Lincoln City has confirmed the loan signing of Notts County defender Stephen Hunt as Steve Tilson looks to bolster his defensive options.
The 26-year-old is capable at both centre half and left back, and is likely to start his 28-day stint with the club away at Stockport this weekend.
Hunt started his career at his hometown club Southampton, before moving on to Colchester United. Then following a short spell in Essex, he signed for the Meadow Lane club on a free transfer in 2006, making over 100 appearances.
Hunt will be a welcome addition for Imps boss Tilson, who continues to battle against the club’s injury problems.
“He’s 6 ft 1”, he’s got good experience and he played a good number of games for Notts County last year. Although he’s not a 30 or 31-year-old, he brings in good experience due the amount of games he played last season,” said Tilson.
Goalkeeper Joe Anyon and defender Joe Anderson have joined Clark Keltie, Paul Green and Ben Hutchinson on the treatment table this week. Anyon’s injury poses a dilemma for Tilson, with goalkeeping coach Paul Musselwhite his only viable option between the sticks.
The Imps go into the trip to Edgeley Park on the back of four consecutive defeats and four points adrift of safety. Whilst they have had no trouble finding the back of the net since Tilson’s arrival, they have conceded 17 goals in the last six games.
Reflecting on last week’s defeat to Wycombe, Tilson again lamented his side’s defensive frailty: “Our defending wasn’t up to scratch. We seem to need to score three or four goals to win a game.
“We made a fantastic start, but I’m disappointed we never went on, but you can’t keep defending like we are at the moment and conceding cheap goals if we want to win football matches.”
Stockport is also in poor form, having lost five of their last six games and accruing a solitary point.
They will be without midfielder Stephen Husband – who saw red during County’s dismal 3-0 defeat to Hereford – whilst Blackpool loanee, Ishmel Demontagnac, is likely to retain his place in the starting XI.
Imps fans will be looking for an improvement on the uninspiring 0-0 draw at Sincil Bank when Tilson made his bow as Imps boss, whilst a win could see them move off the bottom of League Two and within a point of safety.