By Nathan Jackson
September 28 2005

Two Gary Birch goals gave the Imps' a 3rd victory of the season and meant that City still haven't lost on a Tuesday night, at home, in the League under Keith Alexander's control and to be honest, Stockport never looked like offering a hint that they could end that run.

The visitors got the game underway but as usual, City almost immediately got possession of the ball and started attacking the Stockport goal as Asamoah broke down the right before Clare stopped him in his tracks. Good work between Kerr and Bloomer saw the latter run down the right before sending a cross deep into the box. Keates jumped at the ball but the height-restricted midfielder found it hard to get close to the ball and it went out for a throw in.

 

Stockport started getting into the game a bit and an 8^th minute corner saw them almost take the lead when former Imps’ target, Tes Bramble’s header was tipped over by Raynor, who was making his first appearance for the Imps first team in just under a year.

 

A few half chances later and City had the ball in the back of the net when Gary Birch’s header looped over the keeper and settled in the net, however, the cheers didn’t last very long as the referee ruled the goal out for a foul. However, the assault on the Stockport goal didn’t take long to get going again and City got a free kick 25 yards out from goal. Kerr stepped up and curled the ball around the wall before Ikeme produced a fine save.

 

A Stockport free kick gave Raynor a great chance to stake a more permanent place in the squad when he caught a 25 yard free kick in mid air and it was an absolutely fantastic save to say the least and the highlight of the keeper’s night. Debutant Steve Robinson was the next to try his luck but his effort from the edge of the box went a fair way over the goal.

 

Chances for both sides were hard to come by for both sides as both sides were trying to launch an attack and caught on the counter. Stockport were starting to show why they’ve only won 1 of their last 20odd games as their play was incredibly predictable and they seemed perfectly content to just play for a draw and very rarely did they make a venture into the Imps’ half.

 

The first half ended with a comical effort from Asamoah going well over the goal. City started the second half and Keates almost immediately opened the scoring but his long range effort went well wide of the goal. Good interplay between Asamoah and Keates’ saw the former find Kerr on the edge of the area and the former Scarborough midfielder’s shot was well saved by Ikeme as it seemed destined for the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

 

City did however finally manage to punish Stockport for their negative tactics when City broke through 3 on 2 against the Stockport defence. Asamoah picked out Birch on the edge of the area and City’s top scorer sent in a powerful shot along the floor to make it 1-0 to the Imps and give the striker his first league goal since the Oxford game in the middle of August.

 

2 quick succession corners almost saw Marvin Robinson score his first league goal for the Imps. The ball was whipped in from the 2^nd corner and the former Stockport striker, flung himself at the ball only to see it sail over the bar. Hold on a second? What’s this? Have Stockport actually ventured into the Lincoln half? For the first time in the half, Stockport managed to get a ball into the Lincoln half without losing it within 2 seconds and they actually forced 3 successive corners. However, the 3^rd was easily held by Raynor.

 

Infact, Stockport almost equalised minutes later when Tes Bramble ran forward and shot ambitiously from 30 yards out and it almost went in and if their had been a bit of wind, it could have easily been 1-1. However Gary Birch soon swept aside any doubts by getting his 2^nd of the night and 7^th of the season. Asamoah’s skilful twists and turns eventually saw him lose his marker before sliding the ball to Birch who hammered the ball into the net from close range.

 

Substitute Luke Foster came agonisingly close to opening his account for the Imps in just his 2 appearance when he blasted the ball from 35 yards out, however, it slid just past the post and could have potentially been the best goal seen in a long time at Sincil Bank.

 

City were now just happy to waste the time and the final 10 minutes went by very quickly with no significant chances being created and the Imps are now up to 12^th.