Lincoln City welcome fellow play-off chasing Stevenage to the LNER Stadium on Saturday, in an important Sky Bet League One clash.
The Imps come into the fixture in good form after an impressive 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town in midweek, extending their unbeaten run to nine games. They have picked up more points over the last six games than any other side in the division.
The Imps can move within five points of their opponents on Saturday with a win, which would be a real boost for Michael Skubala’s play-off ambitions.
Opposition: Stevenage FC
Experienced EFL manager Steve Evans has transformed fortunes since taking over at Stevenage in March 2022. They were only three points above the League Two relegation zone when he took charge.
Fast forward two years to now, and the side is challenging for a play-off place in order to secure Championship status.
On Tuesday night, Imps’ opposition picked up a 1-0 home win over Cambridge United, with a Jordan Roberts goal enough to collect the three points and catapult the Boro back into the play-off places.
Team News:
Skubala confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that Ethan Hamilton will miss the remainder of the season with a knee issue. He joins Tyler Walker and Lewis Montsma on the sidelines, with Imps fans unlikely to see the trio until next season.
Fellow midfielder Connor McGrandles has also gone for a scan on an issue picked up in the 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night. Adam Jackson and Jack Burroughs remain out.
As for the visitors, Steve Evans reported a clean bill of health after their win on Tuesday night and is expected to name a similar team to the one that collected three points against Cambridge.
Joint-league top goal scorer Jamie Reid is expected to lead the line. He has so far 17 goals this season.
Head-to-head:
The sides have met only eight times in their history: the first of which came in the 1998 FA Cup second round, with the Imps progressing with a 4-1 win at home.
City have not won against Stevenage since 2018, with a 1-0 away win in League Two being the last time they were successful against the Hertfordshire-based side.
In the reverse fixture, Michael Skubala took to the dugout for the first time as Imps head coach, in a 1-0 defeat. A scrappy Jamie Reid goal was enough to send Lincoln away empty-handed.
Played for both:
Amongst the current Stevenage ranks, Jordan Roberts had a short spell at Sincil Bank in 2018/2019 season, making only five appearances. Striker Vadaine Oliver also spent time in Lincolnshire, making 43 appearances in the 2012/2013 season, scoring 13 times.
Experienced defender Michael Bostwick had stints in both camps, eventually adding up to over 300 appearances for both sides combined.
Follow LincSport on Twitter/X for coverage of Lincoln City vs Stevenage