Team unity, the class of Cam and a new song ... the story of Lincoln City 0 Rotherham United 1

Rotherham United had taken the lead, Rotherham United were closing in on victory and their fans were making the most of it as they ran through a medley of tunes.

“Rotherham 'Til I Die,” chanted a travelling band nearly 1,000 strong. “We're winning away,” they informed the LNER Stadium where Lincoln City were being completely outplayed. “Stevie Evans' red-and-white army,” they bellowed.

Then the manager was asked to give them a wave. He did. Of course he did. It's Big Steve, after all.

On the first day of a new year this was an away day of old. It was almost as if the misery of the previous 12 months had never really happened.

“One goal doesn't do the performance justice,” said Evans. “We controlled the game. It's a thoroughly deserved win against a decent side.”

Post-match descriptions by the boss don't always exactly tally with the events that have just gone before, but this one did.

The 17th-placed Millers, against opponents five spots above them in the League One table, were the better side in the first half and dismantled the home side in the second.

Mallik Wilks suddenly remembered how good he is and could have had a hat-trick while only the brilliance of George Wickens in the Imps' net denied Cameron Humphreys, Sam Nombe, Hakeem Odoffin, Shaun McWilliams twice and Wilks several times.

Wilks blazed over when he had to score, Zak Jules headed wide when he should have scored. Happily, Joe Powell did score and his 85th-minute first-ever goal for the Millers - a smoothly-executed, 85th-minute volley from the edge of the area - brought a memorable triumph.

“Mallik in the first half ...” said Evans, referring to the attacker's scoop over the bar after slick build-up play.

“If Manchester City had produced that move, people would watch it forever. And we don't play any football, people say. We did today.”

The visitors were looking to build on a home draw three days earlier and the boss added: "The minimum we had to do today was give as much as we gave against Stockport County.

“All we lacked against Stockport was some quality, we didn't lack fight and determination. We added the quality today.

“(Lincoln boss) Michael Skubala is a good coach but he was perplexed. They couldn't get near us for long, long spells.”

One pre-match decision by Evans would turn out to be either brave and foolish or brave and inspired.

The manager had a midfielder at centre-half in Odoffin and a centre-half in midfield in Humphreys. “The staff were falling off their chairs when I told them what the starting line-up would be a couple of days ago,” he said.

Inspired, as it turned out.

Rotherham's Rodri protected the defence and sparked the attack as a CDM and it required the very best attentions of the flying Wickens to keep out a long-range strike that managed to be wicked and delicate at the same time.

Let's not get too carried away – it was only one game, and Cam may yet get carried away in the transfer window anyway – but his display offered huge promise in an area where the Millers are in need of quality like his.

Wickens wasn't the only keeper in form and Dillon Phillips broke Lincoln's spirit with two vital stops close to half-time, first to deny Ben House with a sharp dive and then to thwart Jack Moylan with an even sharper one.

“Moylan's done a magical bit of play and stepped inside and Dillon's produced a big, big save for us,” Evans said. “You need goalkeepers to produce big, big saves, whether it's home or away, and Dillon is capable of doing that.”

From then on, the afternoon belonged to Rotherham who had dropped Jonson Clarke-Harris to the bench, left out Liam Kelly completely and lost the loan services of Joe Hungbo on the eve of the contest.

Powell pounced and the celebration in the corner said something: it was tight, committed, together, just as the team had been from the first whistle.

“That was a top-tier performance by any stretch,” Evans said. “I'm really, really pleased for the supporters. They've travelled around the country in their numbers and at times it's not been acceptable what they've had to watch. I think they'll go home happy tonight.”

It hadn't been a perfect display, but it had been a very, very good one.

The boss was his usual restrained self afterwards: just three manic fist pumps to synchronised cheers from the away throng. Okay, okay, he wasn't restrained at all and added a theatrical kiss of the badge that his players had just worked so hard for.

Now came another song, a different song. An Oasis number was played over the PA system and was taken up with such gusto by celebrating supporters that there is now talk of making it the next anthem at their own ground.

The away end was awash with emotions that had become grimly unfamiliar: contentment, pleasure, pride in what they'd just witnessed as their side set the benchmark for the future.

Time to say goodbye to the annus horribilis of 2024 and hope for better in 2025.

Don't Look Back in Anger.

Lincoln (4-3-3): George Wickens; Tendayi Darikwa, Adam Jackson, Paudie O'Connor, Sean Roughan; Conor McGrandles, Ethan Hamilton, Jack Moylan (Dylan Duffy 76); Jovon Makama, Ben House (Tom Bayliss 76), Bailey Cadamarteri (Freddie Draper 65). Subs not used: Jamie Pardington, Dom Jefferies, Rob Street, Zane Okoro.

Rotherham (4-1-3-2): Dillon Phillips; Joe Rafferty, Hakeem Odoffin, Zak Jules, Reece James; Cameron Humphreys; Alex MacDonald (Cohen Bramall 80) Shaun McWilliams, Joe Powell; Mallik Wilks, Sam Nombe. Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Jamie McCart, Jack Holmes, Andre Green, Jordan Hugill, Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Goals: Powell 85 (Rotherham)

Referee: Ben Speedie (Merseyside)

Attendance: 9,222 (963)