JOHN DEMPSTER paid tribute to tragic pal Andrew Brown after helping Mansfield past Lincoln in last night’s FA Cup second round replay at Field Mill.
The former Kettering and Crawley centre-half’s 14th-minute header put Stags in front, although it went down as a Paul Farman own goal after rebounding off the post and crossing the line off the helpless City goalkeeper’s legs.
Dempster dedicated the goal – which helped the Blue Square Bet Premier side book a third-round tie at home to five-times European Cup winners Liverpool – to Brown, the former Corby Town defender who died unexpectedly on November 27, aged 32.
“I recently lost a very close friend and I immediately thought of him when it went in,” said Dempster. “We don’t know yet what caused his death, but Andrew was a great lad and the goal and win were for him.”
Former Stag Adam Smith levelled for the Imps just before half-time, but Louis Briscoe – signed for Mansfield by current Lincoln manager David Holdsworth – sealed Paul Cox‘s side’s passage with a 77th-minute winner.
Stags, who banked a £27,000 winner’s cheque, £34,000 for TV screening of the all-BSBP and half the profit from a 5,304-strong crowd, are guaranteed a further £135,000 with the Liverpool clash already chosen for ESPN’s live match on Sunday, January 6.
