Nathan Arnold’s late goal sent Sincil Bank wild as Vanarama National League leaders Lincoln City defeated Town 1-0 to record a famous FA Cup third round replay victory in front of a live TV audience. As at Portman Road in the first game, the Imps were the better side and Arnold confirmed one of the most embarrassing defeats in the Blues' history in the final moments when he was sent through on goal, rounded Dean Gerken and tapped the ball into the net.
Gerken, Paul Digby, Leon Best, Jonathan Douglas and Grant Ward all returned to a Blues line-up featuring five changes from the side which beat Blackburn 3-2 on Saturday.
Digby was handed his second start of the season - the other was in the EFL Cup - in what was a continuation of the three-man backline, playing on the right with skipper Luke Chambers in the middle and Christophe Berra on the left. Adam Webster missed out, due to an ankle injury.
Josh Emmanuel and Jonas Knudsen were again the wing-backs, while Gerken started in goal as he did in the first match with Bartosz Bialkowski the sub keeper.
Ward and Douglas were in central midfield with Andre Dozzell and Kevin Bru dropping to the bench. Best replaced Freddie Sears, who was also among the subs, up front with Tom Lawrence.
Also on the bench were youngsters Adam McDonnell, a midfielder, striker Ben Morris and left-back Pat Webber.
Lincoln named the same XI which started the 2-2 draw at Portman Road having made six changes for Saturday’s 3-1 FA Trophy victory at Gateshead.
Following a minute’s applause for ex-Imps boss Graham Taylor, who died last week, Lincoln, who lined-up in a 4-4-2 system, started on the front foot in front of a noisy Sincil Bank crowd but without being able to carve out an early opening.
Town first threatened from a long Knudsen throw from the left but Lincoln eventually cleared the danger.
On 10 Nathan Arnold shot well over for the home side, then soon afterwards Lawrence, scorer of both Town’s goals in the first match and five in his last three matches, broke forward ominously and hit a low 25-yard strike which Imps keeper Paul Farman got down to his right to save at a stretch.
Matt Rhead, who had already been spoken to by referee Ben Toner twice for transgressions, headed a cross well wide in the 15th minute with Blues keeper Gerken still to be seriously tested.
Lincoln were having most of the ball with the Blues unable to keep it whenever they got hold of it.
The home side began to threaten and in the 24th minute the ball was played into Theo Robinson’s feet on the edge of the six-yard box. The former Derby man, who scored twice in the first match, tried to turn but found his way blocked by Chambers and Digby.
The Blues were under the cosh against the again impressive Vanarama National League leaders but on 29 Best brought the ball out and fed Lawrence to his left.
The Welshman played a superb first-time ball in towards Ward breaking in on goal down the middle but too far in front of the former Spurs man, who went to ground as he collided with Farman but without claiming a penalty.
But Lincoln continued to pin Town back inside their own area and on 33 Terry Hawkridge crossed from the right, however, Rhead was unable to make a clean contact on the ball, which flew wide.
Town made it out of their own half in the 36th minute and Ward fed Emmanuel to his right but the wing-back’s cross didn’t find a Blues player and the Imps cleared.
There was a big scare for the Blues a minute from the end of the half when Imps skipper Luke Waterfall was found in space from a knockdown from a long throw on the left and seemed certain to score. However, Gerken quickly came off his line to palm his effort past the post. Inexplicably referee Toner gave a goalkick.
Town would have been much the happier to hear the official’s whistle ending a half which had been thoroughly dominated by the home side.
The Imps had controlled the game throughout with the Blues forced to defend on the edge of their box for long spells and will feel they had done enough to go in front.
Waterfall’s chance towards the end of the half was the best of the game, while Lawrence’s strike from distance was the only save home keeper Farman had been forced to make.
The Blues needed to improve significantly in the second half to avoid an embarrassing FA Cup exit.
Lincoln began the second half much as they had ended the first and on 50 Rhead was booked for catching Berra with an arm as they battled in the air, a challenge which the Scottish international and a number of other Town players were less than impressed with . Soon after, Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury after being blocked by Bradley Wood.
Town made their first foray forward of the half in the 54th minute but Knudsen’s cross from the left was blocked.
Emmanuel forced Farman into his first serious save of the game in the 58th minute, hitting a powerful shot on the turn from the edge of the area but the keeper got down to his left to block and the loose ball was cleared.
Town subsequently put the Imps under a brief spell of pressure as Knudsen sent in some long throws from the left but without creating an opportunity.
But Lincoln quickly began to look the more threatening side again and just before the hour Douglas was booked for a foul on Rhead on halfway.
On 65 Hawkridge struck a shot from distance that Gerken pawed away to his right and claimed at the second attempt.
Eight minutes later, Best profited from a Lincoln error midway inside their half and brought the ball forward to the edge of the box before hitting a shot which was blocked.
That was Best’s final action of another not overly convincing display with Freddie Sears replacing him as Andre Dozzell took over from Ward.
Arnold shot over for the Imps as home fans stood to applaud Graham Taylor as phone lights were held aloft for a minute.
As the game moved into its final five scheduled minutes a poor clearance fell to Knudsen on the edge of the box but the Dane’s volley flew wide.
Soon after Wood was booked for a foul on Lawrence and from the Town freekick the Imps won the tie.
As the fourth official raised the board indicating four additional minutes, the on-loan Leicester man’s freekick was headed clear, Lincoln sub Adam Marriott broke and drew two Town defenders and played in Arnold, who rounded Gerken and tapped home to seal the victory and send the home fans into raptures.
The Blues desperately looked to get themselves back into the game in the remaining minutes but it was Gerken who was forced into a save rather than Farman, sub Jack Muldoon hitting a shot into Gerken’s midriff.
Soon after, the referee confirmed one of the most humiliating defeats in Town's history, only their second FA Cup defeat to non-league opposition since the Blues became a Football League club in 1938, the first their 1960 loss to Peterborough,
The Imps, who have reached the fourth round for the first time since 1976 and face a tie against Championship leaders Brighton, thoroughly deserved their win having been the better side in both matches. Lawrence’s goals saved the Blues in the first game but the on-loan Leicester man couldn’t save woeful Town a second time.
Town, who are still without an FA Cup win since the victory at Blackpool in January 2010, can have no complaints about the result and the opprobrium which is set to come their way having been outplayed by a team from three levels below them for a second time in front of a nationwide and global TV audience.
Lincoln: Farman, Wood, Haberham, Waterfall (c), Power, Rhead, Hawkridge (McCombe 90), Raggett, Arnold (Muldoon 90), Woodyard, Robinson (Marriott 78). Unused: Long, Miles, Weatherell, Walker.
Town: Gerken, Digby, Chambers (c), Berra, Emmanuel, Ward (Dozzell 75), Skuse, Douglas, Knudsen, Lawrence, Best (Sears 75). Unused: Bialkowski, Bru, McDonnell, Morris, Webber. Referee: Ben Toner (Lancashire). Att: 9,067 (Town: 1,094).