April 13, 2013 8.23 pm This story is over 131 months old

Despite defeating Tamworth, Lincoln City could still face relegation

Still chances: Lincoln City will know whether their place in the league is secure only on Tuesday after Stockport face Gateshead away, and it could come down to the last day of the season.
Photo: Lincoln City FC

Billed as one of Lincoln City’s biggest games in recent history, more than 3,100 supporters went to Sincil Bank on Saturday to see the Imps win 2 – 1 against Tamworth.

The team started the day facing relegation ranked 20th in the Blue Square Premier League, and despite their win over Tamworth, the Imps are still under threat of being downgraded.

Lincoln City will know whether their place in the league is secure only on Tuesday after Stockport face Gateshead away. Stockport lost 0 – 1 to Dartford on Saturday.

The Imps are currently 18th in the league with 53 points. If Stockport lose on Tuesday, Lincoln City remain safe in the league for another year.

Lincoln City travel to Hyde next weekend for the final game of their season, knowing that a win will be enough to ensure they stay in the Blue Square Premier League.

If Stockport, Gateshead or Tamworth all get results midweek though, only three points will be needed at Hyde.

After the match on Saturday, Lincoln City manager Gary Simpson said: “I though the lads were superb from start to finish. I thought we played well first half, we were very unlucky to go a goal behind.”

Luton also have a game in hand, against relegated Ebbsfleet to play on Tuesday, with a draw enough to ensure it goes down to the last day of the season for the Imps.

“I’ve said all along it would come down to the last game, and it still could. But we are three points closer to where we want to be now,” Simpson added.

Simpson returned to the club in February and targeted 12 points from the 12 games he had before the end of the season. So far the ex-Macclesfield boss has picked up 17.

Match report: Lincoln City 2 – 1 Tamworth

Lincoln City came out ready to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated the early exchanges.

However, a floated cross from Tamworth’s Peter Till caused confusion in the Lincoln City box and was headed in by Lincoln’s Dan Gray to put the away side one up after just seven minutes.

On the 70th minute, a looping cross found the head of top-scorer Jamie Taylor whose glancing header found the bottom left corner of the net.

Whilst Lincoln piled on the pressure, second-half substitute Jake Jones had the Tamworth backline at sixes and sevens with a mazy run in from the left.

Eventually the tricky winger was brought down in the box by Sam Oji, with the referee awarding a penalty that was comfortably dispatched by Man of the Match, Captain and Player of the Season Alan Power, to see the match finish 2-1 to the hosts and leave them on 53 points.

That wasn’t the end of the drama though, as injured Andrew Boyce was confronted by members of Tamworth’s bench on the pitch, after a small section of the home support invaded the pitch.

The incident carried on with some pushing and shoving and what Imps gaffer Gary Simpson described as handbags in the tunnel after the game had ended.