1995/96 – Imps 4-0 Fulham
Fulham are a big club, no doubt, but in 1995, they were humbled by Lincoln, who now had John Beck in our dugout. The team we fielded was very different from the one we’d started the season with, thanks to two managers (Ellis and Wicks) leaving and Beck bringing in some of his own warriors. Indeed, of the XI that started the season with a 2-1 win against Preston, only Jason Minett and Udo Onwere remained.
City lined up Barry Richardson, Steve Holmes, Jon Whitney, Jason Minett, John Robertson (making his debut), Grant Brown, Udo Onwere, Gareth Ainsworth, Colin Alcide, Steve Brown and Jason Barnett, with Alan Johnson and Phil Daley on the bench. Terry Fleming and Matt Carbon, both key players, missed out through injury.
We started the game 23rd, three points adrift of the team above us, whilst Fulham were faring a little better, 18th and four points clear of us. There was a familiar face in the dugout for them – their manager was 1976 Division Four winner Ian Branfoot. It didn’t promise to be a classic, especially with the threat of snow. However, we took the game to the visitors from the first minute to the last.
The first goal was probably the best of the bunch; a surging run from Alcide down the right flank saw him deliver a cross for Steve Brown. The striker flicked the ball up and deftly lifted a neat volley into the back of the net at the Stacey West End. It sparked delight, including delight for Phil Daley, who jumped on the field to celebrate with the players, despite being a sub. Fred Barber booked him for his troubles. Insert your own Christmas card pun here.
Just three minutes later, we got another late Christmas gift (boom, boom). Brown was involved again, laying the ball off to Jason Barnett, whose deep cross was headed back across goal by Holmes. In swept Ainsworth, completely unmarked, to head home from close range. Fulham were left wishing they were still feasting on turkey.
City were utterly rampant, with Alcide missing a glut of chances. He fired straight at the keeper for one, then shot wide, and finally, when he beat the keeper and hit the target, the ball was hacked off the line.
A change of ball brought a change of fortune – the snow started coming down, which meant the fabled orange ball came into play and soon into the back of the Fulham net. It was a classic Beck-style goal – a long throw was flicked on, and Ainsworth popped up with a sweet volley to put the game beyond doubt.
Soon after, sub Daley, carrying his early yellow card, flicked on a big boot forward, and Jon Whitney strode into the area and beat the keeper from 15 yards. In truth, Tony Lange in the Fulham goal was awful, but it mattered not – City won 4-0.
3693 were there to see it, and to witness one of Steve Holmes’ last game in a City shirt, for the time being. He was on loan from Beck’s former team, Preston, and two matches later, he returned to Deepdale, although he was back in March on a permanent deal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQVvaMqed-o