On The Road
ThE good times just keep on coming for Lincoln City under the Cowley brothers. First that famous FA Cup run last season, then promotion to the Football League after a six-year absence and now the club’s first visit and win at Wembley in their 134-year history.
Elliott Whitehouse was the scorer of their historic goal. But it was about more than just a single goal. The Imps had to battle in the same way they did on the way to becoming the first non-League side to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for 103 years.
Whitehouse, 24, is a much-travelled midfielder who started at Sheffield United and passed through five more clubs before arriving at Lincoln in October 2016. ‘he deserved his goal,’ said manager Danny Cowley. ‘You wouldn’t believe it but he gets up at 6am each morning to do his stretches. he’s constantly trying to get better.’
This was a gritty performance and the 27,000 supporters in the Lincoln end felt every moment.
For some, the nerves started hours if not days before the game. ‘ I’ve not slept since Friday,’ said Terry, a lifelong Imps fan, who made the journey down from Lincolnshire to London with his family on Saturday. ‘Look, that’s Wembley,’ he said to his son Jack as the train approached Wembley Park Tube station. ‘Soak it up.’
Shrewsbury, the League One side gunning for promotion to the Championship, were the natural favourites. But so were Ipswich, Brighton and Burnley in the Cup last year and that didn’t matter.
‘It’s only us and I think human beings are really good actually at putting the handcuffs on themselves,’ Cowley said. ‘Sometimes you’ve got to dream big haven’t you and you’ve got to think big and I know one thing for sure that if you don’t believe it, you’ll never achieve it.’
Only two years ago, he and his brother and assistant Nicky were managing part-time Braintree Town and the season before that they were in charge of Concord Rangers. They did all that while holding down jobs as PE teach- ers. Their journey from grassroots football to Wembley was perhaps best summed up hours before yesterday’s final.
Nicky’s wife, Lauren, who was up at 3.30am for the big day, tweeted: ‘Ten years ago, I took my PE teacher boyfriend @Cowleyn8 on a tour of the new Wembley Stadium for his birthday. Today, I will watch him and his brother @dancowley1 manage @ lincolncity_ fc on that very pitch! Whatever happens, to say the family are proud is an understatement!’
Paul hurst deserves credit, too, having taken Shrewsbury from the bottom of League One to the verge of automatic promotion in 18 months. Lincoln were still trying to organise themselves when midfielder Bryn Morris smashed a stunning left-foot half-volley from 25 yards against goalkeeper Ryan Allsop’s crossbar.
It was a sign for Lincoln to be more alert. From that moment they seemed to play with more aggression and urgency. It was an approach that nearly cost them dear when striker Matt Rhead knocked Shrewsbury goalkeeper Dean henderson to the ground after catching him with his left arm. Referee Gavin Ward booked Rhead but it wouldn’t have been harsh had he sent him off.
It left henderson cleared unsettled and it may well have been on the on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper’s mind when Lincoln were awarded a corner.
Sam habergham’s delivery was directed towards goal by Waterfall, and while henderson kept his shot out, Whitehouse reacted quickest to convert the rebound.
Shrewsbury started to mount attack after attack. Shaun Whalley shot wide and then Imps goalkeeper Allsop did superbly to deny Omar Beckles, although Waterfall did seem to handle James Bolton’s follow-up.
Defensively Lincoln were doing everything they could to keep Shrewsbury out, with central defender Michael Bostwick excelling. Alex Woodyard, a player who has been with the Cowley brothers since the Concord days, also made vital challenges when it mattered.
‘I’ve been told there were a couple of decisions which were major talking points,’ said a disappointed hurst. ‘ But it’s a pointless exercise making excuses as it’s not going to change the result.
‘I certainly wouldn’t want to run into Matt Rhead, that’s for sure. he’s a big lad. Clearly, there was an incident, something happened. Whether Dean henderson was winded, or dazed, or whatever you want to call it, he had every right to be on the floor and take a bit of time.
‘But I don’t want to kid anyone. I just don’t think we were good enough. As players, we found the occasion difficult to handle.’