked for a foul on Hudson, whilst Horsfield and Fenton were also booked for their reaction to the foul on Hudson.
A rare City attack saw Horsfield head into the gloves of Warrington before Sharps had a header blocked just in front of goal by N'Guessan. That was the final action of a half that the visitors had dominated.
Fenton hit a header into Burch's gloves from a Mills free kick before Elding sent an overhead free kick straight at Warrington. Again, the action wasn't exactly thrilling and the first major incident of the second half came in the 65th minute when the visitors took the lead. Clarke fired goalwards and Burch palmed it upwards. Broughton played the loose ball to Cummins and he had an empty net to fire into, even though he also seemed surprise at the space that the City defence had allowed him.
N'Guessan fired wide before Kovacs was booked for a succession of fouls. Elding was replaced by Mullarkey, sparking several fans to sarcastically cheer at Elding going off after yet another non-performance. Taylor chipped over for the Millers before Beevers had a shot blocked at close range by Fenton.
Rotherham had a great chance to seal the game when Cummins released Green, only for the shot to hit the crossbar and it was the Imps who were frustrated by the bar deep into injury time, the whistle blowing just afterwards and effectively sealing the FACT that City won't make the Playoffs.
