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

24 May 2003
15:00
Bournemouth 5–2 Lincoln City
S. Fletcher  29'
C. Fletcher  45', 77'
Purches  56'
O'Connor  60'		 Report Futcher  35'
Bailey  75'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 32,148
Referee: Alan Kaye
Bournemouth
Lincoln City
GK 25England Neil Moss
RB 2 England Neil Young
CB 7Wales Carl Fletcher
CB 20England Phil Gulliver
LB 28 Scotland Warren Cummings
DM 3 England Stephen Purches
DM 4 Wales Marcus Browning
RM 11England Wade Elliott  90'
AM 12Republic of Ireland Garreth O'Connor  79'
LM 14England James Hayter
CF 10England Steve Fletcher  85'
Substitutes:
GK 1England Gareth Stewart
MF 8 England Brian Stock  79'
MF 22England Danny Thomas  90'
FW 16England Derek Holmes  85'
FW 19Australia Scott McDonald
Manager:
Republic of Ireland Sean O'Driscoll
GK 1England Alan Marriott
RB 2England Mark Bailey
CB 15England Simon Weaver  57'
CB 5 England Paul Morgan
CB 4 England Ben Futcher
LB 3England Paul Mayo
RM 7England Paul Smith  50'
CM 16England Stuart Bimson
CM 19England Richard Butcher
LM 11England Peter Gain
CF 9England Dene Cropper  72'
Substitutes:
DF 24England Matt Bloomer
MF 10 England Ben Sedgemore
MF 21 England Scott Willis  72'
MF 25 England Chris Cornelly  57'
FW 12 England Simon Yeo  50'
Manager:
England Keith Alexander

References

  1. ↑ Harding, Nicholas (25 May 2003). "Fletchers lead Cherries' charge". theguardian.com. 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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