– Mikey Mumford contributed with this report.
Three points separate Lincoln and Hereford going into Saturday’s League Two fixture at Edgar Street (kick-off 3pm).
The two clubs have already met three times this term – in the reverse fixture at Sincil Bank and in the FA Cup where a replay was required before the Bulls scraped through.
The Imps’ recent upturn in form has seen them take maximum points from their last four games – a statistic which can only be matched by opponents Hereford. They themselves are unbeaten in the league this year in a run of results which has seen Jamie Pitman’s men pull three points clear of the drop zone after being bottom at Christmas.
Steve Tilson’s side go into this one, on the back of a good win at Bradford City, knowing that another win could propel them up to a 14th position in League Two if results go their way, which would be their highest position this season.
Hereford can leapfrog city with a win and seem to be coping admirably with the loss of Mathieu Manset who signed for Reading in the transfer window. Stuart Fleetwood has filled the void left by Manset’s departure with seven goals in all competitions this year.
The form book does bode well for the Imps though – in their previous four league meetings with Hereford they have beaten them three times. However, all those victories came at Sincil Bank and during their last visit to Edgar Street they were beaten 2-0.
Former Imp Janos Kovacs looks set to continue in the heart of defence for Hereford but another ex-City player – Joe Heath- may have to settle for a place on the bench after missing their victory at Torquay on Tuesday night through suspension.
Lincoln will leave it late before deciding on the fitness of Adam Watts who felt his hamstring in the warm-up at Valley Parade. Delroy Facey is also a doubt after he was substituted with ten minutes left to play on Tuesday after feeling his hamstring tighten.
Clark Keltie and Mustapha Carayol head the list of the other absentees with the former nursing a thigh injury and the latter a hamstring strain. Joe Anyon is still recovering from illness and is not expected to travel to the Welsh border.
There could be a starting berth for new signing Ali Fuseini after his impressive second half cameo against the Bantams and Patrick Kanyuka is on standby should Watts not make it.