Lincoln City supporters are in dreamland at the moment as the side are making a late push for the playoffs, but face tricky customers Bristol Rovers at Sincil Bank this weekend.
The Imps are on an excellent run of form in League One as the side are now unbeaten in 12 league matches while winning five of their previous six outings. The club’s last defeat came at Bloomfield Road against Blackpool on New Year’s Day.
Michael Skubala’s stint in Lincolnshire got off to a rough start as his team managed to pick up merely two victories in his opening 14 games in the dugout in all competitions. Furthermore, City’s 2-1 win back in February was the former Leeds United interim manager’s first win at home since being named as Mark Kennedy’s permanent successor in November.
It took time to get the players to gel but Lincoln City are now flying high, proven by the side’s emphatic wins against Barnsley and Cambridge United. The Imps collected six points from these two matches with an aggregate scoreline of 11-1.
Furthermore, the rise of Jack Moylan to the squad has helped. His brace at Oakwell Stadium at the weekend as a substitute earned him a place in Skubala’s starting lineup in midweek. The former Shelbourne star repaid the gaffer’s faith by bagging yet another two goals in a 6-0 trouncing of the U’s.
Now merely three points behind the final playoff spot with eight games remaining, Lincoln smell blood and are the in-form side among all other promotion-chasing teams. However, to move one step closer to heaven, the Imps must topple Bristol Rovers.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Skubala has revealed that ‘playing with intensity’ has been the key for Lincoln City in recent weeks, but sent a warning to his players to be prepared against a ‘very good side’.
“Playing with intensity is key and I think we saw that for 97 minutes against Cambridge, and that is what was really pleasing about the performance.
“We are starting to get a level of intensity that I am really pleased with at the minute and we want to make that consistent heading into the next few games,” he continued.
“All we can do is focus on what we are doing and concentrate on Saturday’s game. Bristol Rovers are a very good side and if we are not on it then we can get hurt.”
Writer’s View
Lincoln City fans are dreaming of a playoff finish and will certainly be enjoying watching their team now more than at any other point over the past few years. However, Skubala will be weary of complacency setting in amongst his players.
The manager has clearly fired a warning to his soldiers to be focused when the Gas come to town tomorrow afternoon as failing to pick up three points this late in the campaign could be detrimental to their playoff dream with so little football left to be played.
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