Lincoln 2-1 Doncaster: Lincoln Fans Dreaming Of The Imp-possible
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In a game that Lincoln simply had to win in the League One promotion race, they did just that. Three vital points this weekend has edged them that bit closer to a return to the second tier for the first time since before the moon landings.
If there’s one thing that everyone involved in football can agree on, it’s that points on the board are much more valuable than games in hand. While the rest of the top six dozed off with their games postponed for international week, Lincoln City welcomed Doncaster to Sincil Bank with dreams of piling the pressure on their rivals with a statement win. And with the rest of the promotion-chasers watching on, the Imps did just that. They stuck their man on the moon. Or, more accurately, they eked out a tight victory against a Doncaster side that hadn’t won in eight league games.
The push for promotion from League One this year is as tight as I can remember it. Dependant on cup runs and other factors, sides have played between thirteen and sixteen games so far. Despite being a decent chunk through the season, just eight points separate Leyton Orient in 16th and league leaders Stockport. For context, if you were eight points off the top of the tree in the Championship this weekend you’d be in 4th. It’s closer than ever, a good string of results can drag anyone from mid-table obscurity to within a few games of Wembley Way and dreams of promotion.
None will be more aware of this than Lincoln, who came into this game knowing a win could take them into the automatic promotion places and a loss could see them drop as low as 13th once everyone’s games in hand had been caught up on. Their opponents, on the other hand, have been in free fall of late. After seven games Doncaster found themselves second in the league with an impressive five wins, a fantastic start for a newly promoted side. Performances have started to slip, however, and since then they have gone nine without a win and are now teetering above the drop zone by just three points and in worse form than anyone else in the division. Troubling times for Grant McCann’s side.
If Lincoln are going to return to the second tier for the first time since 1960/61, these are the games they have to win. They started brightly, midfielder Robert Street having his headed goal chalked off after 22 minutes for a push in the build up. It was probably a fair decision, and ultimately didn’t affect the full-time result, but I’ve definitely seen them given as goals.
The hosts nearly graciously gifted their visitors the opener shortly afterwards, Sonny Bradley flicked a lazy pass back to his ‘keeper that was easily intercepted by Owen Bailey for Doncaster. Bailey found Billy Sharp and he lined up to shoot, but by the time he could get his effort away Bradley had scarpered back to the goal line to head clear and spare his blushes. If anyone was going to finish that chance, you’d probably expect it to be Sharp.
The breakthrough finally came just after the half hour mark, and it was Lincoln who drew first blood. Right-back Tendayi Darikwa was given too much space and time down the flank, and wasn’t pressed with any urgency. He picked out a beautiful cross into the middle for on-loan Everton winger Francis Okoronkwo to head home his first league goal in Lincoln colours, he did brilliantly to run between the defenders and divert the ball into the far corner well beyond the goalkeeper’s grasp. That goal saw the hosts entered into the break in a deserved, but fragile, lead. Doncaster would have to climb a mountain to put an end to their months-long winless run.
They came out for the second half with plenty of intent. Star-man Luke Molyneux’s long-range effort was barely tipped wide by Lincoln ‘keeper George Wickens seemingly out of nowhere. When you have a player of his quality in midfield, you’re never truly out of the game.
Bizarrely, Wickens was nearly the architect for the next Lincoln goal. The ball was rolled back to him and he pumped it forward over the top of the entire Doncaster backline. Sonny Bradley managed to beat the offside trap and passed the ball sideways to the goalscorer Okoronkwo for a tap into an empty net. It was the easiest chance of the game, he had plenty of time, nobody pressuring him and the net gaping before him. The ball trickled wide for a goal kick. You can take the boy out of Everton…
Lincoln were made to rue the missed opportunity, their visitors equalising with 70 minutes on the clock. Molyneux was, of course, at the heart of all things good for Doncaster. He won the ball out wide from a Lincoln clearance and drove forward, playing an excellent ball through to substitute Brandon Hanlan who turned and finished well into the bottom corner beyond Wickens. It was a lovely touch and finish, but an experienced defender like Bradley really has to be tighter to him than, and he’ll know it too. If Bradley marks him properly, the goal never happens.
Doncaster, as we’ve discussed, have been having a terrible time of late. With twenty minutes to go, they were level at one of the trickiest away grounds to travel to in the division and in with a serious chance of getting something. Keep it tight, don’t do anything silly and be strong on set pieces and they could walk away with a great point on the road.
A minute after the equaliser, Lincoln regained the lead with a scrappy own goal from a long throw. The ball bounced multiple times in the box and Doncaster failed to clear their lines, eventually it fell to Ben House whose shot hit the ‘keeper and ricocheted off of Robbie Gotts into his own net. A calamity for Doncaster at the back and a disaster for their chances of getting anything out of the game. The rest of the game played out largely without incident, Owen Bailey came closest to equalising as he stretched to meet a teasing cross into the goal but he couldn’t direct the ball on target. The full-time whistle rang out and the hosts celebrated three crucial points in the hunt for an elusive promotion place in this year’s League One campaign.
With all the postponements across the division, this week was the opportunity for both these sides to put out a statement of their intent to stay in, or get promoted out of, the league this year. Lincoln showed they have what it takes and Doncaster should seriously be looking over their shoulder at the bottom four and a swift return to League Two.
With Blackpool undergoing somewhat of a resurgence since the appointment of Ian Evatt, Peterborough looking significantly more capable under Luke Williams and Plymouth with a superior squad and the financial muscle to flex from their summer exodus in January all snapping at Doncaster’s heels, they need to return to their early season form sooner rather than later to avoid being dragged back into League Two at the first attempt after a three year stint trying to get themselves out.
For Lincoln, they’ll hope this victory can set them off on a run of results to maintain their position in the top two. There are some big clubs with big budgets around them, but with their wiley and experienced squad they’re more than capable of giving everyone a game in this league.
A massive result at both ends of the table that could have huge repercussions in the promotion and relegation battles. Could these sides both find themselves out of League One come May?