Lincoln and Grimsby had enjoyed very different 2005/6 seasons. City had been struggling for the majority, whereas the Mariners were challenging for the title. The Imps went into the game at Sincil Bank on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Boston, City's first defeat since a 3-0 thrashing at Grimsby earlier in the season.

Yeo had been injured in that defeat at Boston and Keith Alexander brought in Jamie Forrester to replace him. Forrester had played for many of City's local rivals, including Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Hull City. He was one of many players playing against their former side, Grimsby's Toner and Futcher were both playing against the Imps following spells at City.

The Mariners got the game underway and won a corner within 30 seconds. It was headed out for another corner which Jamie McCombe was able to head the ball clear and ex-Imp Ciaran Toner could only the shoot over. A cross was punched clear by Mariners but the ball fell to Paul Bolland and his shot from just inside the area was well saved by Marriott. Toner again shot well over with 7 minutes gone.

City finally got our of their own half with 10 minutes gone and almost scored a surprise opener. Scott Kerr won the ball on the left and crossed the ball into the box, new loanee signing Jamie Forrester headed it just wide. Grimsby wasted yet another opportunity when Futcher tried to control in the Imps box, but he ended up clearing it up field to Imps players. That turned out to be a mistake as the ball went out for a throw in to the Imps. Paul Mayo stepped up for the throw in and launched it into the box and Luke Foster headed the Imps into a lead after a little help from the post. It was Foster's first and inevitably only goal for the Imps.

It certainly got the Imps fans going who had been silent up until the point. A midfield battle ensued that resulted in Jamie McCombe playing the ball over the top. Jamie Forrester ran on to it and he lobbed the on rushing Mildenhall from around 25 yards and made it 2-0 to the Imps. The little striker on loan from Bristol Rovers was over the moon and went mental celebrating against his former side. 

The game slowed down for the bit but Premiership ref, Steve Bennett, got very busy soon afterwards when the Mariner's won a corner just after the 20 minute mark. Tussling in the box saw the experienced Kent official have strong words with Grimsby's Futcher and Reddy, as well as Lincoln's Brown. Beevers headed the corner clear. Beevers infact was having a good game and seemed determined to prove himself to fans who had been very critical of him in recent weeks. 

Marvin Robinson was the first player to be booked when he fouled Gary Jones. Woodhouse took the free kick but Marriott was on hand to punch the ball clear.

Not long afterwards saw good link up play between Mayo, Green and Kerr before Green sent a decent cross into the box but Whittle headed the ball clear. Mayo then lay on the ground injured after a tough tackle from Cohen but just as it appeared that Lee Frecklington was about to come on, Mayo was given the all clear by Imps physio, Keith Oakes to continue. 

The game went quiet until 7 minutes before the break when great work from Forrester saw Marvin Robinson released, the striker seemed to take too long on the ball but when he tried to round Mildenhall. The goalkeeper appeared to bring down the striker and City had a penalty. In all fairness, it did appear to have a slight hint of a dive in it. Paul Mayo stepped up and kept up his 100% record of taking penalties for the Imps as he made it 3-0, the same score that Grimsby beat the Imps by in December. 

City were all of a sudden back into 5^th gear when Green and Forrester worked well before the latter sent in a great cross. Green nipped between the defenders but his shot from close range hit the bar. It didn't stay at 3-0 for long thoughh as the Imps continued to attack, Forrester again was involved in the set up when he provided Beevers with the ball. He sent in a cross that Marvin Robinson tapped into the net to make it 4-0 before half time, something that the Imps have rarely achieved into the past.

Toner sent another speculative effort well over the bar. The half time whistle was greeted with cheers as loud as the goals from the Imps fans. Russell Slade sent his players "back to school" at half time as he forced them all to stay on the pitch at half time and quite literally went back to the drawing board. 

City started the second half but Grimsby calved out the first chance when they won a free kick. Woodhouse sent it in and just as Reddy was preparing to volley towards goal, Green acrobatically cleared the ball. Green almost created a goal 10 minutes later when he flicked the ball forward but the chasing Marvin Robinson was offside. It was a strange atmosphere at Sincil Bank because everyone knew that Lincoln were going to win, the only question was what the score was going to be.

Green was again involved and almost scored when Beevers crossed a dangerous ball along the floor and after battling off 2 defenders, Green was left with a one-on-one but his shot was well saved by Mildenhall.  

The game quietened down, however off the pitch, everything started happening as a group of Grimsby fans ran at the Lincoln fans before they were eventually stopped by the stewards. They responded by running around to the gates and broke them through and ran around to the Stacey West end. After a while they all forced themselves back into the away end and several of them invaded the pitch and Steve Bennett appeared ready to stop the game before the stewards and police managed to get all of these "fans" off of the pitch. 

Marvin Robinson was then substituted after a good game that saw him score and win the penalty. He was replaced by Gary Birch, the man who was the leading goalscorer at the time. Crowd trouble again started taking the attention of all the fans as Grimsby fans again invaded the pitch, Whilst this was going on the Imps were winning corners. City infact won 4 in succession, the 4^th of which was cleared.  Forrester then went off for Gritton, it was a very impressive debut for the former Grimsby striker and he showed a lot of potential. 

The Imps made it 5-0 when Kerr played in Beevers and the defender capped off an impressive afternoon by sending a thundering shot along the ground and into the net from the edge of the area. It did appear to take a deflection off of Ben Futcher, not that it really mattered.

Soon afterwards, Kerr was placed by Frecklington. The game filtered out and when the final whistle went a huge cheer roared up from the Imps fans to secure the biggest win since beating Carlisle 5-0 in the 1999/2000 season and the ironic thing being that our next opponents were Carlisle.

Both sides met each other in the Playoffs, the Imps had two early goals disallowed but Grimsby eventually won 3-1 on aggregate.