This did not feel like the home of a League One club. But that is where Sunderland will be playing for a fourth successive season.
It was a boisterous and brilliant occasion to remind us of the power of a partisan crowd, but also the glee that can be taken in silencing one.
That is what Michael Appleton's Lincoln achieved after recovering from the trauma of a first half in which Sunderland - roared on by 10,000 fans - levelled the tie following a 2-0 first-leg defeat.
But Lincoln striker Tom Hopper scored after half-time and that was enough to set up next Sunday's play-off final against Blackpool. We can only hope that Wembley showdown proves as entertaining as this.
Come half-time it almost felt unfair on Lincoln. We have sat inside empty, soulless stadiums for over a year now and seen that coldness negate home advantage.
But this was red hot, a cauldron of pent-up passion that spilled down onto the pitch and burnt the visitors. At the same time, it ignited the fire in the bellies of those in red and white, and boy were they awesome during that opening period.
They led 2-0 at the break and, while deservedly cheered towards the tunnel, there was also a feeling of having failed to take full advantage of their domination.
Ross Stewart poked them in front on 13 minutes from Aiden McGeady’s teasing centre and Charlie Wyke doubled the lead on 33 minutes.
McGeady was again the architect, producing a cross to dissect both the six-yard area and Lincoln’s defence. And, when Wyke extended a toe between two bamboozled opponents, he duly nicked his 26th of the season.
Sunderland should have had the chance to edge ahead on aggregate five minutes before half-time, only for referee Michael Salisbury to miss goalkeeper Alex Palmer’s clumsy clip on Stewart.
Lincoln emerged for the second half having seemingly absorbed the shock of the first. They were unrecognisable, pinning Sunderland in their own box from the off.
On 56 minutes, Hopper headed in from Jorge Grant’s corner, a goal that arrived with not so much an air as a gust of inevitability.
So when Lincoln won a penalty not long after hour, you assumed it was tie over. Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge was not so accepting and dived to repel Grant’s blast.
It served as inspiration - his side badly needed it - and back they came in search of two-legged parity, McGeady cracking the post on 82 minutes.
But Lincoln resisted that late surge and will now bid for a return to the second tier, 60 years on from their last involvement.
