Statistics don’t always tell the full story of a game of football, but three shots on target between the two sides in the whole 90 minutes provides a pretty fair insight into an encounter sickeningly labelled by some on social media as the LNER derby.
In a largely uneventful first half, Lincoln produced the better chances, with Dan Nlundulu twice denied by a lack of composure in front of goal when well placed, before Lasse Sorensen powered a header towards goal that was impressively stopped by a sprawling Louis Jones.
What the second half similarly lacked in attacking quality, it made up for in a greater sense of urgency and tempo, with Rovers growing into the game as the November darkness drew in.
By the latter stages, it was the home team pushing for a breakthrough, but the closest they came was a dipping Aidan Barlow shot that was tipped over by Josh Griffiths, and a stoppage time header wide from Joe Dodoo – an effort that would’ve ordinarily drawn more of an ‘oooh’ from the home crowd, had they not already long-since resigned themselves to a goalless afternoon.
The post-match casting around for positives will point to a clean sheet, an energetic second-half performance, a point gained against last season’s defeated play-off finalists, and another graceful midfield display from Ethan Galbraith. However, the narrative encapsulating Rovers’ season is the painful lack of a goal threat, and so it proved again here in a ninth blank from 17 league games.
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