2003 Football League Third Division play-off final

Bournemouth finished the regular 2002–03 season in fourth place in the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system, two positions and four points ahead of Lincoln City. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to the Second Division and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Bournemouth ten points behind Wrexham (who were promoted in third place), eleven behind Hartlepool United (who were promoted in second) and thirteen behind league winners Rushden & Diamonds.[1]

Lincoln City's opponents for their play-off semi-final were Scunthorpe United with the first match of the two-legged tie taking place at Sincil Bank in Lincoln on 10 May 2003. Simon Weaver put Lincoln ahead in the 15th minute with a header from close range and Paul Mayo doubled the lead three minutes later with a volley. Alejandro Calvo García reduced the deficit in the 26th minute when he scored from Peter Beagrie's free kick and the half ended 2–1. Paul Smith extended Lincoln's lead ten minutes after the interval from close range but Calvo García scored his second midway through the half to make it 3–2 to Lincoln. Nathan Stanton then struck from inside Lincoln's penalty area to level the match with his first goal for his club but two late goals from substitute Simon Yeo made the final score 5–3 to Lincoln.[2] The second leg was held four days later at Glanford Park in Scunthorpe. The home side dominated the first half but it ended goalless. Once again Yeo came on as a second-half substitute for Lincoln and scored with two minutes to give his side a 1–0 win and a 6–3 aggregate victory.[3]

In the other semi-final, Bournemouth faced Bury and the first leg was played at Gigg Lane in Bury on 10 May 2003. The home side dominated the first half but were reduced to ten men when Jamie Stuart was sent off in stoppage time for a push on Wade Elliott after the pair had been involved in an altercation after a high tackle from Elliott. Bournemouth increased the pressure in the second half but could not break the deadlock and the match ended goalless.[4] The second leg took place three days later at Dean Court in Bournemouth. Garreth O'Connor opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a low strike past Glyn Garner in the Bury goal. James Hayter then doubled Bournemouth's lead with a diving header from Elliott's cross. In the 60th minute, Hayter scored his second, converting a pass from O'Connor at close range. Andy Preece, who had come on as a substitute for Bury at half-time, scored midway through the second half, lobbing the ball in after a pass from Michael Nelson, but it was to be a consolation goal as the match ended 3–1 and Bournemouth progressed to the final with the same aggregate sccore.[5]

The Bournemouth manager Sean O'Driscoll said: "I'm delighted for everybody ... Both teams don't score that many goals so we have kept the best till last, but we have another gear to go up now".[14] His counterpart Keith Alexander was disappointed: "I'm proud with what we have done but if we had defended like that all season we would have been relegated."[14]

Bournemouth ended their following season in ninth position in the Second Division, three places and seven points below the play-offs.[15] Lincoln City's finished in seventh place in the Third Division in their next season but were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-final, losing 4–3 on aggregate to Huddersfield Town.[16]