Lincoln City and Burton Albion have built up a curious rivalry in recent years, with results swinging dramatically between the two clubs.
In competitive meetings, the record is remarkably even. Lincoln have taken eight wins to Burton’s eight, with just one draw across all competitions, 0-0 in 2010, Chris Sutton’s final game in charge.
That speaks volumes for how closely matched the sides have been since their first Football League encounter back in 2009, when Burton ran out 2-0 winners. They did the double over the Imps that season, meaning we had to wait until 2011 for our first goal against them.
Most of our meetings have come in the current League One, as the two longest surviving clubs.
| Competition | Lincoln wins | Draws | Burton wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| League Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| League | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 8 | 1 | 8 |
Recent Clashes
The last few seasons have seen the fixture produce high-stakes encounters, often defined by small margins. In August City claimed a narrow 1-0 victory at the Pirelli Stadium in the League Cup, underlining our strong start. Just months earlier, Burton had edged a 1-0 win at Sincil Bank, a result that frustrated the home supporters.
One of the most thrilling meetings came on the opening day of the 2024/25 campaign. Burton twice led, through Udoka Godwin-Malife and Billy Bodin, but Paudie O’Connor struck twice, including a late winner, to secure a 3-2 triumph for the Imps. Tendayi Darikwa was also on the scoresheet, and the contest set the tone for another fiercely competitive season between the sides.
That 2024 encounter echoed another famous Imps win: the emphatic 5-1 home success in December 2020. That day, Brennan Johnson scored twice, with Anthony Scully, Harry Anderson and Ramirez Howarth also on target in a performance that showcased Lincoln’s attacking strength. Burton managed only a Kane Hemmings consolation, as City ran riot in front of an empty stadium.
Burton, however, have enjoyed their moments. A 3-0 Boxing Day win in 2022 was a painful reminder that they are more than capable of punishing City when chances arise. In the years either side of that result, Burton nicked several tight 1-0 victories, often frustrating the Imps with their compact style.
Looking back further, the late 2010s were a golden spell for Lincoln in the fixture. Wins in 2019/20, including a 3-2 thriller at Sincil Bank in the last game before Covid, and a 2-0 success at the Pirelli in the same season, showed the balance beginning to tilt in City’s favour. Before that, however, the early League Two encounters around 2009–11 had largely gone Burton’s way, with victories home and away.
Conclusion
The head-to-head record between Lincoln City and Burton Albion remains finely poised, eight wins each. Both clubs have enjoyed purple patches, and both have suffered setbacks. For supporters, that unpredictability has ensured the fixture is always one to watch, whether it’s a five-goal thriller, or a single-goal scrap.