SO IMP-RESSIVE
A look back at Lincoln’s Checkatrade Trophy glory last weekend
THE Lincoln City bandwagon just keeps rolling on. Last Sunday they added Wembley silverware to their collection by winning the Checkatrade Trophy final.
After landing the National League title and reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals in manager Danny Cowley’s first season in charge, it was going to take something special to top that this term. Yet the Imps might just do it.
As well as claiming the Checkatrade Trophy, the Imps are in the hunt for back-to-back promotions. Heading into the weekend, they were sixth in the table and looking good bets for a play-off spot at the very least.
And winning at Wembley will only have boosted their morale as they head into the final few games of the season.
In truth, it wasn’t the most exciting of finals, but Lincoln won’t care much about that after claiming victory on their first visit to the home of football.
Success
They had an unlikely hero in midfielder Elliott Whitehouse.
The 24-year-old had netted just twice previously this season but popped up with the all-important goal in the 16th minute.
After left-back Sam Habergham swung over a corner and skipper Luke Waterfall saw his first-time effort parried by Shrewsbury keeper Dean Henderson, Whitehouse reacted first to fire the ball into the roof of the net from close-range.
Cue big celebrations from the Lincoln players and around 27,000 ecstatic Imps fans.
League One Shrewsbury had been favourites going into the game, based on their divisional status, but they struggled to break down a determined Lincoln rearguard.
The Shrews were unlucky when Bryn Morris clipped the bar, before Lincoln made the breakthrough and were denied by a stunning save by Imps keeper Ryan Allsop just after the half hour.
He brilliantly pawed away Omar Beckles’ goal-bound header from a corner, though Lincoln were lucky when Waterfall’s handball from James Bolton’s follow-up effort wasn’t spotted by the officials.
Shrewsbury had a real go at the start of the second half but couldn’t find a moment of inspiration to level the match.
Indeed, Lincoln striker Matt Rhead – booked for a clumsy challenge which poleaxed Henderson on ten minutes – fluffed a chance to kill the game off by firing over from a great position.
In the end it wasn’t to matter as jubilant Lincoln hung on to claim the trophy and the £100,000 prize money. It was more misery for Shrewsbury, who have now lost on each of their four Wembley visits.
Lincoln boss Cowley, who generously let former Imps boss Colin Murphy lead the side out, said: “We were only going to enjoy the occasion if we won and the fact that we were able to do that makes me very happy and proud.
"To have 27,000 fans watch a League Two club play at Wembley for the first time, having been a Non-League club so recently, and then also win too, makes it even more special.”
Disappointed Shrewsbury returned to League One action with a 0-0 draw at Bradford City on Thursday night and it looks as though they may have to settle for the play-offs after fighting it out with Wigan and Blackburn at the top of the table for much of the campaign. If they do end up back at Wembley at the end of May, manager Paul Hurst will be hoping his side will benefit from having had a taste of it in the Checkatrade final. "I've been told there were a couple of decisions which were major talking points, but it’s a pointless exercise making excuses,” he said. “I just don't think we were good enough. We found the occasion difficult to handle.”