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Grimsby v Lincoln Preview

By: Sam Kinnaird
Date: 06/03/2009

GRIMSBY take on local rivals Lincoln City in a game which for the Mariners has far more than local pride at stake. With Town now in a relegation place, three points would be a welcome contribution to their survival kitty.

Home > 2008-2009 Season > Previews > Lincoln (h)


The Opposition

Overview

The Imps were founded in 1891 and in recent seasons have been seen as ‘the bridesmaid but never the bride’ after several play-off heartbreaks. The run began when in 2003 under Keith Alexander the team made up of lower league ‘rejects’ and ex-non league players unbelievably managed to reach the play-off final only to be beaten by Bournemouth. The following season they again confounded the critics by reaching the play-offs but were beaten in a bruising semi-final by Huddersfield Town. In the 2004/5 season Lincoln reached the final but were beaten by a determined Southend side, which narrowly missed out on automatic promotion on the final day. The Imps fans were now thinking that this run would never end, and that their luck had been dreadful. Change didn’t come the next season when Grimsby came to Sincil Bank and nicked a 1-0 win in the semi-final first leg, and won the second leg 2-1 to send the Imps home empty handed again. Surely this run would end when they reached the semis again the following season, and only Bristol Rovers stood between them and Wembley. It wasn’t to be, and an epic two-legged affair finished 7-4 on aggregate to the Bristol side, who went on to beat Shrewsbury in the final. Last season the management pair were replaced by Peter Jackson, the man who took Huddersfield to League One at the expense of the Imps, he steadied the ship and led Lincoln to a 15th placed finish, just one place above the Mariners. This season has been indifferent, with Lincoln sat in 12th place, and 10 points from that all important 7th spot.

The Team

In the summer of 2008 Lincoln brought in some ‘risky’ but talented players in Rob Burch, Frank Sinclair, Anthony Elding and David Graham. Graham lasted only a few games and was released, but Burch and veteran right-back Sinclair have shored up the shaky defence of last season. French winger Dany N’Guessan has been a revelation since his move from Rangers in 2007, his and Scott Kerr’s midfield drive has given the Imps fresh impetus from midfield. Elsewhere, Anthony Eldings arrival on loan from Crewe seems justified and he scored his first goals in the win at Dagenham in midweek. Elding has struggled for form after big money moves to Leeds and Crewe following a purple patch at Stockport, and will be a threat on Saturday.

Key Player

Midfielder and Captain Scott Kerr has played over 130 games for the Imps since he was signed from Scarborough in 2005. His drive and energy in midfield has given Lincoln something many clubs simply don’t have, and his Gerrard-esque style has won him many fans. He formed a solid partnership Lee Frecklington (now Peterborough United) and it is well known that he chose to sign for Lincoln over the Mariners four years ago. He has played in all but 1 of Lincoln’s league games this season and it seems that the match on Saturday will very much be won and lost in midfield.

Recent Form

TownLincoln
LBrentford(h)0-1
LRochdale(a)0-2
LMorecambe(h)2-3
LDarlington(a)0-1
LBury(h)1-2
Currently 23rd in League Two.
WDarlington(a)2-1
LBrentford(h)1-2
DMorecambe(h)1-1
WMacclesfield(a)1-0
WChester(a)2-0
Currently 12th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownLincoln
Jarman5
Proudlock5
N'Guessan 8
Patulea8
Frecklington7

Team News

TownLincoln

  • Chris Llewellyn is still suspended after picking up a red card in Tuesday's 3-2 defeat against Morecambe.

  • Dean Sinclair is still injured, and his loan is due to expire.
  • Lincoln full-back Paul Green is banned after picking up five yellow cards.

  • Winger Lenell John-Lewis is ruled out for three weeks following a hernia operation, while defender Danny Hone remains sidelined with a knee injury.
  • Squads

    TownLincoln
    1GKPhil Barnes
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFTom Newey
    4DFRyan Bennett
    5DFMatthew Heywood (c)
    7MFPeter Till
    8MFPaul Bolland
    9MFAdam Proudlock
    10MFChris Llewellyn
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13GKGary Montgomery
    14MFJames Hunt
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16MFJean-Paul Kalala
    17MFNick Hegarty
    18MFPeter Bore
    19FWDanny North
    20FWAndy Taylor
    21DFJoe Widdowson
    22FWNathan Jar man
    23MFGrant Normington
    25MFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    27MFMickael Buscher
    28GKLeigh Overton
    30MFStuart Elliot
    31MFDean Sinclair
    32FWAdrian Forbes
    1GKRobert Burch
    2DFPaul Green
    3MFAaron Brown
    4DFJános Kovács
    5DFLee Beevers
    6DFFrank Sinclair
    7MFStefan Oakes
    9FWGeoff Horsfield
    10FWAnthony Elding (on loan from Crewe Alexandra)
    11MFScott Kerr (captain)
    12MFDany N'Guessan
    13GKAyden Duffy
    14FWLenell John-Lewis
    15FWBen Wright
    16DFDaniel Hone
    18MFMartin Pembleton
    19MFShane Clarke
    20MFOwain Warlow
    22FWSam Mullarkey
    23FWAdrian Patulea
    25DFMoses Swaibu

    Head to Head

    Despite a good overall record against Dale Grimsby have lost 7 out of 10 against them.

    P105 W47D28 L30F195A148

    Lincoln Head-to-Head (15th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Lincoln 1 Grimsby 1 (Sat 30th Aug 2008)

    Town were unlucky not to win the corresponding game at Lincoln back in August,

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    Neither side can afford to drop points here and an open game should result, but Town to nick it 3-2!

    Mariners 3-2 Lincoln

    Reader's POMs

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