PNE retro game: Preston battle back to beat Lincoln City in the FA Cup in 1977

Having drawn 2-2 with the Imps at Sincil Bank in a Third Division clash, the sides were pitched together a week later in the first round of the FA Cup.

Two goals from Alex Bruce had secured a point in the league meeting.

Bruce was on target again at Deepdale in the cup, with Mike Elwiss netting twice in a 3-2 victory.

Early in the game, Bruce tested Lincoln’s teenage keeper Peter Grotier with a shot which was pushed behind for a corner.

Lincoln began to boss the game, Phil Hubbard proving a nuisance up front for makeshift centre back Stephen Doyle standing in for Graham Cross.

Roy Tunks saved from Alan Jones then Peter Graham thudded a header against the post.

Lincoln had sounded the warning siren well in advance, and duly took the lead in the 23rd minute when Alan Harding glanced home a header.

An immediate equaliser almost came North End’s way when Elwiss hit the post with a shot.

A minute later Grotier tipped a John Smith strike over the bar. From the corner defender Phil Neale rescued his team by clearing Smith’s header off the line.

Lincoln went 2-0 ahead when centre half Clive Wigginton sent Tunks the wrong way from the penalty spot following a foul by John McMahon on Jones.

Whatever Nobby Stiles said to his PNE players at half time worked a treat.

It certainly put the North End train back on the rails and they were unrecognisable from the team that had walked off at half time – they totally dominated the remainder of the match.

They pulled a goal back in some style. Francis Burns pushed a glorious through ball down the left that found Elwiss tracking in the box.

Elwiss proceeded to curl an exquisite low shot past the diving Grotier into the far bottom corner.

Mick Baxter went close with a trio of headers and Elwiss shot wide.

Ten minutes from time PNE equalised. Burns floated a right wing corner in and Bruce threw himself at the ball by the far post, forcing it over the line.

There was much joy on both the pitch and terraces as the North End fans urged their team on even louder.

There were five minutes left when Elwiss grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and settled the tie.

Roving around just outside of the box, a partial clearance by the Lincoln defence fell his way.

Taking a couple of touches to control and set himself up, he then swivelled and fired a 20-yard shot into the back of the net.

PNE: Tunks, McMahon, Doyle, Baxter, Cameron, Coleman, Burns, Haslegrave, Smith, Elwiss, Bruce. Sub (not used): Spavin.

*...Ed Skingsley is a lifelong Preston fan who has written four books on North End - ‘A Season To Savour’, ‘Preston North End - The Sixties’, ‘Back From The Brink’ and ‘Preston North End - The Seventies’.