This is number nine in my rundown of my favourite opening day fixtures of all time.
City were back in the third tier after a brief flirtation with the level above, and kicked off their campaign with a performance full of character, grit and, eventually, quality. Up against Ronnie Moore’s Rotherham United, denied promotion on penalties the season before, the Imps overcame injuries, early pressure and moments of vulnerability to claim a morale-boosting 2–1 win that set the tone for the months ahead.
It had all the makings of a tough opening day. The visitors, backed by over 1,500 travelling supporters, had come within a penalty shootout of promotion just a few months earlier. Lincoln, meanwhile, were still licking their wounds from relegation and facing a defensive injury crisis before a ball had even been kicked.
Yet by full-time at Sincil Bank, John Reames’ side had reminded supporters why August carries optimism. Goals from Terry Fleming and Lee Philpott secured a deserved victory and turned tentative hope into genuine belief.
Reames’ preparations were thrown into disarray the night before the game. Key defender Ian Wilkins was hospitalised with a mysterious illness. Tony Battersby pulled up with a thigh strain. And to compound matters, Stuart Bimson, the reigning Lincolnshire Echo Player of the Year, suffered a calf injury on the morning of the match.
It was hardly ideal for a side already facing a potent Rotherham frontline. But the adaptability of the squad shone through. Steve Welsh, a summer signing, slotted into left-back, while the dependable Grant Brown partnered Dave Barnett in central defence. It wasn’t Reames’ first-choice back line, but it was one that stood firm under early fire.
Moore’s Millers played as expected: direct, aggressive and aerially dominant. Leo Fortune-West gave an early taste of what was to come, unsettling Lincoln’s defence with constant movement and aerial challenges. Martindale and Turner probed from the flanks, and for twenty-five minutes it looked like Lincoln might cave.
Martindale hit the post with a curling effort and Kevin Watson almost capitalised after robbing City in midfield. But John Finnegan’s last-ditch challenge denied a clear sight of goal and, crucially, Lincoln weathered the storm.
Vaughan in goal remained solid, and the reshuffled defence gradually found its rhythm. Steve Welsh, in particular, began to bark orders and marshal his teammates with growing confidence.
Gavin Gordon and Lee Thorpe were feeding off scraps in the first half, starved of quality service. Lee Philpott and Richard Peacock began to get more involved, stretching the pitch and offering a wider outlet. But when chances did come, they weren’t taken: Gordon’s tame header at Pollitt was City’s only real sight of goal before the break.
Still, the Imps had done the hard part in reaching half-time without conceding, despite the early chaos and pressure.
And from the start of the second half, Lincoln looked transformed.
Lincoln lost Brown ten minutes after the restart, another injury blow that forced Welsh inside and brought Peter Gain into the fray. Ironically, the reshuffle gave the team balance, and suddenly the home side looked a different proposition.
The turning point came on the hour. Thorpe was fouled just outside the area, and Philpott’s resulting free-kick struck the arm of Chris Sedgwick in the wall. Penalty. Skipper Terry Fleming stepped up and calmly dispatched it, sending Pollitt the wrong way and Sincil Bank into raptures.
Within two minutes, it was 2–0.
Jason Barnett’s long throw was flicked on by Gordon and met at the far post by Philpott, who rifled home an emphatic finish. After a disjointed first half, Lincoln had clicked into gear, and the transformation was as dramatic as it was delightful.
From then on, Lincoln played with a confidence not seen since promotion two years earlier. Fleming and Finnegan controlled midfield, snuffing out Rotherham’s creativity and recycling possession efficiently. Out wide, Peacock and Philpott dominated. Philpott, in particular, was unplayable, beating defenders at will, creating chances, and driving City forward at every opportunity.
He almost added a third for Gordon, only for Pollitt to intervene, and Gordon himself began to trouble the Rotherham back line with direct runs and sharp turns.
It was a performance full of energy and togetherness, the kind that wins hearts and changes outlooks.
Nervy Ending, Deserved Result
Of course, it’s never straightforward. Martindale struck the woodwork for a second time late on, and in injury time Paul Warne pulled a goal back for the visitors to set up a frantic finale.
But Lincoln held firm. The three minutes of added time felt like an eternity, but when referee Paul Warren finally blew his whistle, the roar around Sincil Bank said it all.
City were back. And they were ready.
Sadly, it was a false dawn. By the end of the season, we’d tumbled to 15th, but the Millers were promoted. they only lost another four away from home all campaign.
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