Lincoln City return to league action at the AESSEAL New York Stadium tomorrow to take on Rotherham United following their unfortunate penalty shootout defeat last weekend.
Michael Skubala’s team are looking to get back to winning ways after only winning one of their last five games, which came at home to Stevenage in a 1-0 win.
However, that is still enough to keep the side in fifth place following a tough run that included matchups against fellow promotion chasers Stevenage and Bradford City.
A late goal from Kelly N’Mai was enough to take last weekend’s FA Cup tie to a penalty shootout, where the Imps lost out 4-2 to SkyBet League Two side Salford City.
In terms of league performances, a valiant effort against 2nd place Bradford City was rewarded with a point as Skubala’s side drew 0-0 with the Bantams.
Opponents: Rotherham United
Their opponents on the other hand, Rotherham United, currently sit 13th in the Sky Bet League One table having gone unbeaten in their last five league games.
This match will be Rotherham’s fourth game at home in a month with the Millers scoring a goal in every game they have played in since their 1-0 defeat to Stockport on September 20.
Most recently however, the South Yorkshire side opened November by bowing out of the FA Cup away to Swindon, and drawing 2-2 at home to Burton Albion on Tuesday.
Team News:
Michael Skubala will be without his captain Tendayi Darikwa for this one, as he was sent off very late on in Saturday’s penalty shootout defeat.
Darikwa will now serve his one game suspension in this game and on the matter, head coach Skubala said: “It’s disappointing for everyone because he’s been flying.”
In other injury news, Skubala said: “We picked up a few injuries in training this week. One or two that have picked up a few knocks.
“Ben House is going to be out for the next couple of weeks, maybe a week, maybe a bit longer but Freddie [Drapper] is good, he’s back in training. That’s good.”
Head-to-Head:
The Millers tend to have had the better of the Imps over the years with the two sides last facing each other in league competition on the opening day of the year at the LNER Stadium
The visitor’s came away with a 0–1 win in that one as Joe Powell headed home in the 85th minute as the home side looked second best.
The reverse fixture also saw a Rotherham win, with United having a very dominant run against City, winning four of the last five games against them.
Overall, the Imps have won 26 times, drawn 22 and lost 53 times against the Millers since 1926.
Played for Both:
This game will see former Lincoln City hero Sean Raggett return to the LNER Stadium with the defender featuring five times in the league so far this season.
The 31-year-old spent the 2016/17 season at the Imps where he headed home the winner against Premier League side Burnley in the side’s historic FA Cup run.
He then moved to Norwich City at the end of that season where he featured just twice before returning to the Imps in 2017 for a season long loan spell.
Raggett has been with the Millers permanently since the summer of 2024 but was previously there on loan in 2018.
However, he was recalled in the March of 2019 following an ankle injury which required surgery.