Credit Graham Burrell
The Imps’ 2012 FA Cup journey is often forgotten in the annals of history.
However, David Holdsworth’s side played six matches in the competition, scoring 10 goals. It started quietly, taking a replay against Halifax to get through the qualifying round. After a 0-0 draw at the Bank, Jake Sheridan and Jamie Taylor bagged at The Shay to earn us a first-round tie with Walsall.
There should have ended our run, but Taylor struck in the home tie, only for Walsall to level with three minutes left to earn a replay. They needed a late leveller at the Bescot to make the game 1-1, only for Vadaine Oliver to snatch two in extra time. The Saddlers scored late, again, but we held on.
That set up a second-round tie with Mansfield, the same team we’d played in the second round last time we ventured that deep as a non-league side. Somewhat ironically, it was another high-scoring encounter.
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Courtesy Graham Burrell
On a cold December afternoon, the first clash between Lincoln City and Mansfield Town had everything. Goals, comebacks, controversy, and—most memorably—chaos in the closing stages.
The Stags arrived as favourites, boasting the likes of Matt Green and Louis Briscoe, but it was a game that refused to follow any script. Green gave the visitors the lead after capitalising on a short backpass from Andrew Boyce, rounding Paul Farman to slot into an empty net. But just before the break, Alan Power stepped up with a glorious 25-yard free-kick that swung the pendulum back our way.
Minutes into the second half, Jamie Taylor pounced after a long Boyce throw caused panic in the box. It was his second bite at the cherry, but he made it count. Cue jubilation. Cue belief.
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Credit Graham Burrell
And yet, within moments, Briscoe struck from distance—an arrowed 20-yard drive that left Farman no chance.
Back came the Imps. A blistering counter-attack, led by Taylor, ended with Power again—this time calmly slotting home a parried shot to make it 3–2.
That should have been it. That was it—until Matt Rhead happened. Oh, how we know all about him now.
Thrown on with six minutes to go, the big forward rose highest in the third minute of stoppage time to power home a header and silence Sincil Bank. And still there was more drama—Vadaine Oliver’s header was cleared off the line with the final kick. Inches from history. Instead, a replay.
David Holdsworth remained defiant:
“We were nearly there… we’ll have to do it the hard way again.”
Credit Graham Burrell " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?fit=228%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?fit=678%2C890&ssl=1" class="size-large wp-image-49214" alt width="678" height="890" data-sizes="(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1024&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=228%2C300&ssl=1 228w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1008&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=1170%2C1536&ssl=1 1170w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=1560%2C2048&ssl=1 1560w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C788&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?w=1950&ssl=1 1950w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-80-scaled.jpg?w=1356&ssl=1 1356w">
Credit Graham Burrell
Twelve days later, under an inflatable dome and bitter sky, we walked out at Field Mill knowing the reward for victory: a home tie against Liverpool. They’d come out of the bag, and suddenly, Lincoln City had a lifeline. We know what a big draw can do now, but back then? Could it have saved Holdsworth? That club certainly needed the money, having openly spoken of the joy of getting £12,500 for reaching the first round.
Liverpool would earn us a lot more than that, and all we needed was to win at Field Mill, a ground we’d drawn 0-0 on a couple of weeks prior.
Credit Graham Burrell " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?fit=678%2C452&ssl=1" class="size-large wp-image-49215" alt width="678" height="452" data-sizes="(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mansfield-Town-FACup2-1.12-111-scaled.jpg?w=1356&ssl=1 1356w">
Credit Graham Burrell
We fell behind early, cruelly and comically. John Dempster’s header crashed off the post, hit Farman’s shin and rolled over the line. The keeper, our hero in so many games that season, could only look back in horror.
But once again, City responded. Adam Smith, a summer signing from Mansfield no less, latched onto Dan Gray’s long ball and lobbed the onrushing Alan Marriott with precision and poise. 1–1, and justice served. Smith, modest and often unspectacular, had picked the perfect moment to grab his first goal for the club.
After the interval, we pushed. Taylor tested Marriott. Power buzzed with intent. But the chance never came—and when it did, we fluffed our lines.
Instead, Briscoe pounced again. This time, side-footing in from 12 yards after a square pass from Anthony Howell. It wasn’t quite as late as the goals in the previous three matches, 13 minutes remained, but it was still too late for the Imps. There would be no fourth equaliser, no Oliver heroics, no last-gasp magic. The would be no Liverpool at Sincil Bank.
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Credit Graham Burrell
Holdsworth said what we all felt:
“We’ve given our all… we’ve been punished for not taking our chances. But I’m proud of them. Not one gave less than 100%.”
More than a decade on, that Mansfield tie still stings. Not because of poor performances—but because of how close we came. A Liverpool tie would have been transformative. Instead, Mansfield got the payday, the headlines, the cameras. We got the regrets, at least for four seasons, before we wrote our sequel, with more success.
Yet, there was pride over the two matches. There was togetherness, something we’d not had under Holdsworth. We’d taken a strong side to the limit—twice—and gave Sincil Bank one of its most thrilling FA Cup nights in years.
It was Alan Power at his best. Jamie Taylor is forever buzzing around defenders. Smith’s moment. Farman’s agony. And a collective spirit that, while ultimately unrewarded, made fans think that we were on the cusp of something better. We weren’t, Holdsworth one of the next ten fixtures, and was gone by February 16th. This was his last hurrah, but not ours.
Not by a long way.
Credit Graham Burrell " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?fit=300%2C163&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?fit=678%2C367&ssl=1" class="size-large wp-image-26845" alt width="678" height="367" data-sizes="(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?resize=1024%2C555&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?resize=300%2C163&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?resize=768%2C416&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?w=1356&ssl=1 1356w, https://i0.wp.com/staceywest.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Burnley-FAC5-18.02-127.jpg?w=2034&ssl=1 2034w">
Credit Graham Burrell