The club was drawn to place Middlesbrough in the first round, with Boro having choice of ground, which they exercised in favour of them having the tie at home.

In the first round, the club beat Darlington in the first round before 2,000 spectators;[4] the Lincolnshire Chronicle stated the match was "the very best‐bar none‐we have ever witnessed on the Wong",[5] whereas the Northern Echo, bemoaning two disallowed Darlington goals and complaining the first Town goal had cleared the bar, stated The game was of a very rough character, and did not excite much interest.”[6] The club got a bye in the second round and beat Grantham Town at home in the third, but lost away to Aston Villa in the fourth.

The next year was the last in which clubs had automatic entry rights to the first round, and the club was drawn to play Lincoln City away; the match was considered a "foregone conclusion" and the Cits duly won 4–1.

Town's original colours were cerise and French grey, changed in 1886 to Lincoln green with a gridiron badge.

[9] In the 1990s the club changed to the town's corporate colours of red and white.