Opening day delight dashed by Carling Cup comedown

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Well that was a kick in the... teeth!

Having matched Barnsley blow for heavyweight blow in a pulsating Carling Cup tie at Sincil Bank on Tuesday night, one momentary lapse was all it took for us to be facing the prospect of another early exit from a cup competition.

ItâÂÂs fair to say that Lincoln's cup record in recent years has been less than spectacular, with a mixture of gallant failure (see last season's Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy exploits), and poor performance (last year's FA Cup) contributing to the malaise.

11 home draws and just five wins is not the stuff of champions, rendering the notion of making your home fortress something of a joke. But hey, new season, new chapter, and weâÂÂre off and running.

While weâÂÂre on the subject of jokes, did anyone catch the BBC Football League highlights on Saturday night?

Now were my eyes deceiving me, and was I a little too giddy on red wine and Pringles, but did the programme cut out to a shot of a young lady about to strike an attractive pose during the League Two goals round-up?

I confess I didnâÂÂt get a great view of the incident (my better half was in the room, ready and waiting to pounce on any change of facial tic!), but it definitely wasnâÂÂt Adrian Chiles, unless heâÂÂs had expensive surgery and is partial to a little cross-dressing at weekends. 

Call me a little sensitive, but with the piece hitching its wagon to NorwichâÂÂs opening day mauling, I found it a little crass to say the least.

What other profession openly asks you to effectively vote on an individualâÂÂs position every Saturday evening?

ThereâÂÂs peopleâÂÂs livelihoodâÂÂs at stake here, and I expect a bit more from a corporation who we pay our licence fee to in good faith, expecting the level of debate to be worthy of the fee.

OK, rant over, and itâÂÂs Accrington Stanley away this weekend.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when Sven first puts his head around the visitors' dressing room at Stanley.

At the risk of sounding patronising, fair play to them for surviving on gates of around 1,000 with a ground thatâÂÂs seen better days, but itâÂÂs probably not the first fixture you look out for in June.

As ever, itâÂÂs about doing the job and getting the result. And if we can do that and follow it up similarly three days later away at Bradford, then weâÂÂll begin to realise this early season promise and make sure itâÂÂs not just that!

Incidentally, think of me while youâÂÂre watching the England game, as I embark on a scouting mission to see Bradford at Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup.  

Usually I go alone, but this time I'm going with our kit-man Matt.

Kit-man is only the beginning of his talents. As an ex-player, heâÂÂs not normally shy in giving his opinion on a whole range of subjects and things youâÂÂve done that heâÂÂs invariably done better/quicker.

Sample quote: "Everest, you say, MOUNT Everest youâÂÂve seen? Not bad but IâÂÂve climbed KILIMANJARO!"

Now IâÂÂm in a good mood buoyed by our two performances so far, but every man has his limits.

If you hear any reports in your morning bulletins of a man eased out of the passenger side of a moving car on the A52, youâÂÂll know he pushed me too far, and IâÂÂll be in even more confined surroundings than Accrington's ground for the game at the weekend.