Match Day Good Friday fixtures

[Luke Imp]

Lincoln are the better TEAM than Rovers, a side that are definitely more than the sum of it's parts. The Cowleys have played a significant part in achieving that, selecting players who complement one another. However, when it comes to individual players, I wouldn't accept each and every Lincoln player is better than any other in this league.

Correct, of course there aren't. There are probably 3 definites IMO (Habergham, Woodyard and Raggett) and you'd potentially have a good case for Arnold, Waterfall and Rhead (depending on what style you play, although he's by far and away the best at what he does in the league).

If you had told me at 2.55pm back in August at Woking that Farman, Beevers (although been injured since October), Waterfall and Power would play a big part in a potential promotion and title win, get to the FA Cup QF and an FA Trophy SF then I'd have not believed you. The Cowleys have improved all of those this season and get the best out of all players full stop.

 

[Impish]

Ours didn't, all you could hear at SB when we visited was pins dropping and the Lincoln faithful chewing their nails.

Tense afternoon that. Were you the one in the red coat or the grey coat?

 

[Master D]

Lincoln are clearly the better side as they get shit done when it matters, Tranmere don't. I would now fancy FGR for the playoffs, they've got over bottling the title and are now seemingly focused again. I think they've got the best squad in the league but not the best manager.

 

[JaredSUFC]

My view on the whole Lincoln/Tranmere thing for what it's worth is that the best team always wins the league, especially in a 40+ game season.

It's hilarious though that one of our 2 league away wins (so far) was at Lincoln

 

[gijsbert_bos]

My view on the whole Lincoln/Tranmere thing for what it's worth is that the best team always wins the league, especially in a 40+ game season.

It's hilarious though that one of our 2 league away wins (so far) was at Lincoln

But of an anomaly, that game. Rhead injured early on and then Wood sent off after 30 minutes. You lot kicked us off the park and we couldn't handle it. Same with Barrow.

 

[John Still]

Once again we give a team 1-0 head start and still run out comfortable winners. Sloppy first goal to concede, Boreham have a dangerous front 3 and you can see why they are mid table. Once we got back in it there was really only one winner.

Just need another win to make the play offs certain. Don't fear any team in the play offs if we have a fully fit side, but that is looking even more unlikely now. If Whitely is out for the season then we won't be winning the play offs.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Strange to think that Lincoln were one of the easiest teams to play against this season - an easy six points. The home game especially, we absolutely cruised to a 3-0 win.
Our form was really hit by the injury to Byron Harrison in January - in my opinion, he's the best striker in non-league (easily better than Cook, who is probably second best) and any team would struggle if you take out their top scorer.
Limped to the end of the season, though it's been our best-ever in non-league. Made some enemies, embarrassed a lot of other teams en-route, took a few beatings ourselves. Not a bad year in all, and if we can keep the manager, we'll be right up there next season.

 

[Leewilson]

Once again we give a team 1-0 head start and still run out comfortable winners. Sloppy first goal to concede, Boreham have a dangerous front 3 and you can see why they are mid table. Once we got back in it there was really only one winner.

Just need another win to make the play offs certain. Don't fear any team in the play offs if we have a fully fit side, but that is looking even more unlikely now. If Whitely is out for the season then we won't be winning the play offs.

I heard this rumour about Whitely pre match but then he played so I'm confused

 

[Imp in Branston]

Strange to think that Lincoln were one of the easiest teams to play against this season - an easy six points. The home game especially, we absolutely cruised to a 3-0 win.
Our form was really hit by the injury to Byron Harrison in January - in my opinion, he's the best striker in non-league (easily better than Cook, who is probably second best) and any team would struggle if you take out their top scorer.
Limped to the end of the season, though it's been our best-ever in non-league. Made some enemies, embarrassed a lot of other teams en-route, took a few beatings ourselves. Not a bad year in all, and if we can keep the manager, we'll be right up there next season.

It's not strange, that's football, we lost to Guiseley too when they were struggling. No team usually plays great and wins/doesn't lose any game over an entire season. It's more about being as consistent over the 46 games as possible and usually that team is deserving of the title. I believe we are that team and if we can get over the line in our last 4 games we will have rightly deserved it.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

It's not strange, that's football, we lost to Guiseley too when they were struggling. No team usually plays great and wins/doesn't lose any game over an entire season. It's more about being as consistent over the 46 games as possible and usually that team is deserving of the title. I believe we are that team and if we can get over the line in our last 4 games we will have rightly deserved it.

And as I mentioned above, we struggled against the most physical and thuggish teams; Sutton, Barrow and York once Mills had got them into the siege mentality. Note to League 2 sides for next season; if you want to beat Lincoln, kick us off the park.

 

[JaredSUFC]

But of an anomaly, that game. Rhead injured early on and then Wood sent off after 30 minutes. You lot kicked us off the park and we couldn't handle it. Same with Barrow.

I find it strange that Lincoln are the only team away from home we've kicked off the park. Not denying we're physical but questioning why it only really worked at Sincil Bank

 

[John Still]

I heard this rumour about Whitely pre match but then he played so I'm confused

Double hernia operation needed its touch and go if he is going to play with it or not for the rest of the season.

 

[Leewilson]

Double hernia operation needed its touch and go if he is going to play with it or not for the rest of the season.

Imagine they'll take it game by game then. Is it something where if we can rest him for the final 2 of the season, it'd help? Or would that be more detrimental and it's better he keeps being active on it?

 

[Imp in Branston]

I find it strange that Lincoln are the only team away from home we've kicked off the park. Not denying we're physical but questioning why it only really worked at Sincil Bank

Was one of those games when most things went in your favour, the time wasting and playing all the officials like a fiddle. Lincoln have a streetwise attitude too and you have to have that side to your game in this league so it's not unusual. Sutton did it very well and everything played into their hands when we lost. Getting Wood sent off and losing Rhead were huge blows so it was an uphill struggle. There's often games like that over a season, but only losing two at home (so far) and unbeaten in all comps at home since September I think speaks volumes about fortress SB.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Tit for tat convo is a bit boring.

Consistently we have played the most exciting football and been the best side at dominating games since Mellon came in, but lack of composure in front of goal all season has let us down at the end of the day. That's not been an issue for Lincoln and that's why they're going to win the league.

It's nice for us to have something to look forward to for a change and to actually enjoy going to Tranmere for the first time in a few years and we will go into the playoffs as favourites, but the reality is failing to go up will stunt our growth and be a failure of sorts. Not of the cataclysmic proportions Micky Adams and Gary Brabin both achieved but still underwhelming.

You can throw league form out of the book when it comes to the playoffs, Grimsby last season are the prime example of that. However the experience of failure in FA Trophy semi final will hopefully teach us what we need to do differently over a two leg affair. Get to Wembley and our fans would outnumber any of the other clubs 3 to 1 or more which would be a huge advantage.

 

[Davidimp]

My view on the whole Lincoln/Tranmere thing for what it's worth is that the best team always wins the league, especially in a 40+ game season.

It's hilarious though that one of our 2 league away wins (so far) was at Lincoln

As has been mentioned you did a real number on us and more importantly the rookie ref who before the second half started was sharing jokes with your players!
Also we got a bit gung ho after levelling up we hit the post and Margetts missed a sitter and kept pushing for a winner with 10 men when we should have sat in and taken a point instead we caught on the break twice late on.
Unbeaten now at home since our only other defeat so far to Barrow(again caught out late on from a breakaway goal) a total now of 22 games (16 wins 6 draws).

 

[Davidimp]

Well Lincoln, we sent you to this shithole, and today helped give you a big leg-up back. Think we're quits now.

Not quite matey boy who wore the blue square thing on his head needs to be at our place next week with EFL on his bonce this time!

 

[PaulHaddock]

Tranmere's arguments seem to stem from the word 'if'.

'If Mellon had been here the whole season'
'If we weren't so bad against the top teams'
'If we didn't have so many injuries'

The reason why teams win the title is because they don't have these sort of excuses to make. Not sure on Tranmere's coaching staff but I don't think it's a coincidence that Lincoln don't suffer many injuries; with all the sports science shit the Cowleys do, it's not hard to see why they're the fittest team in the league.
Also, with the exception of maybe Barnet, the title winners are usually capable of beating all the teams in the league. You can't say 'we're the best team in the league, if you don't count games against Aldershot, Lincoln, FGR etc'. 'Better' teams don't use those excuses.

This is all very reminiscent of Cheltenham, FGR and us last year. We all know how that turned out.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

It's not strange, that's football, we lost to Guiseley too when they were struggling. No team usually plays great and wins/doesn't lose any game over an entire season. It's more about being as consistent over the 46 games as possible and usually that team is deserving of the title. I believe we are that team and if we can get over the line in our last 4 games we will have rightly deserved it.

Thanks Captain Obvious. Was just saying that it was strange that, for us, one of the only teams that didn't cause us any problems this season were the best team in the division. With a little larger squad, the same manager, and a year of playing together behind them, I reckon our side will do well next season. Yesterday's result was a wake up call that we're a fair way off yet.

 

[Davidimp]

Our regular left back missed that game with a dead leg and a couple of others were rested for the game at your place prior to our 4th round tie with Brighton BUT you took your chances and beat us easily. Every team can have an off day.
Thought the game at our place was pretty even but you just did that bit more.

 

[RLC]

The reason why teams win the title is because they don't have these sort of excuses to make. Not sure on Tranmere's coaching staff but I don't think it's a coincidence that Lincoln don't suffer many injuries; with all the sports science shit the Cowleys do, it's not hard to see why they're the fittest team in the league.

Our set-up in terms of sports science and assessment of fitness will be better than anybody's at this level. Sometimes injuries are just down to luck. A defender putting his studs into Jake Kirby's leg and snapping it in half can't be prevented by the physio.

There are no complaints from me about Lincoln winning the title, as the most deserving team always finishes top. However, to say we would have had a better chance if Mellon had been in charge all season is just a statement of the obvious. Circumstances meant that was not possible.

 

[GodsGift]

Are there any Tranmere fans out there capable of saying Lincoln deserve to win the title without adding the words "but" or "however" after it?!

 

[1884 Belmont]

Tranmere's arguments seem to stem from the word 'if'.

'If Mellon had been here the whole season'
'If we weren't so bad against the top teams'
'If we didn't have so many injuries'

The reason why teams win the title is because they don't have these sort of excuses to make. Not sure on Tranmere's coaching staff but I don't think it's a coincidence that Lincoln don't suffer many injuries; with all the sports science shit the Cowleys do, it's not hard to see why they're the fittest team in the league.
Also, with the exception of maybe Barnet, the title winners are usually capable of beating all the teams in the league. You can't say 'we're the best team in the league, if you don't count games against Aldershot, Lincoln, FGR etc'. 'Better' teams don't use those excuses.

This is all very reminiscent of Cheltenham, FGR and us last year. We all know how that turned out.

You don't have to be the best team to be the most deserving of the title. Not one Tranmere fan is suggesting Lincoln don't deserve to win the league because that would be a pointless and ultimately futile argument to make. The team that wins the league deserves to win it, end of story. No complaints here.

Not making excuses either, I'm just making the point that if we'd had Tollitt, Cook, Hughes, Maynard, etc, for the entire season we'd have possibly had a better chance of winning the games against the better sides. We've been on constant damage control in terms of selection since Christmas. At the end of the day, even if I'm in a minority of one, I stand by the fact that a fully-fit Micky Mellon Tranmere are a better side than a fully-fit Danny Cowley Lincoln.

If Lincoln fans are so confident that the reverse is true, rise above it and move on. You only get rattled by things that have a ring of truth about them, so if there's no validity to my arguments, ignore them and let my ignorance sit for everyone else to see.

 

[Sparrow]

Has anyone ever won the title over a 46-game season and not deserved it?

 

[Master D]

Has anyone ever won the title over a 46-game season and not deserved it?

Fleetwood only won the title because they had a billion pounds in the bank and could afford to reject offers for Vardy in the January window. We DESERVED promotion more than anyone ever (since 2008 when the Conference was formed).

 

[CrazyImp]

Are there any Tranmere fans out there capable of saying Lincoln deserve to win the title without adding the words "but" or "however" after it?!

I'll answer that for you, no.

#propaganda

 

[CrazyImp]

Tranmere's arguments seem to stem from the word 'if'.

'If Mellon had been here the whole season'
'If we weren't so bad against the top teams'
'If we didn't have so many injuries'

The reason why teams win the title is because they don't have these sort of excuses to make. Not sure on Tranmere's coaching staff but I don't think it's a coincidence that Lincoln don't suffer many injuries; with all the sports science shit the Cowleys do, it's not hard to see why they're the fittest team in the league.
Also, with the exception of maybe Barnet, the title winners are usually capable of beating all the teams in the league. You can't say 'we're the best team in the league, if you don't count games against Aldershot, Lincoln, FGR etc'. 'Better' teams don't use those excuses.

This is all very reminiscent of Cheltenham, FGR and us last year. We all know how that turned out.

This is spot on by the way, we've not made any excuses at any point in the season. As dear Danny says, you can be victims or fighters. Tranmere fall into the former category.

 

[Davidimp]

Did Tranmere have a load of players injured when we beat them December?

 

[Master D]

They've had a squad of about 30 players anyway, not to mention a huge budget in general.

 

[Boz]

It's not rocket science to say that when all of your best players are available for the whole season, your team are likely to do better. I'm not sure that the sports science thing is a key factor as both Rovers and Lincoln use it. It can often be down to pure luck as to whether players sustain a serious injury or not.

I think the fact this league has been more competitive this year will actually help Lincoln in L2 next season. Last season Cheltenham strolled to the title, but are not guaranteed to stay up yet.