Lincoln City will hope to pick up only a second win in their last seven games as they travel to Sky Bet League Two strugglers Morecambe in the newly renamed Vertu Trophy.
The Imps, who have not won in the league since October, may well use this game as a chance to get back to winning ways after a disappointing goalless draw at home to Charlton Athletic last time out.
City won this competition in 2018 and a trip to Wembley could do Michael Skubala’s side the world of good in their play-off push in 2025, so they will want to give a good account of themselves as they travel to Lancashire in the round of 32.
Opposition: Morecambe FC
Morecambe are in the midst of a relegation scrap in League Two, sitting 23rd after 19 games in the fourth tier.
Having only been relegated from League One in 2023, it would be disaster for the Shrimps to fall out of the EFL entirely. Therefore, they may have one eye on their weekend clash with Cheltenham Town after tonight’s game.
Manager Derek Adams, who is in his third spell at the club since 2019, has struggled to get any momentum into his team thus far in 2024/25. He may find himself under serious pressure if results do not improve.
Right winger and summer recruit Ben Tollitt is no doubt the major threat with six goals in 16 starts for the side from the North-west. Sean Roughan could have his hands full if he starts in his normal left centre-back position.
Team News:
Adam Jackson sustained “big damage” to his face in a nasty head collision against Rotherham United last midweek and it remains to be seen whether he will make this clash.
Ben House also left the pitch injured in that game and did not feature against Charlton due to illness.
There is some positive news though on the injury front as after the game with the Addicks, head coach Michael Skubala spoke on Tyler Walker. He is yet to make an appearance this term, but was named among the substitutes for that game.
Speaking to The Linc, the Imps boss said: “He’s close, he needs minutes. The challenge for us is to get him some minutes because we don’t have an under-21s program.
“So, it’s how we get him some minutes and how do we keep building him up. He’s missed a lot of football. He’ll probably be in and out a bit, but we need to try and build him up.”
Head-to-Head:
The sides have met 20 times, with Lincoln dominating the clash. The Imps have won ten times, while there have been five draws and five Morecambe victories.
The last two meetings though have gone the way of the Shrimps, with the most recent a memorable FA Cup upset in last season’s first round.
Goals from Michael Mellon and Tom Bloxham were enough to overturn a Lasse Sorensen opener that day as Morecambe beat then Tom Shaw’s Imps 2-1 at the LNER Stadium.
Played for Both:
JJ McKiernan is the man who will be the focus of this tie as he was part of that Morecambe side which won at Lincoln last season. He has struggled for regular league minutes so far this season, but may see this game as an opportunity to prove himself.
When they visited that day, Morecambe had three former Imps in their ranks in Jacob Davenport, Max Melbourne and Adam Smith. However, all three have now left the club.