By Nathan Jackson
December 19 2009

April saw the Imps lose in their race to make a late Playoff charge, but it was a month where numerous youngsters made their first appearances in the first team, including one of them scoring the last goal City scored during the 2008/9 season.  

The Imps entered April with the Playoffs still a dream in the distance, but still mathematically reachable. However, it was the future that Peter Jackson was looked at as he invited five trialists to a reserve game against Nottingham Forester. Joe Lamplough, Simon Heslop, John Kennedy, Luke Powell and Chris Arthur all eventually failing to earn a deal with the Imps. Ex-Imp Hamza Bencharif represented Forest that day.

Anthony Elding and Michael O'Connor both has their loan spells from Crewe was extended for several more games, including the next game at Accrington Stanley. Scott Kerr hadn't scored under Peter Jackson, but produced arguably his best spell in a City shirt as he scored twice in a comfortable 2-0 win at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

This was quickly followed by a trip to Chesterfield. City dominated most of the game but fell behind when Jack Lester continued his 100% record of scoring against City for Chesterfield, but Adrian Patulea equalised in the second half. City came close to securing a winner several times, but went back to Lincoln with a point.

With transfers not allowed at this time of the season, it was a very quiet time for City who were now completely out of the Playoff picture and the Easter weekend saw two very different prospects. Luton Town came needing to win to stand any chance of staying up, but they only went home with a point due to a goalless draw at Sincil Bank. Two days later and Bradford City were the next to host the Imps. Andy Hutchinson scored his first ever goal for City before Bradford equalised several minutes later.......meanwhile, Luton's failure to beat Chesterfield saw them relegated. The Hutchinson goal would turn out to be the last Imps goal that Lincoln would score that season.

A dominant performance at home to Exeter saw Nathan Adams make his debut, but a last minute Rob Burch own goal gave Exeter an undeserved victory that would help them on their way to promotion. This was followed a week later by a goalless draw at Shrewsbury. City fans were amused as it meant Shrewsbury would need to win at Dagenham a week later.....and Dagenham were a much better side than Shrewsbury.

Dany N'Guessan was named in the PFA Team of the Year, but all of the club's attempts to get him down to a contract or else he would be leaving in the summer. Leicester, Sheffield United and various others were linked to the Frenchman, with Leicester eventually winning the battle. However, two players did sign new contracts as Swaibu and Shane Clarke both agreed a two year extension.

The month ended with the news Luca Coleman-Carr would make his debut at some point during the game against Aldershot to end the season.

2009 : Another year, more disappointment : April

Discussion started by theimps.tk (IP Logged), 19/12/2009 22:13

theimps.tk
19/12/2009 22:13

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