30th January Match Thread

[Luke Imp]

Big game at Sincil Bank, sorry, the LNER Stadium - Lincoln vs Donny, the only teams in L1 currently over 2ppg I think.

Charlton vs Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers vs Rochdale and Northampton vs Wigan being the other eye-catching ones.

Given the ground is completely saturated and it's battering it down all day again today, we're either going to be close to P-P or the pitch is going to end up like a rugby one by the end of it. Assuming everyone came through Tuesday ok, we'll only be missing Theo Archibald who's a squad player anyway. Hopefully a couple of new faces in to bump the squad numbers up.

We don't have a great record against Doncaster at all.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

No idea what players will play in what position on Saturday given Darren likes to change for each team we play. The formation will be 4-2-3-1, Sims still a couple of weeks away, doubt Bostock will start do the only real questions are, will we sign a striker in time and are Copps, Gomes and Lokilo fit again.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

The first of two games within a week against Accrington, which is going to be a hard task. That said we are at home this week. We also appear to be getting back to a bit of form and consistency.

The pitch is such that I doubt the weather will have an effect, if fact I would not be at all surprised if they have the sprinklers on before kick off.

 

[Claret Forever]

Massive 6 pointer against Wigan. Perhaps turned the corner performance wise the last two matches, but needs to translate into points against the other relegation rivals to be able to stay up. Still questions about where the goals will come from.

 

[Agombar stool]

Heavy heavy defeat forthcoming at Hull on Saturday.

 

[Robie]

We are on a 7 game run of wins but have never beaten Fleetwood in 12 attempts.

 

[Guernica]

Should be a cracker at Sincil Bank and yet another which would have been a sell out with a fantastic atmosphere. Donny gave us our only away defeat at the moment with a cracking goal from Whiteman in a pretty even game so it would be nice to return the favour. Another tough week for us starting Saturday with 3 games in 6 days.

Unlike our opponents it doesn't look like we'll strengthen before the game we do need bodies in at some point.

In terms of selection it'll be same as Tuesday from the squad of 17 which picks itself. The only change maybe Montsma for Jackson at CB.

 

[GFC4EVA]

Sunderland away, not sure what to expect, if the team perform like they did against crewe on tuesday we can definitely nick a result.
Reckon it will be a draw

 

[EricSabin]

Huuuuuuge game against Wigan, desperately need a win.

 

[codaplenty]

We are on a 7 game run of wins but have never beaten Fleetwood in 12 attempts.

Well theres always a first time eh ! On the face of it we have'nt a prayer, (we have won 10 out of 12 against you, of the 2 drawn games we were two up at home and you got back to 2-2). The U's are on a remendous run, we are on one of our worst runs in the last 2/3 years, we could'nt score in a brothel. All of which points to...........how did Sheff Utd do in mid week.......

 

[Davidimp]

Dry yesterday and hopefully today
The form guide points to this being a belter
Just hoping we don't take 17 attempts to score today like we did on Tuesday, we have games like that.
Hoping Grant celebrates his contract extension with a goal.
Omar Bogle, not really kicked on since he left Grimsby, see what happens with him today should be interesting

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Can’t see Bogle or Bostock starting but you never know with Darren, hoping both Gomes and Copps are back on the bench which will give us options from the bench. Expecting us to lineup like this:
Balcombe
Halliday Anderson Butler John
Smith James
Taylor Richards Simeos
Fejeri
Bench hopefully: Jones Wright Greaves Coppinger Gomes Bostock Bogle

we’ve now signed Scott Robertson on loan from Celtic who was at Gillingham, he’s eligible today so no idea what our lineup will be now

 

[EricSabin]

Game off. Embarrassing.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Game off. Embarrassing.

To be fair it looked like a ploughed field when you played us without the weather we’ve just had

 

[EricSabin]

To be fair it looked like a ploughed field when you played us without the weather we’ve just had

The Keith Curle effect. Won’t use the training ground as he’s feels it’s too exposed so uses the pitch all the time instead.

Not sure why he’s so secretive because it’s hardly a state secret that we just smash it forward for 90 minutes

 

[GFC4EVA]

Losing 2-1 at half time despite dominating Sunderland, not a pen for me that put them back in front.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We’ve gone very defensive, 4 centre half’s in the back line and a left back as a DM and a right back at right wing

 

[Fedora Dale]

We’ve gone very defensive, 4 centre half’s in the back line and a left back as a DM and a right back at right wing

Opposite of us - two wingers in the back 4, two more on the wings, another on the bench...

 

[PuB]

2-2 up at Sunderland, possibly should have had all 3 points

 

[Guernica]

HT: Imps 0 - 1 Donny

We've had most of the ball, lots of balls across the 6 yard box but yet to have a shot on target. Johnson had the best opportunity but missed from about 10 yards. Possible penalty shout for handball but very hard to tell.

Doncaster dangerous on the break and stuck their chance away and you can have all the ball but it's about putting it in the onion bag which they did.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Great defending and hit Lincoln on the break, a very good Lincoln team but great tactics from us and a great pen save from Balcombe

 

[Guernica]

FT: Imps 0 - 1 Donny

I have never seen a Lincoln game like this one. EVER.

Dominated the game, keeper made 2 amazing penalty saves, hit the bar had the majority of the ball and lost!

Utterly mental, Donny offered very little and got the 3 points, if you're involved in Doncaster get a lottery ticket.

 

[dannyc5]

Crewe 1-1 Ipswich. Both teams absolutely awful. Didn’t look like a professional game.

*Edit. Pitch is shocking as well.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Very very frustrating!

We started the game brightly and fully expected Donny to come into it at some point. Their first attack we backed off and it was a cracking composed finish into the corner.

Then It the just carried on, a lot of possession, a lot of balls in and around the box but couldnt make it work. If Grant had scored that first penalty i do think we'd have gone on to win. Then you think its not your day and the keeper makes a rash challenge and we have the chance for a point. MOTM their keeper by a million miles.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

You had a lot of the ball but didn’t do a great deal with it. Hit you on the counter and then tried to hold on, 2 pen saves wow, Lincoln are a good side but I’m buzzing we have done to you what countless teams have done to us in the past, really nice to give it back. Onwards and upwards 3 off the top with games in hand and players to come in

 

[Guernica]

Very very frustrating!

We started the game brightly and fully expected Donny to come into it at some point. Their first attack we backed off and it was a cracking composed finish into the corner.

Then It the just carried on, a lot of possession, a lot of balls in and around the box but couldnt make it work. If Grant had scored that first penalty i do think we'd have gone on to win. Then you think its not your day and the keeper makes a rash challenge and we have the chance for a point. MOTM their keeper by a million miles.

What I would say is that game was crying out for another striking option which we don't have. We must be the only team in the EFL who currently has 1 out and out striker.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Very very frustrating!

We started the game brightly and fully expected Donny to come into it at some point. Their first attack we backed off and it was a cracking composed finish into the corner.

Then It the just carried on, a lot of possession, a lot of balls in and around the box but couldnt make it work. If Grant had scored that first penalty i do think we'd have gone on to win. Then you think its not your day and the keeper makes a rash challenge and we have the chance for a point. MOTM their keeper by a million miles.

If the first pen had gone in we would have come out a bit more so who knows what would have happened

 

[Fedora Dale]

Gas 1-2 Dale. Reasonable game, but not as good as the Oxford/Charlton/Crewe/Gillingham games, except result wise. That was a long five minutes of extra time at the end...

 

[Luke Imp]

What I would say is that game was crying out for another striking option which we don't have. We must be the only team in the EFL who currently has 1 out and out striker.

And one who's job isn't actually to score goals and link things up, which isn't a criticism in any way, shape or form. Just shows how well we're doing.

 

[Guernica]

And one who's job isn't actually to score goals and link things up, which isn't a criticism in any way, shape or form. Just shows how well we're doing.

It's not a criticism at all, Hopper has done well and takes a huge battering off CB's game in game out, we just need another option. Today's game a great example. I think that's the difference in this league - look at everyone else around us and they have several quality options, take Donny who have just gone out and got Bogle. That's where we come up short against the competition. Again, it's our second season at this level and you can tell.

We've bounce back really well this season but I think this one will really test them, need Bridcutt et al to make sure the younger players keep on going.