IMPS GET THE SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS!
Cowley hails title triumph
SWEET CAROLINE played Lincoln City back into the Football League – ‘Good times never seemed so good’. Indeed!
After six seasons in NonLeague football and no finish in the top half since their relegation in 2011, the Imps are back on the up.
Terry Hawkridge got both goals for Danny Cowley’s side as they came from behind against Macclesfield to bag three points.
By the time Neil Diamond’s famous ditty was being heard across Sincil Bank, the best part of 10,000 fans were on the pitch, many of them in tears.
Players were hoisted on shoulders, someone even managed to put a crown on assistant manager Nicky Cowley’s head.
How the Cowley brothers have earned their coronation with a remarkable season that has taken Lincoln to the FA Cup quarter-finals, the FA Trophy semis and, now, back to the ‘Promised Land’.
Keeper Paul Farman, who had made two massive saves to keep Lincoln level in the second half, grabbed the mic and led chants of ‘We are Going Up!’
“I’m just so pleased for everyone at the football club, they haven’t had the success they deserve,” boss Cowley said, as fans asked for selfies on the pitch.
“They’ve supported this club unconditionally. They deserve this moment. We knew going into this game we could change our own lives, which is great. But it doesn’t mean as much as changing other people’s lives. It’s so rewarding.
“For the people of Lincoln, we’re a Football League club again. I saw the hurt on their faces six years ago when they got relegated. I knew what their club meant to them.
“The fact we’ve collectively been able to get them back is brilliant. But we have to build on this now. This is just the start.
“We knew the first step would be the hardest. This National League is a tough league. There are a lot of good players, managers and teams. But we’ve managed to climb our way to the top.”
As any Lincoln fan will tell you, the Imps tend not to do things the easy way. Moments after Matt Rhead had hit the bar, an expectant crowd were stunned into silence when Mitch Hancox lined up from range and sent a dipping, swerving shot into the net.
But there’s a belief running through this side that they will come back as they did against Torquay and Gateshead.
“I knew we would do it,” midfielder Alex Woodyard said “We’ve worked so hard this year. It pays off in the end. I’m just really pleased for all the fans.”
The equaliser came six minutes after Macclesfield’s opener. Rhead’s backheel came to Lee Angol, his shot on the spin was kept out by Scott Flinders, but Hawkridge raced in to tuck the rebound away.
Lincoln fans were, under-
standably, nervy. Chris Holroyd’s acrobatic attempt was saved by a stretching Farman and then the stopper made a point-blank stop from Hancox’s header.
And on 76 minutes the goal came. Hawkridge dropping his shoulder before drilling a low shot that sneaked inside the post. Cue pandemonium. And a lot of nail biting, especially when Macclesfield substitute Anthony Dudley spurned a glorious chance to equalise deep in stoppage-time.
“They deserve to win the league, they’ve been excellent all season,” Macc boss John Askey said. “We didn’t want it to happen against us, but overall I was pleased with our performance.”
It would have been the ultimate party pooper but this was always meant to be Lincoln’s day.
“We’ve been relentless and ruthless,” Cowley added. “It just shows what a group of hard-working, honest people can achieve if they work together.” STAR MAN: Terry Hawkridge (Lincoln City) ATT: 10,031 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Tom Nield 6/10