“We’re not going down, and we’re not going up. We’re Lincoln City, and we don’t give a luck.”
I think that was the chant ringing out around the stadium as the second half kicked off, and it summed up the feeling perfectly. So, we’re not in the promotion hunt, and all being well the bottom four won’t feature our name, but it still felt like it was worth everything up in the Leppings Lane end.
Their keeper was right in front of us in the second period, which meant we didn’t really get to see much of the ball. The second half was entirely theirs in terms of possession and chances, but not goals. We might not have seen a lot of action, but the atmosphere was ramped right up, to a point where I couldn’t hear the home support at all. That might have been the noise around me, but it felt like the longer the game went on, the edgier they got, only breaking that tension to let out a roar when they got a corner, or into a good attacking position. It’s easier as an away fan to make noise; we’ve seen it with some of the fans we’ve hosted this season. Not all of the home support want to sing, but away is a different matter entirely.
They had much less possession than in the first half, the split was 58% to 42%, but they began to go a bit longer, looking for the head of the experienced Smith. It meant 10 efforts, four on target, but it never felt like we were wilting under pressure. Against Ipswich, for example, it was like the Alamo, fighting off chances from all angles, but they just didn’t have that. They had opportunities to win it, without a doubt, but I didn’t feel we were battered.
Why? A stoic demonstration of application and determination. Danny Mandroiu has had his critics recently, but he worked tremendously hard as part of a front two in a 3-5-2 (0r 5-3-2) with Ben House, the formation I’d love to see us play next season. Max Sanders was excellent until he came off, and Ethan Erhahon stepped back in after his short spell on the sidelines with consummate ease. He’s one young player unlikely to be phased by such a big crowd, given his experiences at Parkhead and Ibrox. Our back three were magnificent, with Adam Jackson making up for a tough afternoon a week prior to stand out. We know how good Regan Poole is, but Sean Roughan was a colossus, a 20-year-old who plays with the composure of a man five years older. We were without four centre backs, all of whom would have been in contention, but you wouldn’t have known it.
It was tough for Ben House to stand out, but he worked really hard. Wednesday didn’t mess about at the back, which meant the press wasn’t seen as often as in other matches. That left House tirelessly running without a lot of joy, but he never stopped and credit to him. Look, all of the team deserve credit, every single player on the field, for going toe-to-toe with a team full of players earning more, probably with bigger reputations fighting for silverware and promotion. This was almost a dead rubber for us, 46 points could well be enough to survive, but it didn’t feel like there. There was no complacency, no acceptance at 1-0 down that we were going under, and despite the one-way traffic in the second half, our heads never dropped.
I also want to say a bit about Mide Shodipo. I thought he came on and looked like he had a spark and energy that could be useful in matches against Cheltenham, Port Vale, and Morecambe. Those games are the ones we should use to get to the 50+ point mark, and to do that we need flair, creativity and chances. With no Diamond and no Vernam, the responsibility for that passes to Shodipo, and I thought he had a really positive cameo when he got on the field.
As the minutes ran down, Sheff Weds did begin to look like they might grab a winner. However, it is telling that all of their chances on target in the second half came after the referee inexplicably found nine minutes of injury time. I confess, I can’t recall if the board said eight or nine, but Michael Smith’s best chance of the game came in the 99th minute of action. The home fans must have been frustrated it took so long, but the hosts decided to concentrate their last-gasp attacks down our defensive right, getting some joy. A floated Bannan cross saw Lee Gregory slice his effort badly, but moments later another ball found Smith who beat Rushworth with the header, only for Adam Jackson to nod off the line. The ball was recycled, Smith had another header and this time, Rushworth claimed comfortably. That sounded the end of the game, and City had bagged the point that, deep down, we all probably should have known we’d get.
Quick question – how many times have we lost to teams in the top five this season? Answer: none. We’ve drawn with Wednesday twice, drawn with Plymouth, beaten Barnsley twice (once in the cup), beaten and drawn with Ipswich, and drawn with Bolton, losing the away game. We have won fewer matches against teams in the bottom four! It’s crazy that we seem capable of managing games against other big clubs in the high-octane atmospheres, but struggle to raise that performance playing in front of 2,500 at Forest Green. That shouldn’t distract from a great result yesterday, one that inches us closer to safety and one that we’ll certainly remember for a long while.
Will we get to go back to Wednesday next season? I’m not sure. In flashes, they look a good side, strong in possession, but there’s no killer punch. Johnson, Flint, Bannan, Gregory and Smith have all played regular Championship football in their careers. At the back, Flint has been involved in transfer deals worth £11m, whilst Bannan is on a reported £21,000 per week. This is a different world to Lincoln City, with perhaps one player in the squad signed for a six-figure fee, and wages of no more than £3000 per week. Yet, on any given day, 11 men can face up to 11 men and get a positive result. Celebrating a draw against a huge club (and they are) like Sheffield Wednesday is a privilege we haven’t had as supporters much, certainly not during my 37-year association with the club, and I’ll embrace and enjoy it today.
I’d just love it if we used it as a springboard to get three points on Good Friday and really allay those slight relegation concerns. I mean, we’re safe, but 1987 and 2011 have left an indelible mark on supporters. Mind you, in those seasons we didn’t have spirit, fight and heart, and whilst it hasn’t always been evident this season, we’ve had plenty of examples of what this fledgling side might be capable off with some attacking talent added to the side. Yesterday was just that.
Keep an eye out later today for an away day tale on Andy’s Fun Bus.