Christmas time Cracker : Mansfield 1 Lincoln 2
By Nathan Jackson
December 18 2010
With no Christmas having been played during December involving Lincoln City, we are going to take a look back at some cracking games from this time of years down recent years. The first of which is a promotion clash against local rivals Mansfield from the 2003/4 season.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 13TH 2003
MANSFIELD TOWN 1 LINCOLN CITY 2
In December 2003 the Imps were knocked out of two cup competitions within ten days. The first was a heavy 3-0 defeat at Steve Tilson's FA Cup game at Southend, the second was a defeat to Halifax Town in the LDV Vans Trophy, the winning goal scored by future-Imp Kevin Sandwith. However, in between came an away game at local rivals Mansfield Town. Both sides were chasing promotion, City were 8th going into the game and Mansfield were 3rd, just two points behind top of the table Oxford United.
A crowd of 5,797 were at Field Mill, including just over 1,000 Lincoln fans number making the 30 or so mile trip from Lincoln. Caretaker boss Gary Simpson made three changes for the game. Gary Fletcher's (as he was known then) injury gave a rare chance for Dene Cropper, whereas Marcus Richardson was playing his first appearance since rejoining the Imps on loan from Hartlepool, he replaced Niall McNamara and the final change saw Bailey replace Bloomer.
The Lincoln XI was Alan Marriott in goal with Mark Bailey, Paul Mayo, Ben Futcher, Simon Weaver and Paul Morgan at the back. Peter Gain and Dene Cropper formed their regular two man midfield behind a three man attack that contained Simon Yeo, Dene Cropper and Marcus Richardson. Allan Pearce, Ben Sedgemore and Richard Liburd joined the aforementioned McNamara and Bloomer on the bench.
Mansfield lined up with Kevin Pilkington, Junior Mendes (who would later join City), Dave Artell, Wayne Cordon, Tom Curtis, Lee Williamson, Bobby Hassell, Liam Lawrence, Adam Eaton, Rhys Day and Iseyden Christie start, with Colin Larkin, Neil McKenzie, Jason White Craig Disley and former Lincoln youth team member Luke Dimech on the bench.
A very windy afternoon began very quickly with Peter Gain volleying wide for the Imps, but the City fans
certainly didn't have to wait long for an opening goal to be scored in front of them. Richard Butcher had developed a habit of scoring some brilliant goals, but few of his efforts every compared to the goal he scored at Mansfield. He picked up the ball around 35 yards out after tussling with a Mansfield defender, Butcher shot on the turn and the ball sailed at velocity beyond Pilkington to give City a 1-0 lead.
Mansfield were no mugs though. They were third coming into the game having just being relegation and had a squad that would be involved in the promotion picture all season. Alan Marriott pulled off fine saves from Tom Curtis and then dealt with two corners. Pilkington caught a free kick from Mayo before Yeo hit a right footed shot straight at Pilkington. Morgan wsa lucky to escape a booking when he appeared to foul Liam Lawrence when the midfielder was bursting through on goal.
Mendes, whom had a trial at Lincoln during the summer of 2002, tested Marriott from the half hour mark in an opening 15 minutes that had been full of action. Butcher and Gain worked well together to force another corner, but this failed to come anything before Artell shot straight into the arms of Marriott when through on goal, fortunately the offside flag had gone up anyway, meaning that it saved his embarrasment as it wouldn't have counted anyway.
After a frantic opening half, Mansfield got back into the game when Christie was fouled in the box and fouled by Ben Futcher. Liam Lawrence was Mansfield's regular penalty taker and his his spot kick into the net, although Alan Marriott did get a hand to the ball. Mendes was booked for a foul on Bailey before Gain's challenge on Williamson also saw a yellow card displayed.
City had a penalty shout just before half tie when Mayo's cross appeared to hit Artell's arm, it was ignored by the referee. The half ended with Yeo hitting a ball into the side netting.
Neither side made a substitution at half time and it was the hosts who forced the first chance of the second half as Lawrence forced Mayo to concede a corner, although the corner came to nothing. Simon Yeo broke free from the Mansfield defence but Lee Williamson caught up with him, only to foul him in the process. Although the free kick came to nothing, the play continued at the Mansfield end and Bailey's centre was cleared straight to Peter Gain (left), who jinked onto his left side and smashed the ball in from the edge of the area. He celebrated the goal by running to the opposite end of the pitch and sliding in front of the City fans......an amazing contrast to his reactions when scoring against Lincoln for Peterborough several years later.
Much like in the first half the hosts tried immediately to get back into the game, winning three quickfire corners, the third of which resulted in a City counter attack that saw Richardson and Cropper involved before crossing for years, only to see the ball headed behind by Hassell. Yeo was booked for kicking the ball away.
Christie's shot was cleared off of the link by Ben Futcher before Gain again tried his luck, this time missing the target by quite some way. Mansfield thought they had equalised when after Simon Weaver tugged on Christie's shirt, the resulting free kick was floated in and Corden headed it down before being held by Marriott right on the line. Mansfield fans and players celebrated alike, but the goal wasn't given and play resumed.
Cropper had impressed during the game and received a good reception when he was replaced by McNamara before Larkin replaced Corden for the hosts. Christie and Gain clashed when the latter jinked his way past the Mansfield man and getting a kick in response. More substitutions followed but neither side could force another goal and the Imps celebrated an excellent win.
The sides would meet again later on in the season and City won 4-1 in a game they dominated. Both sides would make the Playoffs at the end of the season. Lincoln lost 4-3 on aggregate to Peter Jackson's Huddersfield in the semi-finals, whereas Mansfield progressed to meet the Terriers after beating Northampton on penalties. Mansfield thought they had scored in the last minute of added on time in the final to win it, but the ball had crossed the line for a goalkick and that cost them as they produced some of the worst penalties you'll ever seen, eventually losing 4-1.
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remember both butcher and gains goals quite well. and lawrences penalty to be fair.
particularly butchers where he scored from miles out! lol
the good old days