Sloppy Sleaford Hit For Seven

The Greens possibly edged proceedings for the first 10 minutes or so, but once Matt Cotton – who would go on to register four of the Whites seven goals – bagged the opener, the Whites rarely looked back. Despite just a 2-0 deficit at the break, the Greens were soon left lagging behind, finding themselves a further four goals behind by the 75th minute before former Green Joe Smith came back to haunt his former side with a seventh in stoppage time.

Player/Manager Tom Ward made two changes from the side that suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Deeping Rangers on Wednesday evening with the injured Max Ward and the unavailable Sebastian Robbemond dropping out of the side with Ward himself, and midfielder Lewis Daff, both returning to the starting eleven in their places. Visitors Lincoln United meanwhile also made two changes from the side that defeated Wisbech Town 2-0 last weekend with former Green Mitch Griffiths dropping out the side through injury while Sam Swinn also dropped to the bench - their places in the starting eleven taken by Elliott Dye and Callum Foster.

The game took a while to get going and it was not until Evan Payne produced a fine last-ditch block from Tristan Drummond’s cross that the game delivered any real attacking threat. The contest soon sparked into life though, just five minutes later to be precise, when Lincoln United found the breakthrough as Ted Gibbons corner was headed into the net – possibly with the help of Harry Millard – by Whites captain Matt Cotton.

Elliott Foster was required to be lively at the back for the Whites, blocking well from Tristan Drummond on two occasions, back-to-back which turned out to be a useful intervention on the visitors behalf when Tom Ward hauled down Cotton just a minute later to gift the Whites a penalty – one duly dispatched by Cotton to double his sides advantage going into the break.

After the break, the visitors really began to step on the gas and just out from the hour, they extended their lead further with their second penalty of the day, this time Charlie Ward bringing Cotton down who dusted himself down again to coolly dispatch the Whites third beyond Flitton. The Whites 4th arrived quickly after, this time Flitton scuffing his clearance into the path of Tobias Liversidge who set himself well to curl a beauty beyond Flitton and into the bottom corner to put the visitors firmly out of sight.

Things were to get worse shortly after when again, Flitton’s scuffed clearance was picked up by Jack McMenemy who crossed for Cotton to find a 5th via the helpless attempted blocks of Issa Gaye and keeper Flitton – this strike was then swiftly followed by Paul Ward’s dismissal from the touchline when his remonstrations with the referee were deemed a step too far by the official. The Greens did then manage to generate an effort on target – their first of the contest – when the ball fell to Charlie Ward just inside the box but his angled strike was easily collected by Jack Steggles in the Whites goal.

That then triggered another flurry of Whites chances who by now were finding Liam Flitton in usual form, which was a blessed relief to the hosts who continued to give up chances at will. Flitton was first up athletically to tip Dye’s header onto the crossbar before ending the same phase of play with a fine diving save to beat McMenemy’s powerful drive around the post. McMenemy was then to find Flitton his nemesis once again a minute later when the Greens stopper produced his best to tip away the forward man’s drive from the edge of the box – but his heroics were soon to be breached when Ted Gibbons was on hand at the back post to round the onrushing Flitton and slot the Whites 6th into an empty net.

Flitton was back in action once again as the clock ticked down to the 90th minute, this time using his body to good effect to block Elliott Dye from adding a seventh after he’d broken free from the attentions of Kyle Watkins. That respite was short-lived though when former Green Joe Smith received the ball on the edge of the box and swept a sweet effort into the bottom corner beyond the despairing dive of Flitton.
The Greens will hope to put a disappointing week behind them quickly and get back on track with a midweek visit to face Harrowby United in Lincolnshire Senior Trophy action on Tuesday evening. That is then swiftly followed by the eagerly anticipated trip to Worcester City in FA Vase 1st Round action next weekend. Kick-off on Tuesday is set for 7.45PM while kick-off on Saturday will be at 3PM.

Words: Oliver Atkin