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Stockport County 1 Lincoln City 3

Simon Smedley
5/12/2007

COUNTY suffered a fifth straight home league defeat last night at the hands of a Lincoln side who had been bottom of the table ahead of the game.

There was more woe for the Edgeley Park faithful, whose only real cheer came late on when Liam Dickinson struck home a rebound after a David Poole shot had been parried. County also lost Adam Proudlock to a 75th minute straight red card which boss Jim Gannon later described as ‘incredible’.

County, minus knee injury victim Matty McNeil, had just the better of the opening 45 minutes but couldn’t polish off any of their chances.

Dickinson headed narrowly wide early on from an in-swinging Adam Griffin corner-kick, but Lincoln responded with Conrad Logan diving low to beat away a great drive from the lively Dany N’Guessan.

Poole ought to have done better when he screwed a shot wide from eight yards, while visiting ‘keeper Ben Smith had to be at his acrobatic best to keep out another Dickinson header. Just before the break Dickinson went on a mazy run before shooting straight at Smith.

County’s prospects quickly slumped after the restart though, when Ben Wright scored twice in the opening 10 minutes.

Firstly he pounced after Logan failed to grip an N’Guessan cross, then he volleyed home smartly from eight yards.

Gannon made a triple switch just past the hour mark, but the atmosphere was scarcely lifted, even when Dickinson shot inches wide.

As if County’s night couldn’t get any worse, sub Proudlock was then red-carded following what initially looked like a 50/50 challenge with Paul Green.

Dickinson did gain a reward when he fired home a rebound on 84 minutes, but two minutes later Lincoln sub Lenell John-Lewis completed another miserable Edgeley Park outcome with a cool finish.

“We looked a threat in the first half, but we just didn’t deliver,” added Hatters boss Gannon.

COUNTY: Logan, Turnbull, Rose (Rowe, 62), Taylor, Owen, Poole, Elding (Proudlock, 62), Griffin, Raynes, Tansey (Briggs, 62), Dickinson. Subs not used: Tunnicliffe, Nowland.