By Nathan Jackson
August 4 2005

Ahead of the game against Northampton, we look at the previous 3 opening day games and see how different results are. Out of the 3 games, the Imps has amassed 4 points against some tough opposition. A draw against Kidderminster and a defeat to Oxford was followed with a win at Shrewsbury last season

The new look City squad travelled along with a rather surprisingly healthy following of Imps fans that were expecting the worst from the season ahead. Despite a cagey opening 10 minutes, City took the lead when a corner came in and the ball was headed into the net. The goal was officially awarded to Richard Logan although Simon Weaver was adament the goal was his.

Kidderminster dominated most of the first half but City could have easily doubled the lead early in the second half after Dene Cropper played Paul Smith through, but the midfielder could only aim his shot straight at Stuart Brock. Bo Henrikson equalised by heading in a free kick midway through the second half.

Dene Cropper was sent off towards the end and Kidderminster were also awarded a penalty on the 90th minute but Drewe Broughton's spot kick was saved by Marriott and City got off to a slightly controversial start to the season. City would go on to win 4 of the next 6 games which would see them sit 4th in the League and we all know what happened that season.

This was billed as the biggest match on the opening day of the 2003/4 season. City had pipped Oxford to the playoffs the previous season by a single point and they wanted revenge. 5 minutes in, a goalkeeping mistake and poor defensive work left Steve Basham with an empty net to fire into and it gave the U's a 1-0 lead. After that, they just defended for their lives and to be fair, achieved it and it turned out to be one of the most boring opening day games there ever was.

Everyone says that Lincoln are notorious for the long ball, yet if you'd have seen Oxford that day, you'd have a fair different opinion as to how the true "hoofers" of the division are.

Shrewsbury had recently just won promotion via the conference playoffs and they immediatly wanted to set about proving that they weren't in the division just to make up the numbers. The first half was a very tight affair with the majority of the decent chances, falling Shrewsbury's way and they were unlucky to score at least twice before the break.

That finishing proved costly though and in the second half, a Blackwood ball into the box was punched out by 'keeper, Scott Howie, and the ball immediatly found it's way back into the box where Gary Taylor-Fletcher chipped over the hapless keeper to make it 1-0 to the Imps. It finished with that scoreline but a draw would have been much fairer as Shrewsbury had the majority of the play.