By Nathan Jackson
February 23 2008

Lincoln City's defending returned to it's typically poor form as the Imps lost 3-2 at Rotherham. It all started well for the Imps who could have been 3 or 4 up within 20 minutes, but then Shane Clarke's elbow changed the game and City barely managed another shot during the game as the hosts can count themselves unlucky not to scre more than their 3 simple goals.

City started well and could have been 1 up within a few minues as a Green and Forrester linked up well with the latter seeing his cross put over the bar by Dodds. On the 8th minute Forrester should have put City up when he found himself one-on-one with Warrington. The striker ran forward but shot straight at Warrington. Stallard had an almost identical chance 2 minutes later but his shot went over the bar.

Marriott's first call into action saw him almost gift Rotherham a lead as he seemed very slow in trying to pick the ball up, only just managing it before Derek Holmes got to it. John-Lewis was the next to waste a one-on-one. The striker required treatment when he was sandwiched.

A midfield battle slowly started making it's way towards the Rotherham goal and Louis Dodds took the ball and ran to the edge of the box. He looked up and sent a beautiful ball around Warrington and gave City a very deserved lead.

Holmes had to be taken off for the hosts and he was replaced by Newsham. Kerr accidentally kicked Hone in the face and several minutes later came a moment of idiot from another former youth teamer. Shane Clarke decided that the best way to win a header was to elbow Ian Ross, he was booked for this and the resulting free kick went over everyone and the completely unmarked Marc Joseph smashed it into the net.

Beevers headed over his own bar from a corner before Harrison shot across goal. Neither side could manage another chance and the teams went in 1-1 at haf time.

The Imps started the second the way they had the second and could have made it 2-1 within 90 seconds. Unfortunately a Dodds corner saw both Hone and Beevers go for it, the latter made the connection but it went wide.

City's floodgates seemed open as the defence went to pot. Thankfully Rotherham weren't taking any shots but then came the moment that changed the game. Rotherham had a free kick but in the build up Joseph suddenly lay on the floor, the referee ran over and produced a straight red card to a stunned Mark Stallard, City's 6th red card of the season.

Within a minute and it was 2-1. The fourth official ignored Peter Jackson's request for a substitute just before a corner. A scramble in the box saw the ball fall to Hudson and the midfielder stuck it to his former boss at Huddersfield by placing it into the net.

Wright was then alowed to come onto the pitch with Forrester going off. Wright blazed well wide in a rare City attack. Pettigrew went off for Tonge for the hosts and within a few minutes it was 3-1. A simple through ball carved the Imps open and Marc Newsham had the simple task of tapping.

Hudson again proved his worth as he almost made it four. Thankfully though Marriott kept it out before N'Guessan replaced Clarke for City. Green blocked a shot but the Imps were playing awfully at this point.

City did get back into the game when good interplay between Wright and N'Guessan saw Wright just outpace Warrington and prod the ball into the net with only a few minutes to go. O'Grady came on for Hudson just as added on time came into play.

City couldn't force another chance and the Imps lost points for the first time in February.