Wasteful City lose to poor Mansfield side

By Nathan Jackson
January 29 2008

Lincoln City wasted chance after chance after chance before suffering a defeat thanks to Mansfield's only two decent chances on target, and City's win against Dagenham now means nothing. Infact, it's pretty much a case of "as you were" as gaps returned to their state before last weekend as City frustratingly wasted several good chances to win a game that they controlled.

A sign of things to come came when Lennell John-Lewis was put through one-on-one with Muggleton but typically wasted his chance by putting it within an easy safe range of the goalkeeper. Jamie Forrester's chance of goal was thwarted by Mullins before John-Lewis forced Muggleton into tapping over the bar.

The one sided half then saw Dodds flagged offside before Brown headed a Beevers' free kick over. Dodds' shot was dragged wide a minute late before Brown unsuccessfully tried his luck from about 30 yards. Kerr volleyed wide before Mansfield actually decided that they might actually have a go when Boulding won a free kick, Beevers headed Hamshaw's delivery clear.

Muggleton again saved a header but City couldn't force the lead that their dominance deserved.

City could have scored within seconds of the second half beginning but an excellent tackle denied Forrester from 6 yards. Then in typical fashion Mansfield scored with their first chance of the game. Boulding fired from the edge of the area and Marriott made a hash of the save and it went under him to give the visitors an undeserved lead.. Wood came on for Martin for the visitors.

The Imps looked down and out and looked like making it 18 times in a row that we've failed to gain a point after going behind. Then suddenly the Imps had a penalty when Forrester was fouled in the area, he stepped up and put it away to give the Imps a goal that their general dominance of the game had been threatening. Stallard replaced Brown before Brown was booked for the visitors.

Brown was replaced by Holmes before Atkinson made his debut for the visitors and Holmes hit the bar before Smith replaced Forrester. John-Lewis wasted yet another chance before City then did the ultimate waste by throwing away a point.

Typically, after dominating the game and having wasted several chances to win the lead, Michael Boulding scored a goal against the run of play and the Imps suffered their 8th home defeat of the season and continued the other trend of following a win with a defeat under Jackson.