1. Imps 4-5 Peterborough United 56/57
Few people know our record win in all competitions is 13-0 against Peterborough in 1895. It wasn’t the Peterborough United we know now, but Posh extracted some revenge with this utter shock in 1957.
We were a Second Division side, Championship level now. They were Midland League, which was the level below the Football League. It wasn’t like now, the Football League was a closed shop, with re-election seeing most clubs keep their status. Peterborough United won the Midland League for five consecutive seasons from 1955–56 to 1959–60, eventually getting in Division Four (and then immediately into Division Three).
Still, we were Second Division, and despite our 2-2 draw in the first game, the replay seemed winnable. Remarkably, the first game drew 23,000 to London Road, some crowd for a non-league side.
In the replay, we were described by Maurice Burton as being inept and completely lacking inspiration. “I cannot remember having to suffer such a miserable display,” he wrote. Even losing 2-1 at halftime, he was still completely under the impression we’d win.
We pegged them back to 2-2, only to be blown away, conceding three to make it 5-2, only for the Imps to bag a brace with two minutes remaining. Posh hung on for the win, shaming the Imps.
Five years later, we returned to London Road in the league and lost 5-4.