Crucial away day at Stockport for the Imps

This Saturday Lincoln City travel to the outskirts of Manchester to take on Stockport County at Edgeley Park. Stockport were relegated from the football league last season along with the Imps and like the imps they have found it incredibly hard to adjust to life in non-league football. Stockport are only one place above the relegation places with a four point cushion over Hayes and Yeading.

This game is highly important for the Imps with regards to survival for this season. For me this is a case of we must not lose, I would take a draw as it would keep Stockport below us in the table. If we lose then they will leap frog us and have two points over ourselves. We have shown over the last four games that we are more reliable at the back and I hope that this will continue into this game. Our three game winning run has given us breathing space but should we lose this game the confidence we have built up will ebb away, and we will be right back in the relegation dog fight with crucial games coming up in quick succession.

Stockport have won their last two games beating Bath 4-0at home and then most lately beating Kettering 3-1 away from home last weekend. There is no doubt that they will be full of confidence like we were and will be looking at Lincoln as a side they can beat. Like so many teams at the bottom of this table Stockport have struggled to score goals, scoring only two more then ourselves, their main centre forward Elliott has scored only 7 goals all season.

Lincoln come into this game with a few injuries, Bore, McCammon and Pacquette will all be running it close to be fit enough to feature in this game. Holdsworth will have to take the decision with two games over Easter weekend whether it is worth taking the risk on some if not all of these players. I would expect the Lincoln defence to be the same as it has been for the past few games and remain unchanged. The consistent selection of a settled back four has certainly aided Lincolns quest for survival.

Further forward I would expect Taylor to keep his place in attack, but question marks must be raised over Louis' poor performance against Cambridge. It will be interesting to see whether Laurent will get the nod ahead of him in attack. I would expect the same midfield unless Bore is fit to return to the flank. I feel he give some natural width and pace down the right which is lacking when Sheridans deployed there instead as he drifts infield which tends to clog up the middle of the pitch and he doesn't have the pace to go around full backs in the manner of a more traditional winger.

This is a another big game for the Imps, like most of the run in will be now. I think Stockport will be full of confidence following their last tow results. but I have to go with a draw for this game, 1-1. we look a lot stronger at the back and if we can create chances then I feel that Taylor will score.