Memorable Match
I know the 7-1 win would be obvious, right? I just can’t be so blatant though, and with the EFL trophy coming up next week, I’m going back to 2017/18.
Dale were a League One side and made just three changes to their previous fixture. In the absence of too many strong subs, we were looking like our regular selves as well, lining up Farman, Habergham, Waterfall, Bostwick, Eardley, Whitehouse, Rowe, Anderson, Woodyard, Rhead and Matt Green.
Three subs got an outing, Ollie Palmer, Billy Knott and, crucially, Nathan Arnold.
The game wasn’t a classic, Matt Rhead had a couple of decent chances for us in the first half, but on a terrible pitch, the second half petered away. On paper, it looked a nothing game too, a third-round fixture in a competition few cared about. we had just lost 4-2 to Luton too, and the promotion push had taken a bit of a kick after a good run.
In the dying minutes of a turgid second half, Nathan Arnold broke down the flank in his penultimate appearance for the club. He centred, and the lumbering figure of Ollie Palmer touched the ball home from a few yards out to secure the win. It was unremarkable for many, but not with hindsight. It was a win against higher-level opposition, and it kickstarted a run of just two defeats in 18 games, culminating in our first-ever Wembley appearance.
Nathan got just 18 more minutes in an Imps shirt as we drew 2-2 with Notts County the week after, whilst it turned out to be Billy Knott’s last appearance for the club too, he joined Rochdale the next day on loan, with Jordan Williams heading to us.