Kerr guides City into Third Round
By theimps.tk
November 28 2009
There aren't many games where Scott Kerr is one of the stars of the show, but he was instrumental in City's 3-1 win at Northwich, creating all three goals that saw City progress past Victoria and into the Third Round for the first time since 1999.
The Imps were the team to start proceedings but it didn't take long for them to be on the back foot, Kovacs sliced clear before Burch brilliantly saved from a close range effort. Play switched to the other end as Joe Heath volleyed over from 25 yards, but it wasn't long before it was back down the other end. Northwich sticker Jonny Allan, who claimed in the programme that he was once a player at Sincil Bank (only appearing in one or two reserve games as a trialist), hit a shot wide after he had been put through.
Herd had a header saved from close range and it wasn't long before the Imps took the lead. After a failed piece of action, Scott Kerr played the ball back into the box and the defence stood still as Chris Fagan hit a volley into the bottom corner of the goal, scoring his first goal for the Imps since September 12th, moving him one goal behind Rene Howe, although all Fagan's goals have come from open play.
It could have been a quick second but Jamie Clarke's effort was blocked before Elam hit a shot wide for the hosts. Smith tried to make his first positive contribution since joining the Imps several weeks ago, failing relatively miserably as he was played through on goal, only to hit his effort way off target.
That was pretty much the final action of the first half.
With not much action toward the end of the first half, the game swung twice within the first four minutes. The first of which saw Northwich equalise as Adam Watts, who was having "a mare" swing it behind for a corner, to then see Matt Bailey smashed it in from close range.
However, the home fans' joys didn't last long as within two minutes of the goal, City were back in front as Scott Kerr got himself a second assist as he played through Clarke, the striker pouncing and making it 2-1.
It was all City now and Aspden had to be alert to claim a Herd cross that was looking to be heading towards the head of Smith. There was not much going on with City keeping the ball well, and Scott Kerr made it a hatrick of assists as he played the ball through to Clarke again. In what was a near replica of the second goal, Clarke slotted it down and low to the keeper's right, hitting it in.
Victoria were now down and out and looked potentially like they were going to concede more. Northwich made a double sub with Elam and Herring going off for the hosts, replaced by Wayne Riley and Junior Brown. It wasn't long before City made their own sub with Fagan going off for Gilmour, the latter making his debut for the club. Kerr replaced Allan for Northwich. In a spell full of substitutions, Howe came on for Clarke.
There were no other major incidents and it was the Imps who went through to the next round.
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Both ITV pundits agreed too, 1 shaky moment when Newby hit it wide , other than that top notch.
The own goal was an interception, Carragher has scored many and is one of the best defenders in the game.
He was very good as were the whole defence under a constant barrage of high balls.
Hopefully the win will help lift confidence within the team...
Duals won ........... 78% ........ 7/9
Ball touches ......... 65
Fouls ................ 1
Successful passes ... 41% ..... 12/29
I felt he was shaky to start with but solid enough over the whole game. There were a couple of times in the first half when lost his man and they should have scored from one of them.
I thought Hughton saved us twice, both in the second half. The first was when he scooped the ball back over his head in the 6 yard box and the second was when he was the only defender quick enough to get back and cover from a break down the right, where he covered their forward and cleared for a corner.
I also lost count of the times that Chesh commented on how high Herd could jump to win headers! He looks very good for this level.
