Lincoln City rounded off a turbulent week by going down 1-0 to Southend at Roots Hall on Saturday afternoon.
The result sent the Imps tumbling further down the League Two table and they now hover precariously above the Football League trapdoor in 22nd position.
Despite Chris Sutton’s departure earlier in the week, caretaker manager Scott Lindsey was aiming to focus the players’ minds in order to achieve just their third win of the season. However Barry Corr’s early strike for the Shrimpers was enough to secure all three points.
Lindsey decided to stick with the starting line-up that drew 0-0 with Burton Albion in mid-week, meaning the team lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Drewe Broughton partnering Ben Hutchinson in attack.
He did though decide to name all of the seven substitutes that clubs are entitled to include in their matchday squad— one of the few times Lincoln had done so this season. That meant young prospects Nathan Adams and Sam Turner were handed places on the bench.
Lindsey will not only be disappointed with the defeat, but also the injury that forced goalkeeper Joe Anyon off the pitch in the second half. Veteran stopper Paul Musselwhite replaced Anyon but the caretaker manager will be hoping Anyon’s knock is not too serious and that he can take the gloves again for the Imps’ next match—at home to Macclesfield next weekend.