Lincoln City finish their SkyBet League One fixture list at home to already champions Portsmouth, knowing a victory will seal a play-off place.
The Imps have continued their strong form since the turn of the year, losing only once in their last 19 games, and come into this fixture off the back of a crucial three points against Cheltenham Town last Saturday.
Before the game begins, there will be a moment of silence to remember those who died in the Valley Parade fire back in 1985.
The play-off equation:
It’s as simple as this: a win and the Imps will have at least two more games this season in the play-offs, unless there is a big goal difference swing in Oxford United’s direction.
A draw would mean that Michael Skubala’s side would need Oxford to drop points at Exeter City, or Barnsley to lose at Northampton. Blackpool are the other side involved in this tricky equation, and a City point would only be good enough if Blackpool do not win.
A defeat for the Imps still could see them finish where they will start the game in 6th place. However, they would be at the hands of the teams mentioned above. A defeat for Oxford and a Blackpool draw would be needed for Skubala’s side to stay above the dotted line.
Opposition: Portsmouth FC
Pompey have had their success well-documented throughout the season, remaining in the two automatic-promotion places for the majority of the season. They had their league title confirmed on April 16 when they came back from behind to defeat Barnsley 3-2.
The league trophy was paraded around Fratton Park last Saturday, where Pompey captain Marlon Pack lifted the trophy, after their 2-1 defeat to Wigan Athletic.
The defeat to the Latics saw their 17-game unbeaten streak, which dated back to January 13th, end.
Striker Colby Bishop can end the season as the SkyBet League One golden boot winner however, would need to score at least a brace at the LNER Stadium, and have Charlton Athletic’s Alfie May not add to his current tally of 23 goals to do so.
Team News:
City head coach Michael Skubala confirmed that Reeco Hackett will not be available to play against his former side, after picking up an injury early into proceedings against Oxford United.
His most likely replacement, Dylan Duffy, will be available after serving his one-match suspension against Cheltenham Town last time out. Midfielder Ted Bishop is “touch and go” for the visit of the league champions and will be assessed closer to matchday.
Skubala also revealed that another player could return from injury. He said: “We might have one player back, but we are assessing that one.”
As it stands, he remains without the services of Tyler Walker, Ethan Hamilton and Conor McGrandles as they still work on their recovery from long-term injuries.
As for Pompey, head coach John Mousinho admitted that his side’s celebrations impacted their performance in the defeat against Wigan Athletic, so will be looking for a reaction to finish their season on a win.
They have their own injury list for the final game of the season with Josh Dockerill (knee), Regan Poole (knee), Anthony Scully (ankle), Tom McIntyre (ankle), Joe Morell (knee), and Alex Robertson (hamstring) all out of contention.
Head-to-head:
Of the 27 times the two sides have played each other, the Imps have had a poor record against Pompey.
The first meeting between the two sides saw the south-coast side cruise to a 4-0 win at home in the 1939 FA Cup. In more recent memory, since 2019, the Imps have only taken three points from their opponents once in nine attempts; a 1-0 win in Hampshire in 2021.
Portsmouth took all three points in the return fixture back in September after a 2-1 win, despite now Doncaster Rovers-loanee Hakeeb Adelakun giving the Imps the lead after five minutes. It was former Imp Regan Poole that netted the winner at Fratton Park in first-half stoppage time.
Over the 27 fixtures the two sides have played against each other, City have only won six times and drawn seven times. The other 14 results have all gone the way of the visitors.
Played for both:
Amongst the current ranks, City’s Reeco Hackett made 79 appearances for Pompey, before joining the Imps this season. He scored 11 goals in that time.
Tyler Walker also spent time in Hampshire, scoring once in 15 appearances back in 2022. Both have had injuries problems this season and are unlikely to feature on Saturday.
As for Portsmouth, a few former Imps lurk in their ranks. Defender Sean Raggett made over 70 appearances for City between 2016-2018. Former Lincoln captain Regan Poole made over 130 appearances for the club, scoring 4 goals, before leaving for Fratton Park in the summer.
Midfielder Joe Morell spent a season in the red and white of City, making 32 appearances for the club in the 2019/20 season.
Anthony Scully was also a key part of recent Imps history and was another to make the move down to the south-coast at the start of the season. Scully made over 100 appearances for the Imps, netting some 37 times.
Follow LincSport on Twitter/X for live updates, a match report and post-match interviews from Lincoln City vs Portsmouth.