Match preview: Lincoln City v Fleetwood Town

9 February 2024

Fleetwood Town are back on the road this weekend as they look to take nine points from nine after two wins on the bounce, but it's Lincoln City who will be looking to stop the Cod Army and we have all you need to know ahead of the game in our match preview.

Fixture: Lincoln City v Fleetwood Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 10 February 2024

Kick-Off: 15:00

Venue: LNER Stadium, Sincil Bank, Lincoln, LN5 8LD

LINCOLN CITY

The Imps welcome Town to Lincolnshire in a drastic mood to change the hosts’ home form - Lincoln are winless at home in seven matches, without a goal scored at home in their last two and with only one win in their last ten league matches - Lincoln’s most recent game however was a win away to Burton Albion, a Reeco Hackett goal the only difference.

The Sincil Bank side do sit right in the middle of the Sky Bet League One table with 38 points in 12th place - eight points from the drop zone and 14 points behind the play-off places - a respectable position for Michael Skubala’s first season in a senior managerial position since he made the leap from Leeds United’s Under 23’s.

Skubala’s side would be the first to admit consistency hasn’t been their friend this season averaging 1.32 points per game with an xG (expected goals) of 30.2 which has the side 20th in the xG rankings out of the 24 sides in the division but compared to the Imps xG conceded/against of 29.9 only Derby and Bolton, two promotion chasing sides have lower.

Since Lincoln’s promotion to Sky Bet League One in 2018/19, the club has teased promotion once finishing 5th in 2020/21 a feat not quite gotten close too since then with league finishes of 17th and 11th since.

PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED FOR BOTH

A few players have played in Lincolnshire for the Imps and Lancashire for the Cods in their playing careers.

Cian Bolger: Bolger joined Lincoln from Fleetwood after playing 85 times for the Cods. A presence at the back who stands tall at 6 foot 4 inches, Bolger was also a danger in attack utilising his height for corners – currently still playing his trade in Larne, Northern Ireland, the tough-tackling centre back is appreciated by both sides who meet this weekend.

Jeff Hughes: A player involved in Town’s promotion to League One from League Two, Hughes’ first team in England was The Imps where he made 63 appearances in midfield. Six years later he moved to the Fylde Coast and over a two year period made nearly 50 appearances for Fleetwood.

Callum Connolly: Connolly, who originally joined Lincoln on a temporary basis on loan from Everton in 2019, was on the 6th loan of his career from the Toffees where the year after he’d join up with Joey Barton at Fleetwood. Connolly was a player who operated in midfield or anywhere across the back-line for Barton and was part of Fleetwood’s play-off finish in 2020. Connolly now plays for our Town’s local rivals, Blackpool FC.

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HERE ARE THEY KEY IFOLLOW DETAILS

On the day of the game, there will be two matchday packages available for both overseas and, one for UK-based supporters - buy your iFollow pass HERE!

Video Match Pass - £10 (Overseas only)

Audio Match Pass - £2.50 (UK and overseas)

Those who choose the Audio Match Pass option will get access to just the commentary, which will be provided by our partners, BBC Radio Lancashire. Season passes are available with audio passes for only £45 for the season, for all UK-based members of the Cod Army!

If you want to buy a package for the rest of the season, you can find more details by heading over to our iFollow page.

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WHAT CHARLIE ADAM SAID IN HIS PRE-MATCH PREVIEW

As Town look to build on the feel-good factor around the Club after back-to-back wins and back-to-back clean sheets, Lincoln are the new target down Charlie Adam’s scope in a bid to climb the table.

Click HERE to hear what Adam himself had to say on the game coming up at the LNER Stadium.

TICKET NEWS FOR THE MATCH

Wanting to come to Lincoln? Well below are the ticket prices for the fixture:

Adults - £24

Seniors - £19

Under-22s - £19

Under-12s - £10

Tickets are now OFF sale at Fleetwood Town, so if you're wanting to buy tickets for the game, pay on the day will be available with no price increase. Tickets can be purchased from the visitor’s ticket window which is located at The Club Store (Card payments only).

COACH TRAVEL DETAILS

Coaches will be departing Highbury Stadium at 8am on the day of the game, costing only £10 for Onward Card Holders and £25 for non-Onward Card Holders.

If you would like any more information regarding the ticket sales dates, prices, or any other general enquiries, you can contact our ticket office at Highbury Stadium by ringing 01253 775080 or you can email info@fleetwoodtownfc.com.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Town lose on the road to Lincoln City

10 February 2024

Fleetwood Town fell to their first loss of the month on Saturday afternoon as they narrowly lost to Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium.

Charlie Adam’s men had a good first half, with Promise Omochere opening the scoring and good play on display for all to see, but a red card for Bosun Lawal in added time meant the second half would swing in Lincoln’s favour.

Quickfire goals from Ben House and Lasse Sorensen flipped the game on its head early in the second period and the home side rarely looked back from this as they earned all three points on the day.

It was a slow start to the game for both sides, with no key chances to report from the opening 15 minutes of play. The best in this time came from Ryan Broom, who struck well over the bar with his audacious effort from range.

Then, the play started expanding from the middle of the park as, around the 20-minute mark, Ben Heneghan headed Gavin Kilkenny’s free-kick onto the roof of the host’s goal before Reeco Hackett drove a powerful effort wide of the mark.

A mistake was needed to spark some life into the game at Sincil Bank as Omochere sniffed out danger after Stockley’s ball over the top, and he managed to get in between the goalkeeper and defender and opened the scoring from five yards.

There were two moments of danger ahead of the break for the Cods as Lincoln’s captain Paudie O’Connor rose highest from a corner but headed wide of the near post and Joe Taylor fired off target after a good run into the box soon after.

A red card to Lawal shook the stadium as he seemingly did nothing wrong on the stroke of the half, after a full melee in the centre of the park, and this gave Lincoln the momentum going into the second half.

Chances for Conor McGrandles and Joe Taylor were awry, but House – who was booked in the scrap in the first half, headed home after a deep cross to make it 1-1 before Sorensen drove forwards and put the hosts into the lead before the hour mark.

Head coach Adam then had to switch up the style of play, with Town being down to 10, so Ryan Graydon, Phoenix Patterson, and Junior Quitirna were introduced at the top end of the pitch whilst Harrison Holgate took up a defensive spot.

Even with the revitalised squad on the pitch, chances were at a premium for Fleetwood, and it was Lincoln who looked the more likely to add another to their tally. They would have if it wasn’t for Jay Lynch’s heroics between the sticks.

Two efforts around the 80-minute mark were brilliantly stopped by Town’s number 13, the first coming from McGrandles and the second from Sean Roughan – both seeing the same outcome on the day.

That was it for the shots on goal in the clash, with the referee then blowing the full-time whistle, meaning the hosts would take all three points from the game, and Town would go home empty-handed for the first time in February.

Imps XI: Jensen (GK), Sorensen, Jackson (Eyoma 75’), Erhanon, Hackett, Taylor (Makama 89'), Bishop, O’Connor (C), House (Duffy 68’), Roughan, McGrandles.

Unused subs: Wright (GK), Mandroiu, Moylan.

Town XI: Lynch (GK), Johnston, Wiredu (C), Lawal, Campbell (Patterson 61’), Kilkenny, Stockley, Broom (Quitirna 61’), Heneghan, Omochere (Graydon 46’), Coughlan (Holgate 46’).

Unused subs: McMullan (GK), Samuels, Lonergan.

Attendance: 8,282 (175 away)