Lincoln City will start April with a face-off against Huddersfield Town at the LNER Stadium.
After a run of just one defeat in four games, Michael Skubala’s side were beaten 1-0 by Wycombe Wanderers away from home as skipper Paudie O’Connor was dismissed in stoppage time at the end of the second-half.
Their opponents are on the brink of the play-offs, but are not in good form. So, this fixture presents an opportunity for the Imps to try and close the four-point margin to Barnsley ahead of them in the standings.
Opposition: Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town sit seventh in the League One table, a single point outside the play-off places.
After sacking Michael Duff in March, Jon Worthington has been placed in interim charge until the end of the season.
The Terriers come into the game on the back of a 4-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, their fifth defeat in seven games.
Town signed striker Dion Charles from Bolton Wanderers in January, but the Northern Irishman is yet to find the back of the net for his new side despite scoring seven in the first half of the season at Bolton Wanderers.
On loan from West Ham United, young winger Callum Marshall is Huddersfield’s top scorer this campaign – netting ten times.
The most recognisable name, for Lincoln City fans, in the Huddersfield Town squad is Lasse Sørensen. From right-back, Sørensen has three assists in league action for Huddersfield since his departure from LN5 last summer.
Joe Taylor, who was on loan at the Imps last term, now also plays for Huddersfield.
Team News:
Paudie O’Connor is suspended following his red card last time out against Wycombe, though the club has lodged an appeal to the EFL. At the time of publications, they are awaiting a response.
Freddie Draper is getting closer to making a full return from injury, says head coach Skubala. The Lincoln City head coach confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Draper is ready to feature from the bench.
Elsewhere, Bailey Cadamarteri remains absent alongside Jack Moylan and Ethan Erhahon.
Head-to-Head:
The reverse fixture at the John Smith’s Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw, the eleventh draw between the two sides.
Before this season, the last time Huddersfield faced Lincoln City in league action was the 2003/04 Play-Off semi-finals in the third tier. The Terriers won the first leg at Sincil Bank 2-1, before City could only manage a draw away from home in the second leg.
They met in Carabao Cup action in 2019, with Lincoln coming away 1-0 victors.
Played for Both: Lasse Sørensen
Sørensen was impressive for the Imps last season before his move to Yorkshire.
Moving from Denmark to England in January 2016, Sørensen was a product of the Stoke City youth system. Making his Premier League debut at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, he struggled to cement a place in the Potters’ side as they dropped down to the second tier.
Following a loan spell at MK Dons, Sørensen embarked on a permanent move to the LNER Stadium in the summer of 2021.
Last term’s Player of the Season then moved to the John Smith’s Stadium in the summer for an undisclosed fee.