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On Boxing Day 1986 we had travelled to Sincil Bank. Six weeks previously Melia had departed after an abject stay. His team, I maintain to this day were in relative terms the worst side I have ever seen at EP. At that point we had garnered 6 points 15 league games and were looking nailed on for a drop into the Conference. It was the first season of automatic relegation. Colin Murphy had returned, overseen a debacle in the Cup against Caernarfon in his first game, but thereafter had started to put things right. The chilly festive fixture arrived with The Imps in 8th spot, and no doubt entertaining hopes of the play-offs. County were still rooted to the bottom of the table but had clawed back some of the gap to 23rd placed Torquay. It ended in a 0-0 draw – a satisfactory outcome for the modest number of Hatters fans making the journey back.

115 days later, on Easter Monday, the teams met in the return at Edgeley Park. There was all to play for. County had certainly had an improvement with Murphy, playing what might be termed ‘hoofball’ and letting Vernon Allatt chase a succession of long balls, and had gained another 30 points from 19 games. We now stood 21st, and away from the bottom spot. Lincoln on the other hand had suffered a dreadful run and added only another 14 points. It was as tight as drum at the bottom and arguably with half a dozen games left for most teams and only 9 points separating the bottom 8 teams it was going to go to the wire. County had won 3 of the previous 4 games, but had been absolutely pasted 5-0 at Gresty Road. Lincoln were in freefall with only 8 points from their 12 games since the end of February.

There were 2,529 at EP that evening. Not many the younger County supporters of today might think. But it wasn’t far off the best of the season. It was a tension riddled affair with both sides concentrating more on not losing rather than winning, and with 20 minutes to go County fans were looking to hold on to a point and ensure Lincoln didn’t stretch the gap between the two clubs. That was until Andy Hodkinson, with 19 minutes remaining, slammed the ball into the net. Referee Trelford Mills, who seemed to be a regaular fixture as the man in black at EP, pointed to the centre circle, and County then set on keeping the lead. They did. It was 3 points gained, and arguably the most important of the season. The following week a home victory over Swansea secured league status. Lincoln continued their slide losing three of their last 4 games, and the history books record that they dropped out of the league on the last day. They went into the game at Swansea knowing that a point and a Burnley win by less than 4 goals would consign either the the Turf Moor outfit or Torquay to the nether regions of the Conference. Lincoln failed to trouble the Swans, Burnley beat Orient and Torquay shared the spoils with Crewe

So the win against Lincoln was more than instrumental in helping us beat the drop. That was to arrive 24 years later …… In the meantime Murphy departed for Sincil Bank taking a raft of players with him. It was a short stay in the Conference as The Imps returned at the first time of asking.

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Memories of trips to Sincil Bank

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THE GAMES

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Where the date is in bold click for highlights of the game

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	Date	Venue	Ground	Competition		F	A	Att:
Sat	08/03/80	h	Edgeley Park	Football League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	2	1	2,536
Sat	13/09/80	h	Edgeley Park	Football League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	3,289
Fri	26/12/86	a	Sincil Bank	Today League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	2,773
Mon	20/04/87	h	Edgeley Park	Today League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	1	0	2,529
Sat	17/12/88	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	1	0	2,355
Wed	01/11/89	a	Sincil Bank	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	5,003
Mon	09/04/90	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	1	1	3,394
Sat	10/11/90	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	4	0	2,644
Sat	23/02/91	a	Sincil Bank	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	3	0	3,257
Sat	16/11/91	h	Edgeley Park	FA Cup (Round 1)	W	3	1	3,864
Sat	11/11/95	h	Edgeley Park	FA Cup (Round 1)	W	5	0	2,952
Tues	27/09/05	a	Sincil Bank	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	L	0	2	3,508
Sat	04/02/06	h	Edgeley Park	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	L	2	3	4,506
Sat	04/11/06	h	Edgeley Park	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	W	2	0	5,497
Sat	07/04/07	a	Sincil Bank	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	5,320
Tue	04/12/07	h	Edgeley Park	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	L	1	3	5,260
Sat	15/03/08	a	Sincil Bank	Coca-Cola Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	W	1	0	4,544
Sat	23/10/10	a	Sincil Bank	npower Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	4,809
Sat	22/01/11	h	Edgeley Park	npower Football League – League 2 (Tier 4)	L	3	4	4,348
Fri	26/08/11	a	Sincil Bank	Blue Square Bet Premier (Tier 5)	D	1	1	2,152
Sat	07/04/12	h	Edgeley Park	Blue Square Bet Premier (Tier 5)	W	4	0	3,975
Sat	27/10/12	a	Sincil Bank	Blue Square Bet Premier (Tier 5)	D	3	3	1,873
Tue	12/02/13	h	Edgeley Park	Blue Square Bet Premier (Tier 5)	W	2	0	2,769

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