Grimsby Town will face Lincoln City in a highly anticipated Bristol Street Motors Trophy match at Blundell Park this Tuesday.
This Lincolnshire derby will see the two rivals come head-to-head for the first time in a competitive fixture since 2019, adding to the intensity of the encounter. While Grimsby are making their debut in this season’s competition, Lincoln have already suffered a defeat in their opening group game against Chesterfield, meaning they will be eager to secure points this time around – failure to do so will see them most likely eliminated from the competition.
Grimsby Town, currently sitting in 11th place in League Two, have collected 15 points from 10 matches so far this season. The Mariners had been in fine form recently, securing three consecutive victories against Bromley, Carlisle United, and Gillingham, before their momentum was halted by a heavy 3-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. All three goals came during a dismal first half at Blundell Park, leaving Grimsby to regroup ahead of their first Bristol Street Motors Trophy match of the season.
The Mariners will be eager to end their poor record against Lincoln, having failed to win any of their last four head-to-head encounters. Grimsby’s last victory over their local rivals came in December 2015 when they secured a 2-0 win in the National League. On that day, Nathan Arnold scored for Grimsby, but in the nine years since he’s left them, been to Lincoln, scored a famous FA Cup goal and retired. With the derby atmosphere in full swing, David Artell’s side will be hoping for a long-awaited triumph in front of their home fans.
On the other hand, Lincoln City enter this fixture in strong form. They haven’t won at their rival’s ground since December 2014, when a Charlee Adams wodner goal set them on their way not only to a win, but their first double over the Mariners in almost 40 years.
Michael Skubala’s team are currently unbeaten in their last seven League One matches, with four wins and three draws. Most recently, they edged out Leyton Orient 2-1 at home on Saturday, thanks to Jovon Makama’s and Freddie Draper’s goals. That result saw Lincoln move into fourth place in the League One standings, and they will carry that confidence into their midweek clash.
Although Lincoln lost 1-0 to Chesterfield in their first group game of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, the Imps remain unbeaten on the road in all competitions since January, a remarkable 12-match streak. With this solid away form, Lincoln will hopefully secure a positive result on Tuesday night.
In terms of team news, Grimsby’s Harvey Rodgers, who was sent off in the loss to Doncaster, will still be available for this match as his suspension only applies to league fixtures. David Artell could look to rotate his squad, with Matty Carson, Tyrell Warren, and Donovan Wilson pushing for starting opportunities.
Lincoln may be without key players Dylan Duffy, Tyler Walker, and Ben House due to injuries, though they will welcome the return of Adam Jackson from suspension. Their scorers from this weekend, Draper and Makama, could also miss out. There is also hope that Reeco Hackett could be fit enough to feature, and it’s been confirmed that long-term absentee Ethan Hamilton will also play a part. Other players such as Rob Street, Lewis Montsma and JJ McKiernan are on the edges of the current first team squad, and are likely to stake a claim for a place.
With Grimsby seeking to recover from a recent setback and Lincoln aiming to maintain their unbeaten away form, this local derby promises to be a fiercely contested affair. Both sides will be determined to claim bragging rights in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
