By Kate Jackson
August 28 2007

On Saturday the Imps will face Dagenham and Redbridge for the first time since December 9th 2000 when a horrendous Matthew Ghent mistake cost City a replay in deepest, darkest Essex. The game was heading for a 0-0 scoreline and the teams were facing a replay 10 days later, but Matthew Ghent quite literally handed victory to Dagenham and they went on to take Charlton Athletic to a replay in Round 3

Making the 2nd Round in the FA Cup is certainly a rarity for the Imps, in the past 8 years the Imps have only gotten past the first round three times. In the 2000/1 season the Imps had been given a fairly comfortably victory over Bracknell Town at Sincil Bank. City pulled out Conference side Dagenham and Redbridge in the second round, and City fancied their hances of getting through having already beaten Dagenham's Conference rivals Morecambe in the LDV Vans Trophy.

A crowd of 2,823 with 480 visitors saw the game get underway and Gavin Gordon had the game's first effort when his header from Paul Mayo's throw in was caught by Tony Roberts. City went on to waste several more chances before Dagenham created their first chance in the 25th minute when Paul Terry chipped goalwards from 25 yards yards, Matthew Ghent tiped the ball just over the bar.

Ghent was called into action again 2 minutes later when he produced a fine diving save from Heffer. That was the final realistic chance of the first half as the sides went in 0-0 at the break.

Richard Peacock showed some endeavour as he beat several Dagenham players before Lee Thorpe headed his cross wide. Tony Roberts seemed to have butter on his gloves as he started to dropped seemingly every cross that was coming towards him. He almost gifted the Imps a lead with 10 minutes to go when he dropped it 6 yards out, Tony Battersby pounced but his effort was cleared off of the line by Matthews.

With the game seemingly heading towards a replay Janney tried a very optimistic shot from long range and Ghent appeared to have gathered it well. The next thing we know and the ball was squirming out of the back of Ghent and heading towards the goal. Steve Holmes tried desperately to get back but he failed to clear it in time and Dagenham scored at the worst time of the game and the whistle blew near enough straight away after the restart.

It was the first time since 1956/7 that the Imps had lost at home to a non-league side in the FA Cup and the 2000/1 season was also the last time that the Imps drew a non-league side in the FA Cup. Since then we've been drawn against Bury, Leyton Orient, Carlisle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Southend United, Hartlepool United, Milton Keynes Dons and Port Vale.