Robbo* puts the boot in

Photo: Alan Howarth

BACK IN THE GAME . . . Peter Clarke pulls a goal back for Athletic.

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* Lincoln City's two-goal striker

LINCOLN CITY 3, ATHLETIC 2

ATHLETIC slumped out of the FA Cup at the hands of fiercely-drilled, determined and less error-prone opponents on a disastrous night at Sincil Bank.

"You're not fit to wear the shirt" was the stark verdict from the visiting supporters at half-time at Sincil Bank, with boss Stephen Robinson's side then 2-0 down and wobbling badly on the ropes.

It soon got worse, with Theo Robinson, once of Derby and Huddersfield but now in non-league and with one goal to his name all season before this game, tripled that tally to render namesake Stephen's half-time team talk redundant.

There was no lack of effort. But the execution, at both ends of the field, was lacking, to an embarrassing extent.

There was a late rally, brought on by the introduction of Lee Croft. Peter Clarke powered home a header from a corner and after substitute Billy Mckay finished neatly, Cameron Burgess nearly planted home a header to equalise.

But that would have been unjust. Lincoln, powerful and smart and determined, deserved to progress, pick up the £27,000 in prize money and booked a third-round tie at Ipswich.

Their manager Danny Cowley, whose side were roared on by 7,000 supporters, praised his side's "Premier League" attitude.

There is the nagging feeling that the Imps - near the top of the Conference and unbeaten since September - are a club on the up, while Athletic try to tread water.

So much for that pot of gold to play with in the transfer window. Manager Stephen Robinson, who cut a dejected figure after this chastening defeat, will have to work some alchemical magic to get his base materials to shine from now on in.

CHANGES

Robinson made five changes to the starting line-up that drew 2-2 at Port Vale. Out went the ill Ryan Flynn, Josh Law, Charles Dunne, Ousmane Fane and Billy Mckay, with Cameron Dummigan, Jamie Reckord, Paul Green, Carl Winchester and Lee Erwin starting.

This game was worth a pretty penny of itself. The £72,000 broadcast fee Athletic picked up certainly helped in the context of a club under a transfer embargo.

Chairman Simon Corney - who jetted in to be present at the game - was as desperate for a victory as his manager, who had hoped to be handed additional funds to play with once the transfer window re-opens.

Athletic started at pace, as they knew they must, be soon found themselves put under physical pressure by the bulk of old-fashioned centre-forward Matt Rhead, a player built like a second-row forward with a knack for winning every aerial duel going.

Freddie Ladapo had an early shot towards the near post of Paul Farman's goal in the ninth minute, but it was the first of only two on target in the first half from an Athletic side who were to prove prone to calamity at the back.

Lincoln's tactics were not especially elaborate - to play off Rhead - but Robinson's side struggled to deal with the target man early on and he had a major hand in the 23rd-minute opener.

Terry Hawkridge had already tested Connor Ripley's reflexes, before Ladapo's run at goal up the other end finished with the ball rebounding off his shins and a foot wide.

The winger was allowed time to float in an inocuous-looking cross towards Rhead, who had pulled off Reckord at the far post. His header lobbed up over Cameron Burgess, who failed to react to the danger, with ex-Derby forward Robinson lively enough to pounce and get the ball through Ripley's legs from close range via an attempted header that came off his shoulder.

Two minutes later, the disaster was doubled. This time Carl Winchester committed the cardinal sin of playing a floaty square pass in front of his own area and Hawkridge saw it a mile off, intercepting to hone in on goal and slotting low and confidently to the left of Ripley with the outside of his right foot.

Athletic did push towards the end of the opening half. Ryan McLaughlin fired in an angled shot that Farman palmed away, with Winchester unable to turn the rebound back at goal.

It could have been 3-0 seconds before half-time, though, when scorer Robinson span his man and ushered the ball wide with the outside of his right foot. It was a let-off. The respite was brief.

Reckord's header towards Ollie Banks wasn't inviting and the midfielder was beaten to the ball by Alan Power, who lofted into Robinson's path. The finish, over Ripley and into the far corner from 12 yards out, was clinical.

Athletic, insipid up until the hour mark, improved when Croft was brought on. Lee Erwin saw a long-range effort tipped over and shortly after that, a driven Banks corner was headed in powerfully by Peter Clarke.

FLICK
Three minutes later, home nerves were left jangling when Erwin's flick inside the area was met by the run of Mckay, who beat Farman to the ball to fire into the far corner for his fourth cup goal of the campaign.

Could Athletic somehow turn the game on its head by finding an equaliser? As thick fog patches descended on Sincil Bank, it appeared that might be the case when Burgess headed wide as the visitors applied some heavy pressure in the 77th minute.

The momentum waned, though. Lincoln rode out the tie and can look forward to another dose of FA Cup magic.

For Athletic, the whole task is to forget about what was at times a shocking display and concentrate on standing up to the battles ahead, starting at Oxford on Saturday.