DC: “We want to win it equally as much.”

Another quick turnaround for Danny Cowley and the press with the first game of the Checkatrade defence to take place on Tuesday against Mansfield Town.

League: Danny Cowley rated the victory at Exeter as the best away performance since he has been at the club particularly with regard to the control the side exerted. DC was pleased that Imps got the win having made the changes against Blackburn. He is delighted with the start made taking into account how tough the opening fixtures have been. Nothing changes though and the focus will simply remain on hard work and process. Prioritising the league this year.

Checkatrade Trophy: Competition was the focus last season as Imps were suitably competitive in L2 but they want to win something every season and Trophy was identified as likeliest out of the 4 competitions entered. DC will forever be appreciative of the opportunity the competition gave to everybody connected with the club and lifetime memories. Still want to retain the trophy this year. DC is quite clear that the competition is not a gateway to B teams entering the league and categorically nor should it ever be. It is amazing that lower tier football can get gates of 10k in this country and we should be the envy of the world with other countries looking to follow our model, not vice versa. This is a tough group as Scunthorpe are L1, Wolves have some very gifted youngsters and Mansfield probably have the greatest squad depth of all L2 sides. DC expects Stags to field a strong side due to that depth and is also mindful that they have a free weekend so that could influence their selection also. DC will definitely make changes of his own as he is confident that Imps squad is better this season and unlike last season he will not be forced to pick players that ideally could do with a rest. He is determined to pick a side that is looking to retain the trophy but will make sure the balance is correct for the Crawley match. Selection will be based on intelligent decisions arising from the information available. Bernard Mensah has been training, is available for the match and will be seen at some point.

Injuries: DC did not specify who but did confirm that some players were carrying injuries which is only expected due to the loading of games; that said he had no fears that the squad would cope. Having had one positive assessment for Josh Vickers is never enough though as it is vital that the club looks after him and his career. With that in mind, he has been kindly assessed by Lincoln Uni. who have some excellent equipment and are putting him through his paces to further test the muscle under active conditions. DC wants two or three positive opinions but is delighted with the news so far.

Club Progress: DC is really pleased with the progress made by the club over the past two seasons. It has been achieved through some investment, the cup runs and selling players to higher levels of football. He reserved praise for the board and Chairman re-investing the money made back into the squad and facilities. The Imps are in a really good place and so many have contributed to that, no more so than the fans with their unconditional support.

Writer: hulloutpost

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