Bristol Rovers travel to Sincil Bank tomorrow for what will be the 49th Football League meeting between the sides; Rovers have won 17 of the previous meetings and Lincoln 20, while the other 11 games have finished all square. Rovers have scored 56 goals to Lincoln’s 60.
The meetings between the clubs came in 1953/54 in what was then known as the Second Division. Lincoln recorded a 1-0 win at Eastville on 19th September 1953, while Rovers won the return fixture at 2-1 at Sincil Bank on 6th February 1954.
Last season, the game at The Memorial Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw, when Josh Grant’s 94th minute equaliser cancelled out the goal scored for Lincoln by Adam Jackson. Rovers were well and truly hammered in the return fixture at Sincil Bank on 16th March 2024, going down 5-0. Lincoln’s on loan striker from Luton, Joe Taylor, grabbed a hat trick and the other goals were scored by Paudi O’Connor and Reeco Hackett.
Earlier this season the sides played out a 1-1 draw at The Mem when Shaq Forde’s first half goal, his first at home, was cancelled out by Lincoln substitute Jack Moylan after the break.
On the managerial front John Ward, who enjoyed two spells in charge of Rovers, began his playing career as a striker with Lincoln, while another former Rovers boss, Bill Dodgin Jnr., played in the league for both clubs during the 1930’s.
Former Rovers goalkeeping coach Stuart Naylor began his career with Lincoln and made to 49 league appearances for them. As a young player he travelled with the team to Valley Parade for their match against Bradford City on 11th May 1985 and witnessed the horrific scenes after fire broke out at the ground which caused the loss of 56 lives.
Dodgin is one of more than 30 players to have turned out for both clubs and that list includes current Rovers player James Wilson, who appeared in 19 league games for Lincoln during the 2018/19 season. Others to have played for both include Harry Anderson, Jeff Hughes and Paul Miller.
By my reckoning ten players have made their Rovers league debut against Lincoln, a list that includes Alfie Biggs and Gerry Francis. Biggs made his debut in the 2-1 win at Sincil Bank on 6th February 1954 and went on to score 178 goals in 424 league games for Rovers in his two spells with the club.
Former England midfielder, and future Rovers manager (twice), Francis made his debut in a goalless draw between the clubs on 14th September 1985.
As well as those 48 league envcounters, we met in the semi final of the League Two play offs in 2007, when Rovers won both games, and there were also two meetings in The Conference when, once again, Rovers were winners on both occasions.
Lincoln were the first club to suffer automatic relegation to The Conference, in 1987. They returned to the Football League after just one season, were relegated to The Conference again in 2011 and took six years to regain their league status.
The current league standings see Lincoln in 13th place with 46 points from 36 games. They have won two and drawn four of their last six games and of their 17 home games they have won seven drawn four and lost six, scoring 26 goals and conceding 19 in the process.
As for Rovers, their two recent home wins against promotion hopefuls Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers has lifted Rovers up to 17th, with 42 points from their 36 games.
Rovers have won only three away games all season, though they have won nine league games at Sincil Bank and go in search of number 10 tomorrow.
To all travelling Gasheads tomorrow, we wish you a safe journey to and from the game.