By theimps.tk
December 25 2008

2008 has been a year to forget for the most part. Conceding goals for fun in the first half and frustrating performances in the second, it all started in January with several departures from the club, as well as promising victories followed up with defeats, setting the tone nicely for the rest of the year. The year started with a few comings and goings from Sincil Bank, starting with the departure of Michael Roddy. The Irishman had been signed by John Schofield but didn't make a single competitive appearance for City before being released at the end of his six month contract by Peter Jackson. Lee Ridley and Adam Smith joined on loan from Cheltenham and Chesterfield respectively.

They both participate in the first game of 2008, a tricky looking trip to Rochdale. It's a close game between Peter Jackson's relegation strugglers and Keith Hill's promotion hopefuls, but two goals in the last ten minutes from Jamie Forrester and Lee Frecklington gift City the three points. The game wasn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination but was a welcome and rare win for the Imps under Peter Jackson.

Another departure was confirmed two days later as Steve Torpey departed the club and almost immediately joined Farsley Celtic. On the same day City rejected two offers from Peterborough United for Lee Frecklington, the midfielder citing that he wouldn't consider the move anyway as he didn't want to take a sideways step. That seems a bit of a foolish thing to say now that Peterborough are challenging for promotion to the Championship.

Ollie Ryan accepted a new contract before Ben Smith was recalled by Doncaster Rovers after an unsuccessful loan spell.

The first home game of 2008 came against Rotherham United and City were second best for LONG periods of the game. Derek Holmes opened the scoring before Jamie Forrester equalised following on from a mistake. However, Holmes would complete his hatrick soon afterwards thanks to two equally poor defended balls into the box. The game also saw Shane Clarke sent off.

Ryan Semple, Phil Watt and Jack Cotton were all placed on the transfer list before Jackson launched a failed bid for Lewis Emanuel from Luton Town just days City's game at Macclesfield Town was called off and re-arranged for February. Watt joins Corby Town on loan.

City dominate a home game against Dagenham and Redbridge and take an early lead from a Ben Wright header. Dagenham have a late goal disallowed before N'Guessan rounds off the victory in injury time. It's a vital victory in a two-game series that Peter Jackson had described as a "Royal-Rumble."

The other game was another home game, this time against Mansfield Town. City had won 3-1 at Field Mill earlier in the season and again controlled this game, but fell behind to a Michael Boulding shot that Alan Marriott failed to deal with correctly. Forrester had equalised for City before Boulding again capitalised on a defensive blunder to give Mansfield victory in the final minutes and this was the moment when a lot of City fans thought that we were destined for relegation.

It had been a strange season as all the relegation candidates would get a result or two that looked like potentially getting them away from the drop zone, only to go on runs that drew them straight back in, but all that was about to change for City.

2008 - Another year to forget - January

Discussion started by theimps.tk (IP Logged), 25/12/2008 21:27

theimps.tk
25/12/2008 21:27

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