MATCHWATCH : Lincoln City (h)

[WestYorksRoyal]

I'd quite like to see Lincoln sneak promotion after today - they would get utterly humiliated in the Championship.

[Millsy]

Good result especially with all other results in our favour today.

BFTG for people like me who couldn’t watch someone?

[tmesis]

Issue is accuracy. Reading 10 shots but only 3 on target while Lincoln have managed 3 on target from just 4 shots.

I'd say the issue is more that we really struggle to score from open play unless someone lashes it in from 20 yards.

Our ability to get into a great position, then blow it because we can't put a ball in is....well, probably average for this division really.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Among the ref criticism, anybody else think he bottled a 2nd yellow for Wing late on?

[League1_Herewecome]

What a stain on football that Lincoln side are. There is simulation; and then there is fake a head injury simulation. Absolutely disgusting and yet the naive ref just fell for it every time. Hope they get to Wembley and then get completely humiliated. There number 6 was an absolute tosser, holding his eye every time the ref looked at him and then playing on as usual the minute the ref turned his head - should have been booked early in the game.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Among the ref criticism, anybody else think he bottled a 2nd yellow for Wing late on?

He absolutely changed his mind. Should have been a second yellow for Wing

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Thought we looked pretty decent for most of the game, but Dorsett and Mukuiru were awful.

Dorsett I think just because his first 3 forwards passes were dreadful and it knocked his confidence. Mukuiru was just atrocious

Wing was spraying some beautiful passes, Azeez was so under-used. He kept trying to make runs, but the team were just never looking for him

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Not a great performance - not sure how many attempts on goal we made, but it felt distinctly disjointed and tepid.

Didn’t think the ref was bad really - I know a lot of people believe he should have given a penalty for handball, but if he doesn’t see it, he can’t give it. Hence my criticism of the ref at Derby who inferred a penalty rather than being sure. Wing maybe deserved a second yellow, but it was fine margins.

I can only assume it was an uncharacteristic off day for Lincoln - they were frankly quite poor. I’d be looking at their physio department, as they appeared quite fragile and injury prone….


Thought Elliot eventually improved, and his second half performance was pretty good. But no one stands out. Glad Bindon got his goal.

Other results went our way, so a point is a acceptable. It’s one point closer to safety, and to being a better prospect for a new owner to take on and build up.

[Carlos]

I thought it was a very even game. Wing played the quarter back role, getting the ball from the central defenders and looking to set up our play from there. Wing definitely our most creative player but very one footed.

We struggled to break Lincoln down and they had definitely set up for a drawer with lots of time wasting even during the first half.

Best players - Wing, struggling apart from that. Azeez did well to create a chance for Knibbs and he should have scored in the second half too. If both of these chances had been taken then Azeez would be one of our best players.

Worst players - difficult to single out anyone. Although not convinced by Smith playing as a striker on his own. Doesn't seem like the ball sticks very much when it's passed up to him.

All in all another point nearer safety and we're effectively an extra point clear due to our better goal difference.

[PieEater]

I was worried before the game about meeting a form team, but they clearly get results by being utter cheating oxf*rd.

They gamed everything to their advantage and the weak ref fell for it every time. The whole team were are a bunch of cheats that sadly proper as a result.

Not only that but they also seem to benefit from luck or benefit of the doubt after not getting the handball on the line (red card and pen). This month we've been on the back of a series of utterly shit refereeing decisions that have cost us points. We need someone like Darren Caskey to be in the ear of the ref the whole time to tell them how shit they are.

I thought the ref also got a near assist for their goal - he blocked the Reading player from getting to player to block the cross.

Two points dropped today thanks to the weak ref.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We seemed decent in possession but didn't have much cutting edge. It's not an uncommon story. LW has been an issue all season, Knibbs is a workhorse who supports Smith well but is not a no.10 to provide moments of brilliance. That means we need Azeez to be on form, and he hasn't been so much for the past few weeks. Today we had Wing sitting deep which helped us control possession but meant he didn't get into many dangerous positions.

I think the attacking positions are definitely where we need to strengthen most if the takeover happens. Our defense and midfield options are pretty good, with lots of young talent capable of improving. For now, I think Craig is worth another go in my view as he allows Wing to push forward into more dangerous areas.

[Crowbar6753]

Fair game and result in the end, defo a penalty in the first half which may have changed the game however, Lincoln probably would've just shut up shop and it still would've been a draw.
Generally thought we were the team looking to win the game with Lincoln happy to hit on the break and all in all was a pretty entertaining game.
Another point earned and with a far superior goal difference both Burton, Port Vale and Cheltenham need to find three wins each to even have a chance of overtaking us, and that's assuming we don't get another win from our last four.

Bristol Rovers - Safe with nothing to play for.
Barnsley - Comfortably in the play-off spot with no chance of automatic promotion.
Burton - Fighting for their lives.
Blackpool - By the time we play them this should be a nothing match.

Someone check our record with teams beginning with a (B) lol

On a plus note today, i thought Elliot looked ok in the middle of the park and was comfortable on the ball. We have him tied down to a decent contract and with a run of games in the middle he may well have a bright future. If we can get ourselves over the line pretty quickly i would like to see him given ago in Knibbs role as CAM and push Knibbs out to the left which has been a problem position all season.

[JR]

Among the ref criticism, anybody else think he bottled a 2nd yellow for Wing late on?

Definitely - it was the classic different rules applied when player is already on a yellow.

[Royal_jimmy]

Probably about the right result. Their lot even agree on their forum

[windermereROYAL]

Very ordinary Lincoln side and fans, never heard a peep from them until they scored.
Staggering how they are 16 unbeaten on today`s showing, I would have taking a point before the game and disappointed we didn`t win in the end.
Clear pen in the first half but the ref was unsighted.
Come on Jim, we dominated all aspects of the 66% possession 11 (3) efforts on goal compared to their 4 (3) , a draw was not a fair result.

[Snowflake Royal]

Issue is accuracy. Reading 10 shots but only 3 on target while Lincoln have managed 3 on target from just 4 shots.

I'd say the issue is more that we really struggle to score from open play unless someone lashes it in from 20 yards.

Our ability to get into a great position, then blow it because we can't put a ball in is....well, probably average for this division really.

Which is odd, because most of Smith and Knibbs goals have been from good balls in from good positions.

I do think we often let two or three chances to pass or cross go before we actually do it around the box which delays things a bit and lets defenders cover.

[Snowflake Royal]

Among the ref criticism, anybody else think he bottled a 2nd yellow for Wing late on?

He absolutely changed his mind. Should have been a second yellow for Wing

100%.

On the other hand, O'Conner should have gone for two assaults on Smith and the other guy should have gone for the handball.

[windermereROYAL]

Ref badly positioned, couldn`t see the handball.

[scumbag]

I wasn't impressed by Lincoln, they pressed us well for 15 minutes and then ran out of ideas despite looking quite well organised.

I thought it was pretty embarrassing for a team 15 unbeaten to resort to play acting, I was expecting better. The away end was silent until the goal and even then it wasn't much.
That all said the idiotic referee and gamesmanship did add some spice to the atmosphere and we are a point closer to survival.

[Snowflake Royal]

Ref badly positioned, couldn`t see the handball.

Yep. With his lino looking from the same side from an even narrower angle. Very good and brave lino seeing and calling that from the far side halfway line.

Deserves a retrospective ban for the player.