Lincoln City will be looking to extend their impressive run of form when they take on league leaders Chesterfield on Saturday afternoon.
The Imps have lost just one of their last eight games, hauling them up towards the top half of the table when, just a month ago, it looked like avoiding relegation to the Blue Square Premier would have been an impressive feat.
But Lincoln manager Steve Tilson shunned the notion that all the pressure was on the visitors who currently top the league: “We’ve played Shrewsbury and Bury and we’ve lost 5-1 and 5-0. So to say there is no pressure on us, there is because we don’t want to get thumped again.
“I keep saying that it will show how far we’ve come but I’m not going to say that this time because every time I say that we get hammered. We’ve got to go out and put a performance on.
If Cheltenham fail to beat rock bottom Barnet, a win at Sincil Bank will lift City into the top 12 for the first time this season.
If they are to achieve victory though, City will have to do so without the help of Albert Jarrett and Drewe Broughton. Jarrett, who has seen his recent first team chances limited due to the impressive performances of Gavin McCallum, has agreed a one-month loan deal with League Two rivals Aldershot Town, while striker Broughton has joined Blue Square Premier high-fliers AFC Wimbledon.
Julian Kelly though will be in the mix-up having extended his loan spell earlier in the week.
Imps centre back Adam Watts meanwhile praised his defensive team mate Danny Hone for the partnership the two have struck up in recent weeks.
Watts said: “I can’t really complain because we’ve done really well together. He’s come back from Darlington and he seems like a different player. His confidence is back, for sure, and he’s looking excellent at the back.”
In contrast to City, Chesterfield have been in dismal form, contrary to their league position. The Spireites haven’t won in five but still remain five points clear at the summit of League Two with a game in hand over second-placed Shrewsbury Town.
With third place Rotherham taking on the second placed Shrews, and Bury and Gillingham in 5th and 6th playing each other, John Sheridan’s side will be aiming to take advantage of the fixture list to pull away from the chasing pack.
The Spireites are certainly not short of attacking dynamism. With 14 league goals to his name this season, striker Craig Davies possesses pace and strength in abundance and will provide a constant threat to City’s defence. Similarly veteran forward Jack Lester will be as potent a threat as ever.
Meanwhile former Macclesfield midfielder Danny Whitaker is now into double figures in the goals column this season. Loan signing Kieran Djilali is likely to be handed another start after featuring in the share of the spoils with Bury in midweek.