City’s 2–0 win at Rotherham United in August 2019 was one of the early defining moments of the Cowley brothers’ League One era.
It came just a week after promotion from League Two had been celebrated with a win over Accrington, and it marked a striking statement that the Imps could compete comfortably at a higher level.
Pre-Match and Build-Up
For years, away trips had been more about the journey than the result. Many older supporters could remember afternoons that ended in frustration rather than triumph: heavy defeats at Peterborough, opening-day losses at Rotherham, and long journeys home from Gillingham or Rochdale with little to cheer.
Under Danny and Nicky Cowley, that mood had begun to change. The Imps travelled to the New York Stadium with quiet optimism, but few expected victory. Rotherham had just come down from the Championship, retaining players used to facing Leeds United, Aston Villa, and Derby County, while we had only just climbed out of League Two.
The day began in typically lively fashion. Supporters filled the town centre pubs, the travelling following adding to the colour of a fixture that had a proper third-tier feel about it. The atmosphere was good-natured, the crowd over 10,000, and both clubs were well backed.
Rotherham’s modern ground, close to the centre and with an open feel, provided the perfect stage for what proved a memorable away performance.
The Match
The opening exchanges belonged to the home side. Rotherham pressed hard, with Matt Olosunde flashing an early shot wide and Freddie Ladapo (a £500,000 summer signing) firing over. Lincoln stood firm, defending compactly through Cian Bolger and Michael Bostwick, with Josh Vickers alert behind them. For 40 minutes, it was a tight, disciplined display without clear openings at either end.
Then, three minutes before half-time, the game turned. A quickly-taken free kick released Tyler Walker, who powered into the area and drove a low shot across goal that deflected off Shaun MacDonald and past goalkeeper Daniel Iversen. The away end erupted, a pocket of red and white in the corner celebrating a lead that few had dared predict.
Rotherham pushed for a response before the interval, but Jack Payne almost doubled the advantage with a dangerous cross that Jorge Grant headed on target, only for Iversen to save. Lincoln went in 1–0 up at the break.
The second half began with Rotherham again pushing forward, but our organisation held. When Josh Vickers gathered a MacDonald header just after the restart, it felt like a turning point. Moments later, the Imps struck again. A corner from Jorge Grant was headed clear, only for another delivery to find Harry Anderson, who rose unmarked inside the area to head home for 2–0. The away end’s celebration matched the scoreline with disbelief turning into delight.
From there, Lincoln managed the game superbly. Rotherham grew increasingly frustrated, collecting several bookings as they chased the ball. Bolger remained dominant at the back, and the midfield pairing of Michael O’Connor and Joe Morrell controlled the tempo, snapping into tackles and breaking up play whenever the Millers threatened to build momentum. O’Connor’s experience told, while Morrell’s energy and aggression made him one of the standout performers.
Rotherham’s aerial presence and physicality meant constant vigilance was needed, but Lincoln continued to restrict them to half chances. As the match entered its closing stages, the hosts forced a late save from Vickers that proved one of the finest of his Imps career, clawing away a Jamie Proctor header that looked certain to halve the deficit. That save was later nominated for Save of the Season by the Football Supporters Federation.
It was a match-winning stop and underlined the composure that ran throughout the side.
Aftermath
When the whistle went, the Imps players came over to the away end to celebrate with the travelling fans, who had sung throughout. Lee Frecklington, facing his former club, led the group across the pitch to acknowledge the support.
The result lifted Lincoln us to joint top of League One after two matches, four halves of football all won without conceding a goal. More than just a strong start, it offered evidence that the methods which had delivered promotion could work higher up the pyramid: discipline, fitness, unity, and opportunism.
Few could have predicted that within a month, the Cowley brothers would be gone, nor that before the season could conclude, we’d all be confined to our homes for months on end due to a global pandemic.
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