When Mark Bailey scored from 72 yards.

By Nathan Jackson
March 2 2006

In our last visit to Brunton Park, City comfortably won 2-0 against a Carlisle side hoping to avoid relegation. The win not only helped send Carlisle down but also helped City reach the playoffs. It also saw the Imps score with a 12 pass goal and a 72 yard screamer from Mark Bailey

CARLISLE UNITED 0 LINCOLN CITY 2

It was supposed to be the day that all Carlisle fans were to embrace. Carlisle had been in the relegation zone since the 2nd week of the season and for the vast majority of the season had been almost certainties for relegation. However, a 2-0 win at home to Torquay in December had suddenly proppelled the Cumbrians up the points tally. The Cumbrians only had 5 points before that meeting with Torquay the week before Christmas. However, the magnificant run meant with just 3 games after this to go, the Cumrbians would have given themselves a great chance of avoiding the drop they had managed to avoid so many times in the past.

It was goalless at the break but just 3 minutes in, something that the world would have you believe couldn't possibly happen, happened. Marriott rolled the ball out followed a easy save. Bloomer passed the ball to Bailey, the wing-back played the ball to Gary Fletcher, he in turn returned the ball to Bailey. Sedgemore got the ball and passed to Richardson who laid the ball off to Gain, Fletcher back heeled it to Gain and the midfielder sent a beautiful chip over Matt Glennon's head to make it 1-0 to the Imps with what was arguably the best passing (as in on the ground), seen in the division all season.

It remained 1-0 until the final minute and Matt Glennon tried to replicate the "Jimmy Glass" story by going up for a free kick, however, unlike Jimmy, it went horribly wrong for Glennon. Whilst he was still in the Imps penalty area, a Carlisle player fouled Richardson, Fletcher quickly took the free kick and passed it to Bailey who just booted it as hard as he could to try and get the ball clear. Hang on, what's going on here? The fans suddenly realised that it was only heading 1 place and that was in the back of the net and Mark Bailey scored from 72 yards out (the official distance).

This was also a game where Lincoln fans lost a lot of respect to their counterparts from Carlisle. Keith Alexander has been close to death earlier in the season but had thankfully returned to football, however, when Alexander disputed a decision, 6,000 Cumbrians decide to stand up and start chanting "You're supposed to be deceased." You guys sure have a lot of class near the border.