2003 Football League Third Division play-off Final

2003 Football League
Third Division play-off Final
Bournemouth Lincoln City
5 2
Date 24 May 2003 (2003-05-24)
Venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee Alan Kaye
Attendance 32,148

The 2003 Football League Third Division play-off Final was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium on 24 May 2003, to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of the Football League in the 2002–03 season.[1] It was contested by Bournemouth, who finished fourth in the Third Division table, and Lincoln City, who finished sixth. The teams reached the final by defeating Bury and Scunthorpe United respectively in the two-legged semi-finals.[2][3]

The 2002–03 season was the first time both teams had qualified for the Football League play-offs. Bournemouth won the match 5–2 to gain promotion back to the third tier of English football one season after being relegated, and they were the first team to score more than four goals in a play-off final.[4] The seven goals in total makes it the highest scoring fourth tier final. The 1998 First Division play-off Final is the only final with more goals scored.

Route to the final

Bournemouth had finished the 2002–03 Football League season in fourth place in the Third Division, two places ahead of Lincoln. Therefore, both missed out on the three automatic promotion places and instead took part in the play-offs to determine who would join Rushden & Diamonds, Hartlepool United, and Wrexham as the fourth promoted team.

In the play-off semi-finals, Bournemouth were paired with seventh-placed Bury and Lincoln with fifth-place finishers Scunthorpe United. Bournemouth drew their first leg tie 0–0 at Gigg Lane. They won the second leg 3–1 at Dean Court with a goal from Garreth O'Connor and a brace from James Hayter.

Lincoln City won the first leg of their semi-final tie 5–3 at Sincil Bank thanks to goals from Simon Weaver, Paul Mayo, Paul Smith and Simon Yeo (2). They also won their second leg, this time 1–0 at Glanford Park thanks to an 88th-minute goal from Yeo. The results set up the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Bournemouth Lincoln City
Opponent Result Legs Round Opponent Result Legs
Bury 3–1 0–0 away; 3–1 home Semi-finals Scunthorpe United 6–3 1–0 away; 5–3 home

Match

Details

Bournemouth 5–2 Lincoln City
S. Fletcher  29'
C. Fletcher  45', 77'
Purches  56'
O'Connor  60'		 Report Futcher  35'
Bailey  75'
Attendance: 32,148
Referee: Alan Kaye
Bournemouth
Lincoln City
GK25Neil Moss
RB2Neil Young
CB7Carl Fletcher
CB20Phil Gulliver
LB28Warren Cummings
CM3Stephen Purches
CM4Marcus Browning
RM11Wade Elliott 90'
LM12Garreth O'Connor 79'
CF14James Hayter
CF10Steve Fletcher 85'
Substitutes:
GK1Gareth Stewart
MF8Brian Stock 79'
MF22Danny Thomas 90'
FW16Derek Holmes 85'
FW19Scott McDonald
Manager:
Sean O'Driscoll
GK1Alan Marriott
RB2Mark Bailey
CB15Simon Weaver 57'
CB5Paul Morgan
CB4Ben Futcher
LB16Stuart Bimson
RM7Paul Smith 50'
CM19Richard Butcher
CM11Peter Gain
LM3Paul Mayo
CF9Dene Cropper 72'
Substitutes:
DF24Matt Bloomer
MF10Ben Sedgemore
MF21Scott Willis 72'
MF25Chris Cornelly 57'
FW12Simon Yeo 50'
Manager:
Keith Alexander

References

  1. ↑ Harding, Nicholas (25 May 2003). "Fletchers lead Cherries' charge". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Cherries see off Bury". BBC Sport. 13 May 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Lincoln see off Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. 14 May 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Bournemouth win seals promotion". BBC Sport. 24 May 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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