2001-02 R&DFC v Lincoln City

Match Report by Andrew
Diamonds first ever Home Football League match ended in a commendable draw in front of the ITV cameras.
The first half was an even affair, but Diamonds went close to a dramatic opening goal after less than two minutes, Mark Peters heading just wide from a Stuart Gray free kick. But Lincoln are now seasoned league campaigners and
quickly showed they weren’t going to be upstaged by the new boys, and the veteran Kingsley Black’s shot from
distance just cleared Billy Turley’s bar.
The returning Stuart Gray was in the thick of the action and had two efforts on goal, one sliced well over and another
straight at Marriott. The Lincoln ‘keeper had to be alert again when a Garry Butterworth shot from 35 yards went straight at him.
The visitors had their chances as well, a Thorpe scissors kick flying over and then Sedgemore’s effort just cleared the woodwork.
Diamonds started the second period the brightest, Gray seeing a header go just wide, and then Justin Jackson’s
shot went straight at Marriott. But Lincoln then came closest to breaking the deadlock when Morgan’s header crashed back off the bar. Gain then should have given Lincoln the lead but he shot over with just Turley to beat.
Brian Talbot made a change just after the hour mark, Duane Darby replacing Warren Patmore. Jackson then fired high and wide when Jon Brady was free in space, and that pair then combined again with Brady seeing his shot go just wide. Diamonds were now in the ascendancy and this time it was Darby whose shot flew just wide.
Lincoln’s attacks were few and far between, but Finnigan’s shot from 25 yards had Billy Turley scrambling to his right but saw it safely past his post.

Team: Turley, Mustafa, Underwood, Carey, Peters, Rodwell, Butterworth, Brady, Jackson, Patmore, Gray. Sub: Darby.