Chester (H) 0-1
The first game and a breath of optimism breezed over Sincil Bank. Chester were half an our late, Jacko waltzed into the supporters bar before the game and gave an impassioned speech and we lost 1-0. Jacko was sent to the stands and everyone felt despite the result a new era was dawning. Oh dear.
Wycombe (H) 1-0
Jacko’s last game before a spell recovering from cancer saw us beat Wycombe 1-0 thanks to a terrific Louis Dodds strike. Thoughts of Jackson leaving the club at this point seemed more ludicrous than thoughts of merging with Grimsby Town. Optimism was hight hat once he returned Jacko could turn the club around.
Dagenham (H) 1-3
Cruising at half time thanks to a Lennell John Lewis goal, and having had a Ben Wright strike cancelled out for offside City seemed to be on a crash course with success. However a complete second half collapse saw us lose 3-1, and the first minds began to turn to thoughts of trouble ahead.
Chesterfield (H) 3-1
Not remembered at the time as anything other than a good win over a decent side, but the result was our last win at home on a Saturday last season, and it came in October. A miserable home form came to typify the Jacko regime, and this win soon became linked with the future failures of the side.
Kettering (A) 1-1
The race row game that saw Jackson and Onuora both end up giving evidence in court. A hostile home support witnesses a terrible Imps display, lit up only by a strike from enigmatic Frenchman Dany N’Guessan. The replay perhaps gave us our best chance at prgression in a cup competition for year, but we lost 2-1 thanks to a last minute Craig Westcarr strike.
Accrington (H) 5-1
A role reversal as City are 1-0 down after an appalling first half. Jacko bows to fans pressure and changes the system from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. A Patulea inspired comeback sees us bang 5 past hapless Stanley to record a win on a cold Friday night.
Grimsby (A) 1-5
A truly terrible result that codheads everywhere still see as last season’s only achievement for their side. Trailing 2-1 Jacko gambles and goes for broke, City concede 3 more times for an historic defeat. Eve the staunchest Imps fan won’t forget that debacle in a hurry.
Dagenham (A) 0-3
The match which finally confirmed City were making no progress at all under Jackson. A weak City almost at full strength are rolled over by a hard working Dagenham side in some style, and the nails in the coffin began to get knocked in. Perhaps the manner of the defeat lingers longer than the implications of simply losing three points, but from here only a miracle could save Peter Jackson. Three days later a goal from Imps nemesis Lee Thorpe saw Jacko and Onuora leave the club after under two years at the helm.