By Nathan Jackson
June 4 2008
City have scored some stunning goals during the past five years. You have chosen your Top 20 goals scored during that time and we now start with the countdown. The first five goals vary in process, ranging from a 25 yard free kick, a lob, a chip, a beautiful team goal and a piledriver.
GOAL 20
Francis Green vs Mansfield Town - 2003/4 Season
Our home game against Mansfield Town during the 2003/4 season was one of the most one-sided home games that we've seen in recent times. City had dominated the first half and yet thanks to Liam "Dancing on Ice" Lawrence, we were 1-0 down via the penalty spot. A Gary Fletcher (as he was known back then) goal had draw the Imps level before giving the Imps a deserved lead.
It was less than 2 minutes after Fletcher had put the Imps in the lead when a Paul Morgan header flew over everyone and found Francis Green about 25 yards out. He saw Kevin Pilkington off of his line and Green sent a beautiful lob over the Mansfield goalkeeper and into the net to give City a 3-1 lead.
Simon Yeo would make it 4-1 to the Imps not long after but even that scoreline didn't reflect the dominance City had enjoyed.
GOAL 19
Jeff Hughes vs Boston United - 2006/7 Season
If ever there was a beautiful team goal then this was it. City had taken the lead early on in the game through Mark Stallard before Jason Kennedy scored an unstoppable equaliser for the Pilgrims.
Boston seemed happy enough with a point but when the ball found it’s way to Forrester, he waited with the ball and ran out right before crossing to Frecklington, he chipped the ball into the path of Hughes who sent a beautiful header past Marriott to give the Imps the lead, and to round off a beautiful team goal.
It turned out to be the winning goal and City seemed to only be heading onwards and upwards after that...of course we all know what happened.
GOAL 18
Gary Taylor-Fletcher vs Scunthorpe United - 2004/5 Season
Games between Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United tend to be on the exciting side of things. In the time that this site has been going, the sides have shared scorelines of 3-1, 3-2 and 4-3...not too shabby at all. This Monday night clash was shown live in Sky Sports and Simon Yeo had given the Imps the lead after just 32 seconds. The game had continued in a less than brilliant fashion and Scunthorpe never really looked like equalising and City weren't exactly causing any problems at the other end.
All of a sudden, Francis Green played a ball to GTF on the right and the former Orient man ran forward and noticed Musslewhite off his line. GTF always had an eye for the spectacular and he tried a lob over the former Hull shotstopper and it nestled into the goal at the back post. It gave City the final scoreline of 2-0.
It would prove to be GTF's final goal for Lincoln City.
GOAL 17
Ciaran Toner vs Grimsby Town - 2004/5 Season
Toner had joined the Imps at the beginning of the season from Leyton Orient but hadn't really been given a decent run in the team until an injury to Peter Gain came in a home game against Cheltenham. Several weeks and many impressive performances later, Toner was part of the team that went to Grimsby Town.
The Imps weren't having the best of season's up until that point. We were midtable and seemingly heading nowhere when we headed to Blundell Park. Grimsby weren't much better and were themselves struggling to be above mediocre. The Imps had taken a 2-0 lead through a Simon Yeo brace before Grimsby pulled it back to 2-2. Yeo had regained City's lead within 30 seconds of losing it and City were now in the driving seat.
City completed a 4-2 victory when a defensive error saw the ball fall to Toner about 18 yards out. A poor first touch was recovered perfectly as he sent a hammer into the net.
City went on to a fantastic run of a results that saw us make another Playoff final, but it was without Toner as he and Marcus Richardson were both effectively sacked from the club for an alledged off the field incident.
GOAL 16
Scott Kerr vs Fulham - 2005/6 Season
What can you say about this game? I can't put into words just how brilliant this performance was from the Imps. Fulham had taken a 2-0 lead against the Imps before Francis Green and a Volz own goal drew City level. Marvin Robinson hit the bar from 6 yards in added on time but the game went to extra time.
City again quickly found themselves two goals down and it appeared as though that was it as far as our Carling Cup push was concerned. A free kick from 25 yards didn't exactly seem a promising situation for the Imps. Lincoln were never a team who were brilliant at direct free kicks but Scott Kerr produced a curling effort that beat Batista in the Fulham goal.
Marvin Robinson equalised again for the Imps in the second half of added on time but Brian McBridge scored in extra time's added on time to deny City a penalty shoot out. City have lost at the first hurdle in every single knock out competition since.
