2003 Football League Third Division play-off Final


The 2003 Football League Third Division play-off Final was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium on 24 May 2003, to determine the fourth and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of the Football League in the 2002–03 season. It was contested by AFC Bournemouth, who finished fourth in the Third Division table, and Lincoln City, who finished sixth. The teams reached the final by defeating Bury and Scunthorpe United respectively in the two-legged semi-finals.
The 2002–03 season was the first time both teams had qualified for the Football League play-offs. Bournemouth won the match 5–2 to gain promotion back to the third tier of English football one season after being relegated, and they were the first team to score more than four goals in a play-off final. The seven goals in total makes it the highest scoring fourth tier final. The 1998 First Division play-off Final is the only final with more goals scored.

Route to the final

Bournemouth had finished the 2002–03 Football League season in fourth place in the Third Division, two places ahead of Lincoln. Therefore, both missed out on the three automatic promotion places and instead took part in the play-offs to determine who would join Rushden & Diamonds, Hartlepool United, and Wrexham as the fourth promoted team.
In the play-off semi-finals, Bournemouth were paired with seventh-placed Bury and Lincoln with fifth-place finishers Scunthorpe United. Bournemouth drew their first leg tie 0–0 at Gigg Lane. They won the second leg 3–1 at Dean Court with a goal from Garreth O'Connor and a brace from James Hayter.
Lincoln City won the first leg of their semi-final tie 5–3 at Sincil Bank thanks to goals from Simon Weaver, Paul Mayo, Paul Smith and Simon Yeo. They also won their second leg, this time 1–0 at Glanford Park thanks to an 88th-minute goal from Yeo. The results set up the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Match

Details