Following the midweek Leasing.com Trophy win over Rotherham United on Tuesday evening, Michael Appleton’s team are back on the road this weekend as they get back to SkyBet League One action.
City’s hosts on Saturday are Gillingham as The Imps make their first trip to MEMS Priestfield Stadium for over nine years in what will be the 47th competitive meeting between the two teams. The sides sit next to each other in the league table both on 18 points, so a win for either side will mean one will have breathing space from the other come full time, so it adds a little more spice to what already promises to be a competitive game.
Recent Form
Steve Evans’ side have had an indifferent run of form over the last month, although they have been largely positive results in their last half a dozen games. The Gills haven't played on home soil for a couple of weeks in SkyBet League One, their previous outing was against a former club of their manager and City's opponents in midweek, Rotherham United, who took three points back to South Yorkshire from Kent by winning 3-0.
However, like The Imps they are still in the FA Cup, Gillingham have recently forced a 1st round replay by drawing away from home against SkyBet League One opposition, as Sunderland make the long trip south next week to decide who goes through to round two.
In midweek, Evans' side defeated Tottenham Hotspur’s Under 21 side 2-0 in the Leasing.com trophy, a game in which their young defender, Jack Tucker scored the first goal of his professional career however it wasn’t enough to see them through to round two of the competition.
Last Six Games for The Gills: LDWLDW
Manager’s comments
Gills boss, Steve Evans, is looking forward to locking horns with Michael Appleton’s Imps side this weekend as he says it will be another tough fixture for his team.
“We have been in a real tough run of games and I include Lincoln in that pack, They have the resources and the managerial appointment tells you that they think big and pay big.”
Evans admits that even though he doesn’t know the City manager personally, he is well aware of him as a coach and rates him very highly.
“I don’t profess to know Michael but he is highly rated. I have come up against his teams on a few occasions when he was at Oxford and he did a really good job at West Brom as well. He is well regarded.
“There were some really good managers that were speaking to Lincoln, including Gareth Ainsworth, who has done incredibly well in our league. People said to me can you name the top six or seven (coaches) in the league and I named nine.”
One to Watch
On loan Watford striker Alex Jakubiak is in scoring form for the Gills this season. The 23-year-old former Scotland Under 19 international has netted five goals so far in his 19 appearances since moving from Vicarage Road.
Jakubiak came through the youth ranks at the Premier League club after joining the club as an under 15 before making his debut for The Hornets in May 2014, starting alongside Troy Deeney against Huddersfield Town in the Championship. Since his debut in the second tier, Jakubiak has played all his football away from his parent club, with Gillingham being his eighth temporary club. He has had spells in non-league football as well as travelling North of the Border to Falkirk before hitting form this season for Steve Evans’ side.
WeAreImps iFollow
The game this weekend is to watch LIVE on WeAreImps iFollow via a video match pass for internationally based Imps who reside outside the UK (inc Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man) with commentary coming from BBC Radio Lincolnshire Sport’s commentary team of Michael Hortin and Steve Thompson.
Supporters within the UK can also access the LIVE commentary provided by BBC Radio Lincolnshire with an Audio Match Pass
For details on both video and audio match passes – CLICK HERE