Lincoln City return to the LNER Stadium for the penultimate time in 2023, as they welcome Ian Evatt’s Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day.
The December 26 fixture is City’s third in ten days, after a 1-1 draw to Reading, and a 3-1 away defeat to Derby County at the start of the congestive festive schedule.
The defeat at Derby was the Imps’ first in five league games, leaving Skubala’s side ninth in the SkyBet League One table and ten points behind their opponents, who currently sit in third.
Opposition: Bolton Wanderers
Ian Evatt’s side were one of the pre-season favourites for promotion, and are delivering on that. They’re only one point behind the automatic promotion spots.
The Wanderers arrive in Lincolnshire after a 3-2 win over Leyton Orient at home on Saturday. Three goals in the first ten minutes of the game were enough to cancel out Orient’s late comeback.
Bolton are a dangerous side, having gone on an 11 match unbeaten run earlier this season, only losing three of their last 19 games in all competitions
Bolton missed out on promotion last season, losing to Barnsley in the semi final stage of the play-offs.
Team News:
Imps boss Michael Skubala reported that everyone made it through the full game against Derby County without picking up injuries, so there are no fresh injuries to report.
City remain without the services of forwards Ben House and Tyler Walker, and defender Lewis Montsma. Reeco Hackett is back in training for Skubala’s side, so could make a return to the side soon.
Midfielder Ethan Erhahon successfully made a return against Derby County, so is expected to feature again.
For the visitors, defender Ricardo Santos is expected to return, following his suspension, after receiving a red card against Bristol Rovers. Striker Dion Charles has 12 goals to his name and his fourth in the top scoring charts for SkyBet League One, and should lead the line.
Head-to-Head:
In recent years, this has not been a successful fixture for the Imps, last beating Wanderers in January 2020, in a 5-1 thrashing at the LNER Stadium. Since then, the visitors are unbeaten against City in five meetings between the two sides, including a 3-0 win on the opening day of this season.
Bolton have a good record when it comes to playing Lincoln City, winning on 14 occasions, and drawing five. City have only beaten Wanderers seven times in 26 games.
The first meeting between the two sides came in 1899, in the League Division Two, where Bolton cruised to a 4-0 victory.
Played for Both:
Imps number one Lukas Jensen had a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers, from Burnley in 2021 but failed to make an appearance during his time in Lancashire.
Midfielder Ethan Hamilton also had a small stint at the club, making 12 appearances, whilst on loan from Manchester United in the 2019/20 season.
Former defender Jack Hobbs, who made over 300 senior appearances, came through the Lincoln City academy in the early 2000s before leaving in 2005 to join Liverpool. He would eventually finish his career in 2020 at Bolton Wanderers, making 36 appearances for the club.