Lincoln City secured the League One title this evening with a victory against a timid Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium.
City made one change from the side that drew 2-2 with Stevenage, Rob Street coming into the side for Reeco Hackett. Doncaster featured three former Imps in their first team: Matty Pearson, Hakeeb Adelakun and Robbie Gotts.
The first real opening fell to the visitors after five minutes, Jamie Sterry pulling the ball back into a dangerous area, but Harry Clifton could not get a clean connection and the chance drifted away.
City began to find their rhythm as the half developed, and on 11 minutes, Tendayi Darikwa delivered a teasing corner which Sonny Bradley met from close range, only to guide his header over when it looked like a big opportunity.
Doncaster’s Robbie Gotts was the first into the book on 16 minutes, caught the wrong side of Jack Moylan and hauling him down cynically to halt a promising break. From the resulting free kick, Tom Hamer rose to meet the delivery, his header forcing Thimothee Lo-Tutala into a scrambling save.
City’s best chance of the half arrived on 20 minutes when Moylan twisted in the box and was brought down by Clifton, leaving the referee with a straightforward decision. Rob Street stepped up, but his penalty lacked conviction and Lo-Tutala guessed correctly, pushing it away. The danger was not fully cleared, a long throw creating a moment of panic before Doncaster eventually hacked the ball clear.
There was a brief moment of concern at the other end on 24 minutes when Doncaster appealed for a penalty, the ball appearing to strike Darikwa’s hand, but the referee was unmoved.
City continued to press, and on 27 minutes, a wicked delivery from Varfolomeev was met in the area, but Street had strayed offside as he followed in from Ryan Oné’s touch, cutting short another promising moment.
Jack Senior who entered the book on 33 minutes after deliberately blocking Varfolomeev, trying to nod the ball beyond him. City kept probing, and Hamer then whipped a dangerous ball into the area which a defender inadvertently turned goalwards, forcing another sharp save from Lo-Tutala.
The breakthrough finally came two minutes before the break. A neat move down the right saw Matthew Pearson miscue his intervention, allowing Oné and Moylan to combine sharply before teeing up Ben House, who had the simplest of finishes to give City a deserved lead.
Doncaster threatened an immediate response after the restart, City struggling to clear their lines before Hakeeb Adelakun picked out Senior, but he dragged his effort badly off target when well placed.
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