Lincoln City head coach Chris Cohen believes the Imps have proven they’re good enough to compete in the Championship, after beating Derby County in the Carabao Cup.
Lincoln first played in Derby in the 1906/07 season, losing in the FA Cup. 18 games and 100 years later, a City side finally picked up a win, courtesy of first-half goals by Ben House and Dom Jefferies.
However, it wasn’t what has happened in the past which impressed Chris, but what might happen in the future, as he believes the win will give his side belief they can compete in the Championship.
” I think every player who played in League One for us last year started the game” he said after the game.
“I thought, to a man, just the effort, the application, everything we asked of them, they’ve always done, but they went above and beyond today to get themselves a really good victory and give them belief that they’re good enough to compete and thrive at this level.”
The Imps haven’t just brushed aside a midtable also-ran at Pride Park. Under John Eustace, Derby are a decent side packed with talent, not least Sammie Szmodics, well-known to City fans for his dive against Peterborough United a few years ago.
His goal gave the home side hope, and while City won the game, it wasn’t for a lack of trying from a good Rams outfit.
“Derby are a top team,” added Chris. “We gave them all the respect that they deserve for what they did last season. John’s a top coach who coached them really well and sets them up really well.
“But we also have to make sure that we implement our stuff on them, and I thought in the moments that we had with the ball, I thought we were electric. And then without the ball, we’re just a pleasure to watch.”
One aspect of the game many City fans will revel in is the familiarity. Pre-season has not been great, but as soon as something is on the line, the same Lincoln City spirit came to the fore, defending from the front and working hard, top to bottom.
“The way our forward players back tackle, the effort, as I said, it’s an easy word to use, but you watch our players, they leave it all out there every day. They know that we’ve got a real good bench, that we’ve got really good players to come off the bench and affect the game.
“I thought that everyone that came on added to us, added to the energy, added to the application after some of the boys were slightly tired. It’s the first thing that any coach, I think, asks their team, but it feels like we’re a little bit different in that category in terms of how much effort, how much application there is.”
City now go into the draw for the second round for the seventh time in nine seasons, hoping to perhaps get a decent draw. That said, it’s not like we’re a League Two side now hoping to get one of the big boys: next week, we’re away against Middlesbrough, a top Championship side, as equals.
On this sort of performance, we stand every chance of making sure we remain that way in 46 games’ time.
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