Lincoln City at Wembley: Elliott Whitehouse winner 'a reward from the football gods'

Danny Cowley's Imps never lose a game in which Elliott Whitehouse scores

Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley says Elliott Whitehouse's Checkatrade Trophy final match winner at Wembley was a reward from the 'football gods' for his hard work and professionalism.

The 24-year old midfielder has made half of his 62 appearances for Lincoln from the bench in his two seasons under Cowley at Sincil Bank.

But he took his chance at Wembley with a goal - and a man of the match award.

"He's a credit to his profession," Imps boss Cowley told BBC Sport.

"Nobody works harder than him. He's up at six every morning doing all his stretching. He has this unbelievable preparation routine.

"It's been really hard for him. He's a boy who needs to achieve and most Saturdays I've been stopping him from achieving by not selecting him.

"But he's stuck at it, worked hard and, whenever he's come in, he's done well."

Whitehouse had only scored twice this season before Sunday's winner against Shrewsbury - the first of them coming in promoted Lincoln's very first game in the Checkatrade Trophy back in August. But Cowley had a sixth sense that he might.

"I said to him on Sunday morning: 'You know those football gods? They stick by the people that work hard and I've got a feeling it might be your day today'.

"He got the all important goal, so I'm delighted for him."

Cowley remembers Imps past

Colin Murphy twice served as Imps boss, from November 1978 to May 1985, then again from May 1987 to May 1990

Imps boss Cowley's rich sense of soccer sentiment also extended to paying homage to his club's footballing past by awarding former Imps boss Colin Murphy the honour of leading the team out at Wembley.

Club legend Murphy, now 68. had two popular spells in charge of Lincoln, in a long managerial career that also took in Derby County, Stockport County, Notts County and Southend United.

But, like two other great Imps managers, the late Graham Taylor and Keith Alexander, he never got the chance to take them to Wembley.

And, although he had the privilege of being the first to take charge of a Lincoln team at Wembley in 95 years of trying, since the original Empire Stadium opened in 1923, Cowley felt it was a fitting tribute to his Sincil Bank predecessors to ask Murphy to do the honours.

Former Lincoln City managers Graham Taylor, Colin Murphy (centre) and Keith Alexander (right) are all fondly remembered by Imps fans

"I asked him to do my programme notes too," joked Cowley. "Mine are pretty boring compared to what I've read of Colin's back in the day.

"But to let him lead the team out was great to witness and be a part of.

"This football club has been lucky enough to have some wonderful managers. Sadly, Graham Taylor and Keith Alexander are no longer with us. But Colin is - and it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Colin led the team out but Graham and Keith were also very much in people's thoughts."