By Nathan Jackson
April 7 2007

Lincoln City started the first of two must-win games with a 0-0 draw with Stockport County on Saturday afternoon. Despite the scoreline it was a fairly entertaining (and controversial) game for several periods of the game, but it does realistically end the Imps' hopes of automatic promotion.

Stockport started off the game and pressurized early on but couldn’t get a shot in on goal as a midfield battle ensued. Referee Hill then decided to set his stall out for the game by booking Lee Beevers after just 2 minutes for appearing to win the ball clearly. Stockport took the 25 yard free kick that resulted from the foul but it went high and wide over the goal.

 

City started to poach forward and seemingly camped in the Stockport half, but much like the game against Rochdale, the Imps couldn’t seemingly get any shots on goal. Fortunately the ball wasn’t finding it’s way near City’s 18 yard area and Stockport were struggling to even get into the Imps half.

 

The best chance of the game so far came when Scott Kerr sent the ball into the box and it was met by the head of Forrester. The ball looped up in the air and appeared to be going in before Wayne Hennesey produced a world-class save to keep the ball out of the net. City wasted the subsequent corner and another midfield battle enused.

 

On the half hour mark the temperature raised on the pitch as Nat Brown and Liam Dickinson got into a heated argument. Dickinson appeared to try and headbutt Brown and the referee whistled. To the surprise of all Lincoln fans he sent Brown off despite the defender not appearing to have done anything wrong. Referee Keith Hill waited until Brown was back in the changing rooms before sending Dickinson off for his involvement in the incident.

 

The game’s first substitution came after an hour as former Sheffield Wednesday striker, Adam Proudlock replaced David Poole for the visitors. City’s first sub came not long after as Mendes came on for Forrester. All of a sudden City started to look like creating a lot and several breaks forward looked promising, but unfortunately nothing came from these as each cross went over everyone and out for a throw on the other side.

 

Michael Malcolm replaced Anthony Pilkington for Stockport before Owen was booked for an horrendous tackle on Mendes that saw the Imps striker grounded for several minutes receiving treatment.

 

Schofield then gave away that he was happy with a point by taking the two best players off for the Imps, replacing Frecklington and Holmes with Amoo and Mayo. Mayo had a chance almost immediately but he put his shot over, this brought a bunch of fickle Lincoln fans to their feet only to criticise Mayo for having a shot.

 

Stockport whipped in a corner, Marriott missed it and only a Scott Kerr header prevented it from crossing the line and giving Stockport the lead with their first chance of the second half.

 

3 minutes of added on time were announced and Keith Hill booked two Stockport players to the bemusement of everyone in the ground. At the end of the 3 minutes, the referee blew the whistle as Hughes was running one-on-one with Hennesey. It was City’s first 0-0 draw in the League since the game away at Mansfield in January 2006.