March 18, 2017 9.12 am This story is over 84 months old

Lincoln City sets sights on Wembley ahead of York match

Lincoln City’s history-making team will be looking to write another chapter in their fantastic season today as they take on York City in the FA Trophy semi-final second leg (kick off 3pm). After the valiant defeat at Arsenal in the FA Cup last week, the FA Trophy remains the only desirable route to Wembley. A 2-1…
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincoln City’s history-making team will be looking to write another chapter in their fantastic season today as they take on York City in the FA Trophy semi-final second leg (kick off 3pm).

After the valiant defeat at Arsenal in the FA Cup last week, the FA Trophy remains the only desirable route to Wembley.

A 2-1 first leg defeat at Bootham Crescent on Tuesday night has left City needing to win by two clear goals if they are to visit the home of English football.

If they do manage to beat York and advance to the final it would be the first time the Imps have ever graced the turf of the iconic stadium.

They are the oldest professional football club never to have appeared at the national stadium. The other three league teams to share the dubious honour are Hartlepool, Accrington Stanley, and Crawley.

Lincoln have romped to the semi-final stage with a series of impressive performances. Initially they were drawn against minnows Shaw Lane in the first round, but the Barnsley club were thrown out of the competition meaning a short-notice trip to Nantwich in Cheshire.

A 2-1 victory in that game set up a match against fellow National League side Gateshead, and manager Danny Cowley chose to play a selection of reserve players. City ran out comfortable 3-1 winners, a result that was overlooked somewhat after beating Ipswich three days later in the FA Cup.

The third round handed the Imps a trip to bogey side Welling, a team they hadn’t beaten in 17 years. A commanding and confident display by the second string saw them win 3-1 once again. This set up yet another away match in the Quarter Finals against Boreham Wood.

After easing past Boreham 2-0, Danny Cowley labelled his second string ‘the Lincoln Lizards’ as they only ever played in their green away kit!

Today’s semi-final clash will be the first home tie of the competition, and the lizards will become the red and white army as they look to overturn the first leg deficit and give fans their first ever trip to Wembley.