YEARS OF PAIN FOR CATS
Lee despair as Imps match on
LEE JOHNSON admitted Sunderland were left “devastated” after blowing their Wembley bid and condemning the Wearside giants to a FOURTH season in League One.
Sunderland have spent years tormenting their fans and sending them home disappointed.
Their shocking collapse this season is up there with the pain of their two relegations and third tier play-off heartbreak.
They won only two games out of 11, including this one, since April when they had automatic promotion in their own hands.
Lincoln striker Tom Hopper grabbed the decisive second-half, tie-winning goal... but only after Sunderland gave their amazing 10,000 crowd hope by charging to a two goal first half lead.
These two clubs have been on different trajectories. In 2017
Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League and the Imps won the National League. Now it is Lincoln who can reach the second tier for the first time since 1961, with a Wembley showdown against Blackpool next Sunday.
Mackem boss Lee Johnson said: “It is devastating. The boys are devastated. We put everything into it. The fans were great and the positive is that is the sign of things to come for the 23 home games next season. I can’t wait for 42,000 here.
“We couldn’t get that elusive goal. We got done by a set play, by switching off and that bugs me. We failed to do our job. We had some chances, and it was a proper game of football. That doesn’t make us feel any better.
“We put in so much physical effort and the boys were hanging in at the end. The refs decision not to give us a penalty too damaged us. Livelihoods and players’ futures are on the line. It is unbelievable.
“I wish I had been here for the whole season. Some players have played their last game. There will be evolution. It is a sad day.”
Lincoln were blown away in the first half. The Stadium of Light was a cauldron, even with only 10,000 fans inside, as the Wearside faithful let rip after 15 months away.
The vistors looked shellshocked conceding two goals from Ross Stewart and Charlie Wyke. But that all changed after the break.
Credit to their boss Michael Appleton who composed his men at half-time and made two substitutions, including Conor McGrandles who was excellent.
“I was really disappointed with the first half, I did not recognise us as a team,” said Appleton.
“I got after them with a little bit of old school. I just wanted to see personalities, be brave and get on the ball, pass the ball and we got that in the second half.
“I just said that to them at the end that we have passed a massive test in the second half because we were up against it in the first half, we had a lot of young players who had not experienced that before.
“The half-time subs were outstanding, they changed the game and you need and want that from your subs.”
Hopper’s goal flattened the home crowd who had been inspired by Aiden McGeady.
McGeady made the opener whipping in a low cross which Stewart finished at the near post. Wyke poked home McGeady’s cross after 33 minutes for his 31st of the season to level the tie before Hopper struck. SUNDERLAND: Burge 7, Gooch 6 (Flanagan 90), Wright 6, O’Nein 6, McFadzean 6 (Power 65, 5); Maguire 6, ( Diamond 65, 5), Scowen 5, Leadbitter 6, McGeady 7; Stewart 7 (O’Brien 78), Wyke 6.
Subs not used: Matthews, Winchester, Jones. LINCOLN: Palmer 7, Poole 7, Montsma 5 (Walsh 45, 7), Eyoma 7, Edun 7, Brennan 7, Bridcutt 7, Grant 7; Scully 5 (McGrandles 45, 7), Hooper 7, Rogers 7. Subs not used: Long, Sanders, Bramall, Morton, Anderson.
MAN OF THE MATCH: McGeady – 18 assists this season and a dynamite first half-hour that gave Sunderland a chance.
REFEREE: Michael Salisbury 7.