One miserly point from a possible 15 leaves McCall future hanging in balance (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

One miserly point from a possible 15 leaves McCall future hanging in balance

6:30am Monday 25th January 2010 in

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Lincoln 2, City 1

It felt like somebody had read Stuart McCall’s tea leaves and delivered their own damning verdict.

As the City boss stood pitchside preparing to pick through another horrible afternoon, the Sincil Bank floodlights suddenly went off.

Maybe Lincoln were just trying to save a few bob and hinting for the last stragglers to make their way home. But as omens go, it must have struck a worrying note for the manager.

A result that could well have turned the lights out on City’s season – and left McCall in the dark about his own long-term future.

He had come out fighting on Friday with a bullish prediction of three wins from the next four games. The fixtures, including three against sides beneath the Bantams, looked favourable.

But any win for City at the moment looks an uphill task. A trip to face a Lincoln side with two victories on the bounce quickly took on Pyrenean proportions once they had gifted the hosts a two-goal start.

The defeat was City’s fourth in five – they have managed one miserly point against Cheltenham from a possible 15.

December and January had been flagged up as a time to see what they were made of against several of the top sides. Postponements withstanding, they fell short on that count. Now even the supposed minnows are biting back like Jaws.

Lincoln were the only team in the bottom six that City had not beaten. Now the Imps have done the double.

Should they win at Burton on Wednesday, Chris Sutton’s gaggle of willing youngsters will hopscotch over City in the table. If Macclesfield and Barnet also win in midweek, McCall’s men will sink to 19th – or sixth from bottom in old money – ahead of next week’s marathon trek to Torquay.

You can’t possibly see City being sucked into a relegation battle with Grimsby for that second trapdoor spot as they are still 11 points to the good on the Mariners. But equally, talk of a play-off pop can surely be put to bed – the gap to seventh-placed Dagenham is now ten.

So where does that leave the rest of the season? And where does that leave the club legend in charge?

The most depressing fact to wake up to this morning is that City’s campaign is effectively over. Barring a seismic shift in fortunes, the season can be written off in January with 21 games still to go.

McCall has stated that he will dig his heels in. The time for quitting was last summer. So how will the club’s power-brokers react? Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes were again frustrated spectators in the directors’ box on Saturday.

The reaction of the supporters may provide the key. Message boards crackle with indignation but there has been no public show of dissent towards a man they worshipped in his playing days.

The chant of “Stuart McCall’s Bradford Army” rang out again before kick-off. It was later countered by a gloating chorus of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” from the other end as Lincoln piled on the agony. More uncomfortable times for all parties clearly lie ahead.

McCall insists the team are still playing for him but, with the soft-centred blunders they keep committing, he must wonder.

Michael Boulding’s neck problem had thrown another unexpected selection curve ball his way. Gareth Evans, who looks to be running on empty, therefore had to start alongside Omar Daley. The Jamaican’s presence for his first full game in a year was the one shaft of light amid the gloom.

Simon Ramsden stayed in midfield but, somewhat surprisingly, on the left side of a fit-again Lee Bullock. City’s shape shifted frequently as McCall sought solutions but he knew the answer came in his side’s defensive misgivings.

Not that they were infallible at the other end. Luke O’Brien chose the wrong option in a one-on-one after a storming charge from halfway and Evans’ woeful first touch wrecked a certain tap-in after Daley had whipped round the back.

Lincoln made no mistakes when they countered for the first goal on half an hour. The centre halves were sucked out of position as Brian Gilmour fed Chris Herd to steer past Matt Glennon’s right hand.

Seven minutes later and City imploded once more. Zesh Rehman went for a wrong ball and was outjumped by the much smaller Cian Hughton and Delroy Facey worked the ball on to leave Matt Clarke and O’Brien in no man’s land.

The impressive Gilmour was in the clear as Clarke and O’Brien towed along hopelessly and he finished comfortably.

City’s dressing-room at half-time was no place for the faint-hearted. Skipper Rehman paid the price for his sorry display and was benched.

Amid the accusations, McCall urged the players to rally the spirit of Accrington last season. Then they scored three times in 15 minutes; here they had a whole half.

But City’s comeback powers have waned. They had trailed at the interval in seven previous league games and only once – at Macclesfield – recovered to get a point. The silence from the away fans showed what they thought.

Boulding’s presence, though, offered a cutting edge for a while and he halved the deficit with a neat finish from O’Brien’s cross. The support came alive.

City’s pressure became frenzied and Boulding missed a great chance to level. Daley, twice, shot straight at Rob Burch.

But for all the huff and puff, there was never a convincing suggestion of a second goal. The cool heads of Lincoln centre halves Adam Watts and Nathan Baker became a magnet for the high balls.

The anticipated opening win of the three that McCall demanded had drifted away in the freezing Lincolnshire air. And with it, seemingly, hopes of achieving anything this season. Attendance: 3,803