In the second half, all we needed to do was keep a clean sheet against a side oozing with quality. If we kept it tight, maybe the compact ground, fans on top of players, might harass them a bit. We just had to keep it tight, we held the prize in our hands, and we weren’t going to give it away.
We didn’t need to give it away. They took it, because they could. The leveller was a finish of such quality, it deserved to be in the Premier League, and there is no fault to be had. Montsma tries to hook a ball away, it falls to George and he just smashes it home from range, unstoppable. That’s what the best players do, and it briefly knocked us for six.
The visiting support woke up, and on what felt like their next attack, they scored again. Sure, a few of our lads might have thought they could have got a touch on the ball, but in truth, it was just quality again. Facundo Buonanotte, an Argentinian international, played a one-two with George, and just wove through, Maradona-style, to score.
I was scared at that point. We’d been so brave in the first half, but two in two smelled like a hammering. I watched as Cucurella, Neto, and Estevao warmed up and wondered if they’d turn the screw. 5-1 before the game would have been acceptable, but after being 1-0 up at half time, and having been the better side? Perhaps not.
I need not have worried, because it took us just a moment to regain our composure, and we were back on the gameplan. However, Chelsea were now ahead, and with a flea in their ear, and while it made for an entertaining second half, we only really looked like scoring once, when Draper smashed the ball into the side netting. We kept loading the box and on three or four occasions, a lucky bounce might have given us a leveller, but it wasn’t to be.
The thing here is we were in the game. It was not unlike Everton (FA Cup and League Cup) when we still had a chance, but this Chelsea side are better than both of those Everton outfits. They did show it a bit more in the second, some nice touches and dribbles that we rarely see at the Bank had me impressed. Mind you, so did a few tackles from us. One, Montsma on Cucurella, was (to use a phrase from the late, great Steve Thompson) agricultural to say the least. We were still trying to rattle them, but they’d found their flow a little more.
The second half was a reflection of how I thought the game might go. 4-0 wouldn’t have been shameful, especially not if we’d had half chances, but I think our first half showing gave everyone hope. It’s the hope that kills you, right? Had they come out, scored two and we’d snatched one late, the score would have been the same, but would we have felt the same pride? Would we have had our 1-0 scoreboard pictures, our tales of giving Goliath a bloody nose? Maybe not.
The second half belonged to them. We fought bravely, we might have had a bit of luck on another day, but only the most partisan supporter could claim, hand on heart, that we deserved to win, on the balance of 11 v 11 over 90 minutes. Contextually, when you consider the huge chasm in the value of the squads and their respective abilities, maybe so. I guess if the game were like golf, where you have a handicap to make things more even, then sure, we were worthy winners, but as a standalone game between two teams, the right team won, and probably by the right score as well.
Picking a Man of the Match was always going to be hard, because there were certainly ten outfield players who all had a decent chance of getting it. Subs reduced the number I feel could get it — over such a remarkable game, 90 minutes of effort probably trumps 65 or 70, and with that in mind, I have to mention McGrandles. He’s a player not reborn, he’s always been doing what he does now, but we can see it. Along with Varfolomeev, they covered so much ground in the middle of the park, and it bodes well for the future.
I have to mention Tom Hamer, a player who once again stood out. Sure, his throw is a weapon, but that shouldn’t detract from his overall application. We’re not talking about him just being David’s sling last night, he was as much a part of the collective effort as anyone. Ryley Towler also needs to be mentioned as he was superb as well. But, is it fair not to say the same of Montsma, Jeacock, Bradley, House, Draper and Street? Tendayi Darikwa was like eczema on the Chelsea team, he popped up everywhere, and like Irv Gordon’s Volvo P1800, he just keeps running and running with no signs of slowing down.
By the way, four minutes of injury time? FOUR? I’m not saying we’d have scored, but there were TEN second-half subs (30 seconds, once upon a time), two goals (30 seconds once upon a time) and even some time-wasting (keeper booked). They had a lad go down, and it took a minute to get the physio on to get him off as well. By my maths, that should have been closer to eight or nine minutes. Who knows what could have happened? In fairness, the ref wasn’t the best. At one point, one of their lads kicked the ball away (time-wasting) and the referee wagged a finger at him! Wagged a finger? It’s a booking, ref. If you want their autographs, just ask, you don’t have to be in awe of them on the field.
Still after four (paltry) minutes of injury time (I write that with a wry smile, obviously), the game ended, a roar went up and probably everyone went home happy (eventually). Chelsea got their win, we got our occasion and a few Imps’ players got blue shirts to put with their collection. Montsma doubtless has a Liverpool one, Hackett possibly a West Ham one, and Ben House hopefully a Sheffield United one. Not many Lincoln players could boast collections featuring those.
We can look ahead to Posh and pretend that was always the focus (unlike Michael Skubala, boldly resting what, six first-team players last night, proving where the focus was). We can move through the season, knowing we gave a great account of ourselves.
And, in many years to come, we’ll look back on this game as one of those nearly moments that gave us a huge amount of pride and belief in our team.
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Really enjoyed your excellent report. Thank you!