The Imps and The Shots contested a game of thrills and spills in front of a seasonal high of 2748 witnesses where the conditions would play a telling part in the proceedings on a wet and windy day at Sincil Bank. But let us not get too ahead of ourselves……..
For the benefit of Aldershot fans visiting STMI for the first time , first the Teams & schemes then a blow by blow followed by more stats than you can shake an Imp or Shot at, thanks for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs.
0 V 1 
H/T 0-0
scorers 48 Williams (Pen)
Attendance 2748 (2555 Imps 193 Shots)
Ref Mr Holmes
***
The teams
Simmo 4-2-3-1
Farman
Miller Brown Boyce Newton
Nolan Foster (Y-13)
Power (Y-52) Fairhurst Jordan
Yussuf
****
Substitutions
51 Dixon on for Jordan, 61 Wright on for Yussuf
On the bench
6 Fofana, 10 Wright 12 Sheridan, 15 Gray, 17 Dixon,
Andy Scott 4-2-3-1
25 Pope
12 Oleyeke 5 Goodman 2 Oastler 15 Barker
4 Stanley 14 Roberts
19 Molesley
24 Young 22 Gibbs
9 Williams
*****
Substitutions
73 Rowlands on for Gibbs, 89 Paterson on for Robertson
On the bench
21 Williams, 20 Douglas, 11 Wickham, 10 Paterson, 8 Rowlands
***
To the game fellow football fans to the game……………
The Imps play long straight to the visitors defence with Yussuf and Fairhust more suited to balls to feet than those in the air. Newton gets down the flank and delivers but Yussuf, sliding in, just fails to connect with the goal at his mercy. Newton is up again and chips forward Jordan, he heads on to Yussuf who plays to Miller but the intricacy and conditions beat the Imps and Goodman cleverly passes clear. Jordan Roberts brings the ball forward, beats three, before spreading a peel of a pass left to Gibbs but Miller is there to clear.
A fierce shot from Williams fizzes wide as The Shots begin to find their feet with some great approach play. Stanley plays a ball to Williams who fires goalwards but Farman claws the ball away. Another effort from Gibbs sees a pointblank save from the keeper before Stanley is also denied a goal only for Young to also be denied from Farman who is have the game of his life.
Foster stops life and soul Moseley in his tracks and gets a deserved yellow, before Jordan is pulled up for handball as the Imps continue to weather the visitors storm. Fairhurst slips but still manages to play in Yussuf who is wrongly called offside. A quick-fire Molesley shot is deflected by Boyce for a corner with the Shots clearly eager to shoot on-sight given the wet and windy conditions. Boyce heads clear to Yussuf who gets it clear to Fairhurst but he looks stiff and fails to get to the return ball.
A decent passage of play from the Imps sees Yussuf play to Nolan who hammers a hay-maker down Pope’s throat. Jordan gets forward well and wins a corner, but with all the big lads going up Power elects to go short. Molesley is calling the shots with the two wingers and full-backs causing problems with Boyce imperiously heading away two or three crosses to get the better of Williams so far. Jordan gets forward, Yussuf peels away from his man but alas the former elects to shoot and pulls it well wide.
Gibbs skips two challenges but the final ball is poor as Lincoln manage to clear again. Its an end to end game as the Imps win another corner but the ball is easily cleared before Boyce heads it back to the sprightly Yussuf who wins a free-kick on the edge of the box. Newton fires a scorcher at the wall to earn another corner, then takes it, sending long to Brown at the far post who is penalised for a foul. Boyce then plays in Fairhurst but the greasy turf favours Pope who gathers confidently.
Power gives Yussuf an opportunity, he uses his pace and strength but sends his crisp effort wide. A great passing phase involving four Imps sees Pope hack clear for a throw, before the long-one from Miller finds Yussuf who fires goalward but Pope makes a terrific save. A glorious run from Oleyeke sees him roast Jordan before hammering an optimistic but opportunist drive wide. Fairhurst finally gets a ball to feet and sends a searing 22-yard grass-cutter afoot wide.
The increasingly persistent rain is making it hard to control the ball as Jordan shoots but Yussuf is unable to finish amidst the 6 yard box melee that ensues. A lively half has finished honours even with both sides deserving a goal with the visitors just edging the shot count 5:4 (with 4 on target to our two) and Farman fabulously keeping us in it with four superb saves.
Second Half
The visitors possess the early threat but Miller and Brown are equal to it. A brilliant challenge from Foster picks Molesley’s pocket and then an aberration from Brown sees him inexcusably handle for a penalty. Williams steps up and passes the ball consummately just inside the far post giving Farman no chance even if he had have guessed the right way. The Imps rally with another super ball from Newton that eludes every Lincoln boot as it skims across the face of goal. Simmo looks to make an early change with big Bohan Dixon on for Jordan.
Pope gets the ball forward early and Power slides in to take a yellow for the team with Roberts away. Another cross from Gibbs sees Foster head out for a corner that Lincoln clear to the half-way line. Both sides trade corners with Goodman and Boyce clearing any danger with ease. Newton gets a central free-kick opportunity but fires well over the bar. Yussuf is trying hard but looking very heavy legged after his lengthy lay-off.
Aldershot are the ones dictating the pace of the game with Miller, Newton, Foster and Brown getting in the challenges at the right time. Boyce almost gets caught in possession by Williams but gets a free-kick to end any danger. A probing ball from Stanley forces Brown to concede a corner as Wright replaces Yussuf for the Imps. Wright takes a long-ball in his stride superbly but holds on to it to long and is crowded out.
Aldershot are giving away a few fouls as well keeper Pope adopting a game to wind down the clock. Miller’s free-kick finds Boyce but the header is cleared by Goodman to Foster, on the edge of the box, but his first-time effort is deflected into the gloves of the grateful keeper. A 20-yard Nolan run sees him beat two before crossing to Wright but his shot is well saved by Pope who narrowed the angle. Nolan sends, Wright is away again, but Oastler handles outside the box and gets away with it. The Imps have gone 4-2-4, as Foster drops back with Boyce in the middle up top for the flicks to Fairhurst, Wright or Dixon in a desperate last throw of the dice.
Dixon feeds Miller, who is fouled, but with advantage played he crosses to Wright but Pope is there to gather brilliantly. The Imps are throwing bodies forward with Pope particularly commanding at crosses. He spills one, Boyce side-foots goalwards, but Goodman clears and Fairhurst shoots wide. Gibbs is sacrificed for Rowlands as the visitors continue to defend their slender lead and hit the Imps on the break. One such example sees a super ball from Molesley and a glorious effort from Rowlands bounce off Farman’s chest, but with no one following up Power clears.
Goodman is having a stormer still, even in the face of the physical presence of Boyce, with Pope also taking an age, a level of professionalism clearly learned at Charlton. Dixon gets down the right . Fairhurst gets a chance to feet from Miller but his first time shot flies wide right.
A Nolan shot deflects off two defenders and Miller attempts to get the ball back in quickly but puts it out for a goal-kick. Paterson also comes on for Roberts to run down a little more time as 3 additional minutes are signalled by the fourth official. A last gasp free-kick sees Fairhurst chip over the bar to effectively end the game.
Stats
Note:
Shots on includes goals, saves includes crosses claimed
*****
V
50% Ball 50%
4 Shots on 7
7 Misses 2
6 Saves 7
5 Corners 4
4 Offside 2
13 Fouls 9
2 Yellows 0
0 Reds 0
P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts
1
Cambridge United
15
10
5
0
23
6
+17
35
2
Kidderminster Harriers
15
9
2
4
24
16
+8
29
3
Luton Town
15
7
6
2
26
13
+13
27
4
Salisbury City
15
8
3
4
20
15
+5
27
5
Nuneaton Town
15
7
5
3
22
19
+3
26
6
Welling United
15
7
4
4
26
19
+7
25
7
Braintree Town
15
7
4
4
21
15
+6
25
8
Grimsby Town
15
7
3
5
20
15
+5
24
9
Lincoln City
15
6
4
5
16
12
+4
22
10
Gateshead
15
7
1
7
21
20
+1
22
11
FC Halifax Town
15
6
4
5
25
25
0
22
12
Alfreton Town
15
7
1
7
23
25
-2
22
13
Barnet
14
5
6
3
23
17
+6
21
14
Forest Green Rovers
15
5
3
7
28
26
+2
18
15
Macclesfield Town
15
5
3
7
17
19
-2
18
16
Hereford United
15
4
5
6
15
17
-2
17
17
Southport
15
5
2
8
14
20
-6
17
18
Tamworth
15
4
4
7
13
21
-8
16
19
Wrexham
14
4
3
7
18
22
-4
15
20
Dartford
15
4
3
8
14
24
-10
15
21
Woking
15
3
5
7
16
23
-7
14
22
Chester
15
3
4
8
11
21
-10
13
23
Aldershot Town (-10)
15
6
4
5
18
15
+3
12
24
Hyde
15
0
2
13
9
38
-29
2