2008 : Another year to forget : Jackson's best run

September and October saw the Imps rapidly climb the table. City lost just once in this period and recorded a win of five wins in six at one point, but that is still one of only two good runs that the Lord of the Hype has taken us on and the last time that we looked like a side who are capable of promotion.

After the horrible start to the season, City were finally starting to get some good news. It all started with Adrian Patulea joining the club and his arrival sparked the most impressive run that the Imps have had under Jackson. However, City still had to get their first win of the season and they had a great chance when Barnet came to visit. Barnet, along with City, were one of the few teams who hadn't won a single game at this point and it showed as City generally controlled a poor game.

It was heading for a draw before Patulea was brought on as a second half substitute and although Dany N'Guessan would open the scoring, it was the Romanian who became the hero as he slotted home to become the first Imp to score on his debut since Adie Moses over two years previous.

Warlow returned from a loan spell at Kettering Town after complaining of illness, he has yet to even feature on the bench for City this season.

The next game saw City face Bury, a team that the Imps have only beaten the Shakers three times in twelve meetings, make that thirteen. City were awful and were undone from set-pieces as Morrell and Sodje both scoring from corners before Bishop hit a second half penalty into the net. Kovacs was eventually credited with a goal that had brought the Imps level.

A week later and City were on their travels again, this time to Brentford. City fell behind when Nathan Elder volleyed in following a defensive mistake. Burch was replaced seconds later when he went off injured before Patulea pulled one back for City. The Imps almost won it in the final minutes as Kovacs headed just wide.

Another cup game and subsequent elimination followed, this time at Leicester City in the JP Trophy. The game had ended goalless but Leicester controlled the shoot-out, converting three of their four penalties, whereas the Imps could only score one. Ex-Leicester Frank Sinclair missed the final penalty by quite some way to send his former club through.

City's frustrations continued just days later as despite dominating, we could only gain a draw against Morecambe. Frecklington had given City the lead before the visitors somehow equalised just before half time when no-one dealt with a weak free kick as it floated into the net.

It was all game action with very little news other than results, but the next was to be the first away win of the season, away at Chester City. City weren't particularly great but took the lead just before half time when Janos Kovacs headed in a corner. Patulea made it two after the break and gave the Imps a maximum three points, only their second haul of that amount during the season.

Rochdale were the next visitors to Sincil Bank and they scored arguably the best goal scored against the Imps so far this season as Adam Rundle volleyed in from near 30 yards. Rochdale dominated the game before Danny Hone's late, late volley stole a point for City. Rochdale could have easily retaken the lead and City were lucky to hold on against the previous season's Playoff Finalists.

Then, after failing to put together decent performances with a win, City finally deserved their eventual victory as they dominated a game against Chesterfield. The Spirites had put four past the Imps on two occasions in the previous season, but it was City who took a quick fire 2-0 lead when goals from Oakes and Patulea saw City march comfortably towards half time. Janos Kovacs scored against his former club just after the break, prompting applause from his former fans, before Danny Hone was sent off and Jack Lester pulling one back.

The annual trip to Macclesfield saw a typically poor performance and City were behind early as Simon Yeo uncharacteristically produced a good finish to put the Silkmen in the lead. Lee Beevers equalised just before the half before Lee Frecklington pounced on a mistake to give City one of the most undeserved victories of the season so far.

Speaking of undeserved victories, City travelled down to Bournemouth a few days later and the home side were well and truly dominant, only for LJL to fluff his shot and watch it trickle into the net to give City the lead just before half time. Bournemouth had two second half goals disallowed but couldn't find a legal equaliser and City were very fortunate winners.

The FA Cup draw followed the next day and the Imps drew against a non-League side for the first time in eight years, but that was one of the last pieces of good news we received. It was followed by a 2-0 win over Gillingham, both goals in the opening twenty minutes from Frecklington and N'Guessan, but then City stopped attacking and it's all gone downhill since then.