Blackpool finished seven points behind Peterborough United (who were promoted in second place) and nine behind league winners Hull City.

With 13 minutes to go, Johnson charged down a clearance from Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge to score Lincoln's second and they won the match 2–0.

In the 63rd minute, Josh Scowen's tackle on Conor McGrandles was deemed a foul, but the resulting penalty from Jorge Grant was saved by Burge.

He scored his second with 16 minutes of the match remaining with a low strike past Jack Stevens in the Oxford goal, to give his side a 3–0 victory.

[7] In the matches between the sides during the regular season, Lincoln City won away at Bloomfield Road 3–2 in October 2020 while the return game at Sincil Bank the following April ended in a 2–2 draw.

[9] Tony Harrington was the referee for the match, assisted by Ian Cooper and Wade Smith, while Jarred Gillett was the fourth official.

Blackpool were forced to make a change as Simms was injured in training, so Keshi Anderson started and Embleton joined Yates up front.

[13] After less than a minute, Johnson made a run down the right wing and played in a low cross which Chris Maxwell, the Blackpool goalkeeper, missed, and Turton struck the ball into the net for an own goal.

Demetri Mitchell then had two chances to score: his header landed the roof of the Lincoln goal followed by a powerful shot from inside the area which was saved by Palmer.

Embleton then saw his shot kept out by Palmer before Mitchell header from Garbutt's free kick was also saved by the goalkeeper, and the half ended with the scores level.

Midway through the half, Lincoln City made their first substitution of the game with Callum Morton coming on in place of Hopper.

With ten minutes of the match remaining, Blackpool made a double-substitution with Grant Ward and CJ Hamilton coming on for Anderson and Embleton.

[14] After the game he remarked of it that "I just thought it's the worst thing that could ever happen" but that his side "put in a great shift and we're deserved winners".

[16] The Blackpool manager Neil Critchley said that the own goal was "how not to start a play-off final" but that his team "stayed calm and we played our way back into the game".