In what has to be the worst performance of the season, Lincoln slumped to a 4-0 defeat to North Ferriby United.
The Imps had ended a run of eight games without a win on Tuesday, smashing 4 past a hapless Alfreton, but they were unable to carry that form into today’s game.
North Ferriby United currently sit top of the Conference North and had only lost two league games in their last 10 in the run up to this fixture.
The visitors showed the form that has taken them to the top of their division in the early stages, with Liam King forcing an excellent save by Farman to his left hand side.
North Ferriby continued to look impressive as they kept Lincoln at arms reach, with only a Bohan Dixon header really testing Nicklin in the Ferriby goal.
And it was indeed the visitors who struck first with Liam King, who this time beat Farman, sliding the ball into the bottom corner.
Lincoln just couldn’t get going and they were lucky to be only one down after 35 minutes, with Farman saving a volley from Jarman and Hone heading inches wide from the resulting corner.
It was a pitiful first half display from Simpson’s men, and they were further punished for their lack of effort and intensity when Kendall got free of the Lincoln defence to slide in a second for the Conference North side.
Take nothing away from North Ferriby though. They acquitted themselves well in the first half and fully deserved their two nil lead.
Lincoln needed a vast improvement from the first half and although they carved out the first chance in the second half with Nat Brown header, it was easy for Nicklin in the Ferriby net.
It couldn’t get much worse than the first half and Lincoln showed that, with Robinson carving out a chance for Rowe with a lovely jinxing run. Nicklin though, diverted Rowe’s shot for corner.
Nothing came of it and Ferriby broke dangerously, with King smashing the cross bar seconds later with a miss directed cross.
What was that about things not getting worse?
Well, Farman, the usually reliable Paul Farman, pulled down Jarman after he fumbled the ball to concede a penalty, which Jarman stroked in to make it 3 nil.
Lincoln were unable to do anything to get back into the game and conceded a fourth in added time. King latched onto a spill by Farman to slot home.
A terrible performance from Lincoln City. They showed no passion or effort in the first half, and no desire in the second to get back into the game to avoid the embarrassment of losing 4-0 to a lower division side.
North Ferriby United will have been surprised at how easy it was for them.
The boo’s rang out after the game. And nobody will disagree when I say they deserved them all.
Player Ratings
Paul Farman – 5: Conceded a definite penalty. Not good enough by his standards.
Tom Miller – 6: Good young defender and bright spark in the flickering light bulb that was Lincoln this afternoon.
Luke Foster – 5: Shoddy defending cost Lincoln today. He was part of it.
Nat Brown – 5: Not good enough by his standards. Jarman had the better of him.
Sean Newton – 6: Good set piece taker and did carve out a few opportunities for his teammates.
Todd Jordan – 5: The game passed him by in the first half and he blew a chance to half the score line in the second.
Jon Nolan – 5: Wasn’t strong enough. Passing off as well.
Bohan Dixon – 4: Missed a sitter and didn’t do much else. (Subbed at 45 minutes)
Conner Robinson – 6: A few good runs from the young man. Looks a good player.
Nick Wright – 4: Poor game from the striker. Was anonymous for 45 minutes. (Subbed at 45 minutes)
Ben Tomlinson – 5: Didn’t have much service but didn’t do anything with what he got.
Subs:
Danny Rowe (45) – 5: Didn’t affect the game enough to get Lincoln back into it.
Mo Fafana (45) – 5: Shoddy second half performance. Passing was sloppy.
Jake Sheridan (67) – 5: Again, not up to the mark today.