Lincoln City gave Chelsea a real scare in a memorable 4–2 benefit match at Sincil Bank back in 1973.
It was the last time a proper Chelsea side came to the Bank, and the only time since 1911 they’ve been to the Bank. As yet, we have never beaten the Blues at home (and only once done so away).
It was a night when the Imps briefly had one of English football’s greats on the ropes, before Peter Osgood’s brilliance turned the tide.
A Big Night for Kennedy and Peden
The evening was staged in honour of John Kennedy and George Peden, and more than 6,500 turned up to pay tribute. They were treated to a contest that pitted Fourth Division grit and ambition against First Division polish, a reminder of the gulf between the tiers but also of the heart that City sides of the era carried.
Lincoln made sure Chelsea knew they were in a game from the off. Osgood had already drawn a smart save from Kennedy before the Imps stunned their illustrious visitors with a quickfire double. Dixie McNeil was on hand to pounce after John Ward’s effort was spilled, and within a minute the striker had swept in a second after Peter Graham’s measured play cut through the Blues’ defence.
For a fleeting spell, it looked like Sincil Bank might be witnessing a bit of an upset.
Chelsea Find Their Feet
The lead was halved soon after when Tommy Baldwin converted from close range, but Lincoln continued to press and forced Welsh international goalkeeper John Phillips into a string of saves. Graham in particular impressed, showing the kind of poise and presence that would not have looked out of place in Chelsea blue.
After the interval, Ian Branfoot almost extended the advantage with a thunderous strike that rattled the bar from distance. That moment proved pivotal, a near miss that seemed to jolt Chelsea into life.
The quality of Osgood then began to shine. Baldwin levelled matters with his second, but it was Osgood’s footwork that truly enthralled the Lincoln crowd. In the 74th minute, he wriggled free in the box with deceptive ease and stroked Chelsea ahead. Barely three minutes later, his movement again caused chaos, leaving Alan Hudson to roll in a fourth and settle the match.
A Glimpse of the Top
As the beneficiaries left the field to warm applause from both sets of players and supporters, the scoreline almost felt secondary. Chelsea had shown their pedigree, but City had made them work for it. For those in attendance, there was pride in seeing City unsettle a side packed with international talent, and satisfaction in knowing the occasion had been fittingly marked.
For Lincoln, it was a chance to measure themselves against footballing aristocracy, to test Kennedy, Peden and their teammates against a squad worth (even at the time) an estimated £2 million, (£22 million with inflation).
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