November 16th 2002, a rejuvenated Lincoln City travelled to Carlisle United in the FA Cup first round, hoping for a cash-spinning run to the third round.
It was months after we were saved from administration, and weeks after we’d lost to them at Sincil Bank in a game of three red cards and lost tempers. when they had Darren Kelly sent off by Graham Salisbury, somewhat ironically our referee this weekend, it looked like we might progress.
We didn’t. Dene Cropper and Simon Yeo couldn’t find a way through the ten men and a brace inside ten second half minutes killed the game. Ben Futcher made it respectable on 87 minutes, but you get nothing for losing in a cup game, unless it’s on penalties in the EFL trophy.
We get a chance to put that right in early December as we face the Cumbrians once more but perhaps more importantly, we get a chance to address the 2-2 draw we shared last month. We’ve unfinished business with them and as long as we work on our defensive capabilities, we stand a good chance of progressing to the third round.
For the record, in 1949 they also beat us 1-0 at Brunton Park, with our only FA Cup victory against them coming in 1928, the first time we played them. We won 1-0 that day, for those who care.
Here’s some good news for the second round; Ashley Nadeson, the guy who terrorised us a couple of weeks ago, can’t play. He’s been denied permission by Fleetwood to feature for them this season, meaning Ritchie Bennett will likely deputise, as he did in the 1-0 win against Crewe this weekend.
My opinion is that the draw couldn’t have been much kinder. A non-league side presents a pressure to win automatically and whilst we’ll be challenged by John Sheridan’s side, it is simply business as usual. No fanfare, no TV, no news story or anything like that. Nope, it’ll just be a 3pm kick off, Saturday afternoon and everyone else can write the stories.
I would have loved Sunderland at home, but other than that we didn’t want a League One club home or away, unless maybe it was one on their arse like Bradford or Wimbledon. Whilst a fellow League Two side is good at home, I wouldn’t have wanted to be away at Tranmere or somewhere like that. we definitely didn’t want to go to Maidstone and play on an artificial surface either.
I didn’t cheer when it came out, it wasn’t the plum draw of the Black Cats, but it does represent a real chance to make it to the third round once more, meaning prize money and possible exposure to one of the big boys.
It seems I’m not alone in being chuffed we got a game like Carlisle, a tough match against one of the top ten sides in League Two, but a known quantity and a winnable game, no disrespect intended to them.
Top draw
— Rob ʕ•̬͡•ʔ (@robert_squirrel) November 12, 2018
Winnable but I'd have preferred either a non league side or an away tie at a bigger League 1 side
— Owen Dawson (@the_real_owen) November 12, 2018
Winnable ??
— Julian Soons (@jsoons1974) November 12, 2018
I was desperate for Woking Away – I could have used my parking space at work ?
— Mandi Slater (@impette) November 12, 2018
Carlisle at home for the Imps, another home tie which is good for me @LincolnCity_FC @AndysBus
— Dave K (@DaveFK71) November 12, 2018
Winnable! #Imps
— ?⚪?⚪ (@mr_jonnyd) November 12, 2018
Surely its got to be raining for this match????
Another no brainer…. a tie at home to a side who preferred to continue to take a point against us after 20 mins in a previous home encounter that a win would take us into the 3rd round against absolutely anyone! Another dear me from me!! ???