Tony Cunningham’s first return to Sincil Bank as a player ended with the former Lincoln City striker on the scoresheet and Rotherham United leaving Lincoln with both points on 24 August 1991.
The Imps had opened their Fourth Division campaign with a 2-1 victory at Cardiff City, but their first home league fixture proved far less rewarding. Second-half goals from Cunningham and Ronnie Robinson gave Rotherham a 2-0 win in front of 4,134, with the visitors judged worthy of the result after causing City problems throughout.
Steve Thompson’s side went into the afternoon without Tony Lormor and Graham Bressington through injury, while John Schofield was suspended and Grant Brown remained absent with the shoulder problem that had kept him out of the midweek Rumbelows Cup game at Chester City. Gary West therefore continued alongside Matt Carmichael in central defence, with City unchanged from the side beaten at Sealand Road.
Rotherham arrived with several familiar names in their ranks. Cunningham had joined them during the summer, while Don Page and Des Hazel were also prominent as the visitors began brightly. Page had an early opportunity to deliver from the right but sent his cross over the waiting players, before David Puttnam responded at the other end with a shot which went straight to goalkeeper Bill Mercer.
Puttnam was involved repeatedly during the first half, while Jason Lee provided City’s main physical presence through the middle. The Imps did threaten, with Lee getting across his marker to meet a cross only for the ball to run away from him, while a dangerous Gary West free-kick was headed clear by Rotherham.
At the other end, Nicky Law almost released Page with a long pass, but West stayed with him and recovered possession. Nigel Johnson also caused problems from a corner, although the resulting header went wide, and the teams reached half-time goalless.
The game changed eight minutes after the restart. Rotherham attacked down the right and, after a shot came back off the post, Hazel collected the loose ball. His first effort was blocked, but when possession came back to him he laid it into the path of Cunningham, who fired home to put the visitors ahead.
City almost responded immediately when Puttnam’s cross dropped between Lee and Dobson, but neither was able to convert. Thompson then made changes in an effort to find an equaliser, sending on Shane Nicholson and Keith Alexander.
Matt Dickins kept the deficit at one with an excellent save from Robinson after Goodwin had found room on the Rotherham right, but the visitors eventually secured the game. Hazel again supplied the danger, crossing into the path of the unmarked Robinson, who drove a right-footed finish into the corner.
Rotherham might even have added a third in the 82nd minute when substituteClarke broke through and went around Dickins, only to run out of room before he could finish.
City were left without a goal from their first league appearance at Sincil Bank that season, while Cunningham’s return provided the defining moment. Having previously worn red and white, he was back in Lincolnshire colours of a different kind and had helped ensure Rotherham left with a 2-0 victory.
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