Lincoln City will aim to maintain their place in the Sky Bet League One top six as they prepare for three crucial festive fixtures.
Michael Skubala’s side will travel to Shrewsbury Town on Boxing Day, make the trip to Bolton Wanderers on December 29, before hosting Rotherham United on New Year’s Day.
The Imps put on a dominant display against ten-man Reading last time out as goals from Bailey Cadamarteri and Reeco Hackett were enough for three points at the LNER Stadium.
It was a win that extended their unbeaten run to four matches and lifted them to sixth in the third tier. They will hope to stay there as they head into the congested Christmas period against three teams who are somewhat out of form.
Opposition: Shrewsbury Town (A) (December 26)
There will be little time for festivities for Lincoln as they will make the 250-mile round trip West to take on Shrewsbury on Boxing Day.
Salop are currently bottom of League One having won just three of their 20 games so far this term. Former Imp Gareth Ainsworth took the reigns as boss in November and has tasted victory just once in his short tenure. A remarkable 3-2 win over title chasing Birmingham City the only highlight so far.
As they are already nine points adrift of safety, Shrewsbury will likely face Lincoln as a team void of confidence.
Ainsworth, though, will try to ensure his team are hard to beat and battle for every second ball, so City will have to be up for the fight to ensure a late Christmas gift of three points to their supporters.
Opposition: Bolton Wanderers (A) (December 29)
Lincoln will have to then recover quickly as they will be on the road once more just three days later, facing Bolton Wanderers at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Hotly tipped for promotion at the start of the season, Bolton are another team underachieving at this moment in time, perhaps surprisingly sitting below the Imps in 8th place.
Manager Ian Evatt, who is in his fifth year at the helm, is a man under pressure, but has been given a statement of confidence from the club’s ownership.
Defeat to Wigan had supporters asking real questions of the 43-year-old on December 14, but a more positive goalless draw away to league-leaders Wycombe Wanderers last time out has stemmed the criticism for now.
Dion Charles and John McAtee are the danger men in attack, while Josh Sheehan will look to battle with Ethan Erhahon to dictate play in the centre of midfield. If the Scot can win that match-up it could be crucial to City signing off 2024 with a win.
Opposition: Rotherham United (H) (January 1)
Finally, to begin 2025, Steve Evans will bring his Rotherham United side to Sincil Bank on New Year’s Day.
Another team who were regarded as one of the strongest squads in the division, it has been a very topsy turvy return to the New York Stadium for the former Boston United and Mansfield Town boss.
He was greeted with a barrage of boos and jeers when he visited Lincoln with Stevenage last season and will expect no different this time around.
While they do sit 18th, Rotherham seemed to have turned a corner in early December, with three wins on the bounce in all competitions, but a 1-0 loss to newly promoted Mansfield last time out brought them crashing back down to earth.
Another returnee in the summer, Jonson Clarke-Harris has not hit the highs of his scoring statistics at Peterborough United for the Millers yet, but with six goals thus far he is always a handful for defenders.
A win over Evans could well be the perfect way to start 2025 for Imps fans as they look to secure a play-off position in the second half of the campaign.
Team News:
Prior to the Reading clash, Michael Skubala confirmed Tom Hamer will remain out for a prolonged period. He also said Adam Jackson and JJ McKiernan were close to a return to action, but neither of the pair made the bench vs the Royals.
Tom Bayliss and Tyler Walker were also not in the matchday squad last time out but are said to be fully recovered from their respective long term issues.
The Imp head coach said the pair will continue to build up fitness and have their minutes managed to prevent any further issues with such a busy schedule to come.