The dawning of a new era - Lincoln City 2 v Charlton Athletic 0

Annoyingly, I was in hospital on Friday and this weekend, so have missed out on the opportunity to report on all the excitement of Thomas Sandgaard's successful takeover over of Charlton Athletic Football Club.

When I surfaced from the anaesthetic on Friday around 5pm, I had over 200 emails, texts and WhatsApps messages - I knew it had happened before I opened the first message. Absolutely brilliant news which made me shout out aloud in my bed! The last four years in particular have been extremely tough for us Addicks but it now looks certain that we have a decent, responsible, ambitious and wealthy owner who can give us a desperately needed period of stability and investment which should, once again, raise the fortunes of the club.

Thomas Sandgaard looks heaven-sent. A genuinely engaging man who appears to be very down-to-earth and who has fallen for CAFC in a way all of us once did. His enthusiasm is wonderful and when he tells you repeatedly that he can't believe his luck and that Charlton look so much better a prospect every time he looks, you know we have struck lucky. I think we all know how special this club is and how great it can be and, as fans, have always wondered why others cannot see what we do so clearly.

It is incredibly sad that he cannot get an audience with 27,111 of us in full voice to truly welcome him to The Valley and to put the Fear of God into League One opposition. The second wave makes it look very likely that he will have to wait another year for the full effect. Another year of bearing heavy operating losses but still he wasn't deterred. 

So to yesterday's game then. You just knew we would lose. It's the Charlton way. The bigger the build-up, the bigger the disappointment. Lincoln are one of the fancied sides in this division and went top last night with Doncaster Rovers who also beat us last week. However, they looked distinctly average to me and we matched them in that.

We looked powder-puff up front with Washington and Bonne unable to find any space and creating very little. Washington had our best chance of the game on 3 minutes when twisting in the box and firing a shot back across the goal which skimmed the post. After that, it was all huff and puff. Liam Bridcutt once again lead us a dance in midfield but we had plenty of possession but just couldn't find the space to play in. Oztumer is a trier but, for me, he simply doesn't deliver. Dylan Levitt was a high point on his midfield debut as was Akin Famewo at centre-half. 

What lost us the game was the carelessness of Oshilaja and Pratley. Oshilaja can become a far better player but he has to be a better tackler in order to do that. For me, he gave away a stone wall penalty on 35 minutes when he bundled Anderson over in the box but there wasn't a strong appeal by the Imps and the ref let it ride. Just before the break, Pratley handled on the edge of the area giving away a dangerous free-kick. We charged that down but from the resulting play, Pratley bundled Hopper over and Lincoln had their penalty. Amos saved the initial effort but it was turned in by the taker Grant after being knocked back in to him in a clear offside position. The only possible explanation for allowing the goal was if the touch to Grant had come from Purrington who had challenged for the second ball. It was tough but no less than we had deserved from the preceding ten minutes.

In the second-half we simply didn't do enough and none of our substitutions managed to raise our game. Pratley dropped back to centre-half after new boy Famewo was taken off on the hour due to tiredness. He managed to concede two more free-kicks in dangerous positions and we were fortunate not have lost the match from one of those. As it was, the coup de grace came just before full-time when Lincoln headed home a soft second goal from a back post cross. 

Sunderland next up. We might have one or two more options by then and we always fancy our chances against the Makems. Phil Parkinson's side don't score many goals so it's likely to be another very close affair.