Lincoln started the season with enthusiastic hopes of a play-off challenge at the back of a pretty good transfer campaign. Lee Beavers, Bradley Wood and Liam Hearn were all looking like quality additions but few expected Matt Rhead to have as much role as the big striker would have over the course of the season. The team started with some decent results and certainly looked capable of staging a challenge for the top places. Yet they mustered solely two wins from the first eight games and seemed a bit too preoccupied with just avoiding a loss instead of going for it. The Imps eventually started to get some good momentum as three wins in four going into late October moved them on the precipice of the play-off race. Rhead was being utilised by the team as the direct style was playing right into his strengths. The midfield was dynamic and efficient while the back four were rugged and determined in their actions. There was certainly good balance in the squad and Lincoln really hit top form after winning three games in November as well, among them seeing off title favourites Tranmere for a 1:0 home success. Things were looking good at that stage but little did Chris Moyses know that his side would then go on a long run without a win and never go close to the promotion places for the rest of the season. The descent started with a couple of cheap draws against poor sides like Welling and Boreham Wood when they should have won. That stalled momentum in the side and then came a poor loss away at Woking away from home. Suddenly, from everything looking rose, things started to slide and confidence began to gain. More points were dropped against lowly Barrow and Halifax and then came a depressing loss to bitter rivals Grimsby in the derby around Christmas too. Suddenly deflation and resignation took hold at Sincil Bank and it took a whole for Moyses to shake the team off their stupor. They finally ended the run at the 11th game of asking as a limited Guisley side were downed. It inspired a decent run of four wins and two draws in six games and the hopes of a late play-off charge were revived. Yet a poor loss at Dover ended their challenge before it really flourished and Lincoln pretty much played for pride only in the final six weeks of the season. it meant that another season went up wasted for one of the bigger clubs in the league. Positives were few despite some good showings and decent spirited fostered by Moyses, who leaves after a year and a half in the job. His replacement is a reason for the fans to be excited as Braintree’s Danny Cowley was persuaded to join and he has the potential to be the one to finally end the long wait of the Imps next season, having shown incredible capabilities over the last season.
