That took us into the local derby with Grimsby, attended by 6251. The Cods boasted former Forest striker Gary Birtles in their ranks, along with Keith Alexander and Dave Gilbert. Paul Smith came back from injury and Colin Murphy dropped Bob Cumming in favour of Matt Carmichael as we looked to get back to winning ways. Carmichael, playing wide left, bagged against Northampton Reserves in the week prior to the game, with a certain Phil Brown grabbing the other.
Midfielder Nicky Andersen, a Third Division player with Mansfield the year before, left after three months and one outing ahead of the tie, but Murph was in high spirits. He described the game against Maidstone as a minor interruption. ‘It is also a dangerous feeling to consider that where we are in the league is of acceptable standard because standard is relevant to the standards we have set which thereby may well indicate that we have not aspired to the standard which we have set ourselves,’ he added. ‘We must be the harbingers and nothing less than this can be acceptable.’
With ten minutes left on the clock, Grimsby had been the standard-bearers, Gorton making a good save from Birtles, whilst Dave Gilbert hit the woodwork and Keith Alexander was only denied by a match-saving tackle from the excellent Paul Casey. After knocking on the door for longer than the big bad wolf, Alexander finally nodded his side ahead on 79 minutes, leaving City looking at yet another bad result. With seconds left to play, the Imps finally came up with the goods, Graham Bressington beating three Cods on the flank and whipping in a teasing cross for Paul Smith to nod home on his first team return. However, the draw was the second game of six in which City wouldn’t get a win.
Away at Hereford a week later, Smith and Carmichael put City 2-0 up and in the driving seat, but injuries began to come into play. Paul Casey, one of the most consistent performers, missed out through injury and Schofield dropped in at right back with Shane Nicholson coming into the midfield. Both looked uncomfortable and despite going 2-0 up, the Imps were shaken. On 48 minutes the defensive glue, Steve Thompson, also went off injured, replaced by Darren Davis and the Imps’ imploded. The hosts bagged two in six minutes and only a wonder save from Andy Gorton prevented a late winner from Mark Jones. A week later the only thing Colin Murphy was winning was a gobbledegook award, as Stockport visited the Bank. With Paul Smith out with tonsilitis, as well as Casey, Hobson and Thompson injured, a patchwork Imps’ side were held 0-0, despite a perfectly good Mark Sertori goal being ruled out. One bright light for Imps’ fans was the presence of Phil Brown on the bench, albeit as an unused sub. The second half performance was widely regarded as the best of the season, despite the makeshift side. Andy Gorton’s heroics kept us in the first half, with Sertori and Carmichael both going close in the second.
The game was tinged by sadness as former Imps’ player, coach and manager Con Moulson passed away in the week prior to the game. A hangover followed as City were thrashed 3-0 by Exeter in the league with Paul Smith back but sent off That sparked a confrontation between Terry Cooper and Colin Murphy, starting a rivalry with the Cooper family that existed many years later, but the long journey back wasn’t a good one for supporters despite that brief excitement. Just a couple of days later it was 3-0 again, this time at Halifax in the Leyland DAF Trophy in front of 824 fans (40 from Lincoln). Gary Parle’s report for DF explains City had lots of possession but had nothing in attack and yet ‘wasted’ Matt Carmichael at the back. Dave Clarke cam in for some stick during the game too roasted all too often by a Halifax side who knew where the goal was.
That spell left us seventh, but just four points separated second and ninth. Gillingham were visitors on November 11th, four points behind us in eleventh. I recall this game as a special moment in my Imps’ supporting history. My Grandad turned 65 and he was presented ahead of the game with a signed ball by Gordon Hobson, something he passed on to me when he died just two years later. I clearly remember Graham Bressington’s opener too, a wonderful solo effort that saw him pick up an Alan Roberts pass before beating four players and lashing the ball home. Paul Williams came in on loan and played right back behind Roberts on one flank, whilst Thommo returned to partner Darren Davis at the expense of Grant Brown who had been ill the week before. At 1-0 up, the Imps looked comfortable, with smith missing a great chance to make it 2-0 on 17 minutes.
By half time, the Gills led 3-1. Two free kicks led to their leveller and the goal that put them ahead before the prolific Steve Lovell netted on the stroke of half time. I felt like crying as he raised his arms right in front of me and it might have been the first time I called an opposition player a prick, I’m not sure. Perhaps if that were true, my Grandad would have clipped my ear. The second half brought Imps’ promise, but we just couldn’t get back from two goals behind and we ended the day in ninth, with Southend top (33 points), Posh fifth (28 points), Scunny just above us level on 26 points and Burnley down in 13 only two points behind us. It was a typically tight league where anyone could beat anyone.
We round off part two on a high point, the FA Cup. The draw was kind to us, delivering Skol Northern League champions Billingham Synthonia a day before my 11th birthday. Darren Davis, Graham Bressington and John Schofield all signed ‘long term’ agreements in the days leading up to the tie, which was eventually settled by Shane Nicholson, who earned a recall to the team after netting against Nottingham Forest reserves in a 5-2 defeat earlier in the week. The game wasn’t without its drama though, Billingham hit the post early on as they looked to repeat Altrincham’s giant-killing act of a year previous.
The second round draw wasn’t entirely with a trip to Rochdale the ‘reward’. Alan Roberts also went off injured during the game and although he would appear three further times, it was very much the beginning of the end for him too.
