Lincoln City produced one of the most memorable moments of the 2025/26 League One campaign after a hard-earned 2-2 draw against Huddersfield Town at the Accu Stadium that saw Ryley Towler score in the closing moments of the game to rescue one point against the former Premier League side.
With an unlikely hero, Lincoln maintained their unbeaten run in 2026, consolidating themselves at the top of the League One table with 7 matches to play. At Huddersfield, Towler, a central defender, managed to score an equaliser in the 93rd minute after Lincoln saw themselves 2-0 down at the 20-minute mark, with the 23-year-old scoring his first goal for The Imps since his arrival in the summer of 2025.
A First Half That Exposed Lincoln
Lincoln arrived at the Accu stadium as heavy favorites, especially considering Huddersfield came from a very inconsistent run. Pressure was in for the Imps as they needed to secure the three points to get one step closer to the Championship, and bookmakers accepting PayPal saw Lincoln as the favorites to win the match.
But it’s fair to say the travelling fans didn’t expect such a rough start. At the 15-minute mark, Ryan Hardie made a run behind the defense, he was found by Anthony Evans who delivered the ball to Hardie, who then proceeded to get through Adam Reach and put the ball in the back of Wickens’ net.
And just 5 minutes later, Skubala’s side were shocked with yet another Huddersfield goal at the hands of Ryan Ledson who found a loose ball in the Lincoln box and volleyed it into the back of the net after Lincoln were unable to successfully defend Huddersfield’s throw-in.
Luckily for the Imps, in the 29th minute a Tom Hamer throw-in was headed into the back of the net by Huddersfield defender Josh Feeney who left goalkeeper Nicholls without time to react, getting one goal back for Lincoln.
After the 2-1, Lincoln started to put more pressure on Huddersfield, but Liam Manning’s side managed to maintain their lead and both teams headed to the dressing rooms for the break with an unexpected result for both Huddersfield, who saw themselves with a 2-1 lead, and Lincoln, who desperately needed to rescue, at least, one point on their visit to the Accu stadium.
The Last-Minute Comeback That Changed Everything
After the break, Lincoln re-emerged with a different energy. Skubala’s talk in the dressing room made an impact, as Lincoln started to press higher and move the ball faster. On the other hand, Huddersfield, who had the lead, played more conservatively, but as minutes went by, they increasingly saw themselves on the back foot as Lincoln continued to pressure trying to find the equalizer.
But as minutes went by, Lincoln was unable to find the back of the Huddersfield net. Even when Skubala decided to bring in more offensive players in the likes of Ryan Oné and Reeco Hackett in the 62nd minute, Lincoln still couldn’t get past Huddersfield.
With the clock ticking, Huddersfield began to grow and desperation amongst the Lincoln players was evident, especially after direct rivals Cardiff and Bolton were unable to win their respective games.
And in the 73rd minute, Skubala brought in an unlikely hero: Ryley Towler. The former Portsmouth defender was brought in after Huddersfield began to pressure more, securing more defensive stability whilst gaining a dominant aerial force for set pieces.
But in the 93rd minute, it was yet again Tom Hamer who delivered a dangerous long throw into the box, and after a timid Huddersfield clearance, Ryley Towler managed to strike the ball into the back of the net, securing a valuable point to keep the Imps at the top of League One.
The Unlikely Hero
Ryley Towler’s commitment to the team ever since his arrival has been excellent. Even after falling off the starting eleven, Towler continued to prove himself on every occasion, whether he played 90 minutes or 5. Stars win you games, but players like Towler win you trophies.
His role at Lincoln is that of a squad player, yet Towler has given his all on every occasion. After scoring the equalizer, Towler secured himself a yellow card after jumping into the stands to celebrate with the travelling Lincoln fans.
A player who is just completing his first season at the club is feeling the badge like non-other, and his equalizer against Huddersfield could be the decisive point for Lincoln’s promotion.