Lincoln City will be hoping to extend their unbeaten away run to 14 games as they travel in-form Blackpool in SkyBet League One this evening.
The Imps were comfortable winners at Cambridge United last time out, with Freddie Draper and Bailey Cadamarteri both opening their accounts for the season.
Michael Skubala’s side have put together an impressive run of form that has seen them slowly rise the table to third, meaning if results go their way, they could find themselves in the top two by full time at Bloomfield Road.
Opposition: Blackpool
Now in their second consecutive year in the third tier, following their 2023 relegation, Blackpool finally look to be heading in the right direction. This is despite a tricky start that saw Neil Critchley dismissed from his post as manager after just two league games this term.
Since then, former Premier League player and vastly experienced manager Steve Bruce has taken the helm as he returned to management for the first time since leaving Newcastle United in 2022.
The 63-year-old has given The Seasiders a new lease of life and is yet to taste defeat in league action. A 95th minute winner from James Husband on September 14 against Exeter City sparked a run of four consecutive victories that has seen them shoot up to fourth in the table.
They sit below The Imps on goal difference only prior to kick off.
Bruce’s impressive start, of four league wins, is the first time any Blackpool manager has managed such a feat at the start of their tenure.
Team News:
Long term absentees Tyler Walker, Ethan Hamilton and Reeco Hackett remain unavailable for selection. However, it is understood Hamilton and Hackett are weeks, not months, away from retuning to action.
Ben House was forced off away to Cambridge after clashing with the goalkeeper and suffering a broken nose. Michael Skubala has confirmed it could be “a while” before the striker is back in on the pitch.
Dylan Duffy is also still side-lined after picking up an issue which ruled him out of the weekend’s action.
For the hosts, Andy Lyons remains out with an ACL injury while on-loan Southampton striker Dom Ballard will just miss the game vs City despite being back in training this week.
Head-to-Head:
There have been 59 meetings of the two sides, with the first dating back to 1896. Blackpool lead the head to head record, having beaten the Imps on 36 occasions. There have also been 13 Lincoln wins and ten draws.
The most recent meeting was a comfortable Blackpool win at Bloomfield Road on New Year’s Day, which was the last time the Imps last away from home. Goals from Oliver Casey and CJ Hamilton earned the hosts all three points during a tricky winter period for Lincoln and Michael Skubala.
Played for (or Managed) Both:
Defender Gordon Simmonite featured for both teams in his 136 club appearances. Simmonite had a two year spell at Blackpool, appearing 63 times and scoring once. He then made the move to Lincolnshire, appearing 85 times for the Imps.
Former Imps manager Michael Appleton went to the Tangerines at the end of 2022. Appleton replaced club-legend Danny Cowley as manager, and took Lincoln to the League One Play-Off Final, where they lost to Blackpool.