Christmas came early at the Bank, and a super Imps performance brought three points from a game that, for many, will live long in the memory. It had it all, excitement, jeopardy, questions being answered and a strong referee who ensured it remained about the players. The fog added an ethereal feel, the cold swirled around the ground as a proper December tie saw us move into second for Christmas.

Justin Obikwu's Trinidad and Tobago were eliminated from World Cup qualification last night, while Dexter Lembikisa sees his hopes of travelling hanging in the balance. Trinidad and Jamaica met in a must-win game for the former, while the Reggae Boyz were relying on results elsewhere, giving them a hand. The first half drifted by without much drama, yet the visitors struck early in the second period when Renaldo Cephas timed his run perfectly, cut inside from the left, and rolled a cool finish into the bottom corner.

'Defend that' is one of the aggressive challenges I face when we're on a bad run. It's usually one of the same few faces on the internet, but I get it at games as well. 'How are you going to write that up' was one challenge I got on the way out last night. The answer? 'Probably won't'. I was upset after the defeat.

This weekend was tough for me, as I was unable to get to the Imps game. I usually miss the odd game at home, maybe one or two a season. Sadly, I always seem to miss bangers - Bristol Rovers (5-0), Cambridge (6-0) and Ipswich (5-3) stand out in my mind. I had good reason: two were for my honeymoon, and the other I had the actual flu that kept me in bed for almost a week.

Assistant head coach Tom Shaw has signed a contract extension with the Imps, securing his future with the club until the summer of 2029. Shaw has been with the Imps for eight years, coaching in the Academy prior to taking on the role as first team coach in 2022. Last season, he was erroneously linked with the Notts County job, but he is still a highly regarded figure within the industry.

Lincoln City and Burton Albion have built up a curious rivalry in recent years, with results swinging dramatically between the two clubs. In competitive meetings, the record is remarkably even. Lincoln have taken eight wins to Burton’s eight, with just one draw across all competitions, 0-0 in 2010, Chris Sutton's final game in charge. That speaks volumes for how closely matched the sides have been since their first Football League encounter back in 2009, when Burton ran out 2-0 winners.