By Nathan Jackson
December 22 2007

For the 8th time this season and 13th in 2007 the Imps conceded more than 3 goals in a game, this time losing 4-0 at home to Darlington with N'Guessan in particular being disappointing. The Frenchman stupidly handballed in the area whilst the Imps were dominating (albeit 1-0 down) and after that City barely looked like a team who'd won 3 of their last 4th games, at least other results went out way

City forced a corner within seconds but the second effort went straight out play and City had wasted a good early chance. N'Guessan sent a weak header goalwards. City continued to press and won several corners, Danny Hone forcing Stockdale into a fine save following a corner.

Now a common trend in Lincoln this year is City controlling the opening and then the opposition score from their chance, and it happened again. This time Richie Foran took the ball wide and sent a very slow moving shot under Smith, who wasn't exactly in a hurry to come out and chase the ball down.

City won yet another corner and Freck's delivery was put behind for another corner. For the second time in the match his corner kick then swung out of play to give Darlo a goalkick. Bencharif sent a long range shot skiding across the ground and out of play.

Forrester playacted a bit trying to win a penalty but the ref was having none of it. From that Darlington won a corner and then Dany N'Guessan's moment of madness came. The ball was being played around the area but not getting near the goal, a cross came in and Dany N'Guessan stupidly handballed in when he realised he wouldn't get his head to it and Darlington won a penalty. Keltie put away the penalty.

The myth that it's only foreigners that dive was disprovied minutes later as Hone produced a dive in an attempt to win a penalty for the Imps. Forrester did something for one and shot over the bar from close-range.

Just before half it was 3-0 to Darlington when Ben Smith again seemed to make little effort in getting to Micky Cummins's effort at the near post. It was the second time in 5 home games that City went in 3-0 down at half time,

A superb cross into the box was met with a directed header at the beginning of the second half and that header sailed past Smith. Darlington at this point had produced 4 shots on target, and scored each one of them.

City made a triple substitution with Stallard, Dodds and Kerr leaving the field for John-Lewis, Warlow and Hand. Hand volleyed a shot wide, it wouldn't be the last time in the afternoon he didn't hit his intended target, something that Imps have gotten used to in his time at Sincil Bank.

Abbott came on for Wright for the visitors, with Austin and Miller came on for Foster and Wright. Cummins was blocked for a reason that no-one seemed to notice.

Frecklington had City's last decent chance in a half that City had relatively controlled without creating anything and the game ended with a very disappointing 4-0 win for Darlington.