A Preview to a farewell floodlit watershed by Neil Gentleman-Hobbs.
Even when referee Darren Deadman, I kid thee not, blows his whistle to start the game Keith Alexander will loom large over this one, a vital 6 pointer for both the Imps and Hereford United methinks. A sea of Red and Yellow and the earsplitting sound of Keith Keith Keith Keith will ring round Sincil Bank this hallowed evening. Add the World Cup to the occasion, always accompanied by the word ‘crucial` plus Herd and the influential Pearce to the injury list and the Imps are not exactly in a position to concentrate our limited resources as passion is the precusrser to an Imp farewell floodlit watershed . We need to a win tonight, and despite the sense of occasion, a win is something Keith Alexander would see as paramount each and every time the Imps set foot on the Sincil Bank turf. Sutton and Sincil expect this evening. The visitors to our emotional china shop are the aptly named Bulls, 18th in League Two victors in just one of their last five outings, but the picture Turner will paint is one of an umblemished canvas under his charge.
Talismanic Turner the Hereford Chairman is back in the dugout after parting with manager John Trewick on Monday and determined to halt the slide. A poor Hereford side got back to losing ways last week against an inspired Macclesfield side and tonight Lincoln will be buoyed by the same thing – the memory of Keith Alexander. Turner however has the pedigree and a couple of tricks up his sleeve to instantly revitalise the side. Don`t be surprised if the Lunt contract issue is resolved and Constantine and McQuoiken tear into our central defence with top scorer Pugh roasting Hughton a couple of times tonight. Daveeeede and Drew Broughton will have too much for Valentine and Preston ensuring a scoring night at Sincil Bank.
An interesting, and emotional night ahead, see you in Yellow!
The Imps Line Up 4-4-2.
The Imps back four has just the one change with Hone in for Pearce. Danny boy will face a physical confrontation from Constantine with Moses needing to deal with the young wiper snapper McQuoiken. Another busy night for Hughton at right back though Anderson should be able to get up the flank on the left with the returning Gilmour on the left of midfield to help. Kerr and Saunders are set to run the middle tonight with Lennon strutting his stuff cutting in from the right. Daveeeede and Drew will have too much for Valentine and Preston ensuring a scoring night at Sincil Bank. The Bulls are 18th in League Two and have won one of their last five outings, but as Turner will reason they are still unbeaten under his charge. .
With everyone else in the hamstring club Greg Enstone is drafted in from the youth team and James Reid from the?er?Subsway down the street. Though left foot sensation Reid is registered to play the Imps are yet to offer the England U19 player a deal. The talent is not the issue here by any means, rather a portly frame and a penchant for pies perhaps. Sort that and we are looking at a quality player who will go for big money.
(G) 1 Robert Burch
(D) RB 25 Cian Hughton RDC 6 Daniel Hone LDC 5 Moses Swaibu LB 38 Joe Anderson
(M) RM 16 Steven Lennon CM 11 Scott Kerr CM 39 Matthew Saunders LM 35 Brian Gilmore
(ST) 15 Drewe Broughton 18 Davide Somma
Subs
(G) 20 Musselwhite, (D) 27 Greg Enstone, (D/M) 19 Shaaaane Clarke, (M) 7 Stefan Oakes (M) 31 Michael Gordon, (M) 21 James Reid, (ST) 9 Paul Connor
Form
Overall Record Position 21st
P 34 W 9 D 8 L 17 F 28 A 48 GD -20 PTS 35
Home Record Position 17th
P 16 W 6 D 4 L 6 F 16 A 19 GD -1 PTS 22
Last 5 D- D-L-D-W
Hereford
Experienced, and at 30 far from past it, ex Wednesday hero, Kenny Lunt will return now that the appearance trigger clause has been sorted. His omission cost them against Maccs after a brilliant assist for Greens winner on the Tuesday against relegation rivals Cheltenham. Turner is no fool and will look to include McQuoiken alongside Constantine up front as the lad returns from a one match suspension. Wingers Sonko and Pugh will look to raid the flanks with Lunt and McCallum in the middle. Lunt can also play wide and Kerr and Saunders will need to be alert to his movement across our back four this evening. Green, Valentine, Preston and Rose start at the back with on loan defender Paul Downing banned having been sent off against Notts County.
(G) 1 Adam Bartlett
(D) RB 2 Ryan Green, RDC 3 Ryan Valentine, LDC 17 Dan Preston LB 4 Richard Rose
(M) RM 12 Edrissa Sonko CM 31 Gavin McCallum CM 6 Kenny Lunt LM 7 Marc Pugh
(ST) 10 Leon Constantine, 14 McQuoiken
Subs
Apologies no confirmation available
Form
Overall Record Position 18th
P 34 W 10 D 8 L 16 F 37 A 52 GD -15 PTS 38
Away Record Position 23rd
P 17 W 2 D 4 L 11 F 14 A 31 GD -17 PTS 10
Last 5 L-W-L-L-L
Biggest Away Win Northampton Town 1-3
Heaviest Away Defeat Notts County 0-5
Heroes & Villains
Hotshots
Imps – Rene Howe 5, Chris Herd 4, Chris Fagan 4, Jamie Clarke 4, Brian Gilmour 2, Sergio Torres 2, Steven Lennon 2, Davide Somma, Janos Kovacs 1, Aaron Brown 1, Delroy Facey 1, Cian Hughton 2 Moses Swaibu 1
Bulls Eyes For Goal – Marc Pugh 7 Leon Constantine 6 Gavin McCallum 6 Ryan Valentine 3 Tristan Plummer 3 Darren Jones 2
Assists
Imps – 4 Scott Kerr, Drew Broughton 2, Chris Herd 2, Cian Hughton 2, Delroy Facey 2, Lenell John-Lewis 2, Stefan Oakes 2 Matthew Saunders, Michael Gordon 1, Brian Gilmour 1, Davide Somma 1.
Bulls Assists – Marc Pugh 5 Kenny Lunt 4 Matt Done 3 Craig King 3 Jordon Mutch 2
Gavin McCallum 2 Darren Jones 2 Ryan Green 1 Jonny Godsmark 1 Mathieu Manset 1 Leon Constantine 1 Mark Marshall 1
Card Collectors
Imps Reds – 4
1 Aaron Brown, 1 Ian Pearce, 1 Eric Lichaj 1 Moses Swaibu.
Imps Yellows – 69
9 Scott Kerr, 8 Chris Herd, 6 Cian Hughton, 6 Janos Kovacs, 4 Moses Swaibu, 3 Shane Clarke, 3 Rene Howe, 2 Drew Broughton, 2 Rob Burch , 2 Dany Hone, 2 Adam Watts, 2 Nathan Baker, 2 Joe Heath, 2 Anthony Pulis, 2 Stefan Oakes, 2 Andrew Hutchinson, 1 Brian Gilmore, 1 Ian Pearce , 1 Paul Green, Davide Somma, Steven Lennon, 1 Khano Smith, 1 Jamie Clarke, 1 Aaron Brown, 1 Richard Butcher, 1 Chris Fagan, 1 Sergio Torres, 1 Eric Lichaj 1.
Bulls Red Cards 6
Ryan Valentine 1Ryan Green 1 James Mcquiokin 1 Paul Downing 1
David Valentine 1 Christopher Adamson 1
Bully Yellow Cards 42
Ryan Valentine 8, Sam Gwynne 6, Darren Jones 5 Kenny Lunt 3
Glen Southam 2 Darren Dennehy 2
Ker-Ching
Imps
Highest Gate 5527 Notts County
Lowest Gate 2569 Port Vale
Average Attendance 3696
Total Turnstile Clicks 59143
Highest Gate 3280 Cheltenham Town
Lowest Gate 1266 Northampton Town
Average Attendance 2164
Aggregate Attendance 36790
Head-To-Head
Imps V Hereford United
Date range 1972/73 – 2009/10
P 33 W 17 D 9 L 7 F 49 A 32
P 16 W 11 D 4 L 1 F 29 A 12
P 17 W 6 D 5 L 6 F 20 A 20
Biggest win at Sincil Bank – 09/09/72 4-1 Div 4 Att 4,971
Highest Crowd V Bulls at Bank – 28/09/1977 0-0 Div 3 4,973
Lowest Crowd 1986/87 04/04/1987 0-0 Div 4 Att 1,198
Top Appearance holders
Grant Brown 15, Paul M Smith 8+3 John Schofield 9 David Puttnam 6+2
David Clarke 7+1 Gordon Hobson 7 Matt Carmichael 6+1 Graham Bressington 7
Dean West
Top scorers
Neil Matthews 5, Gordon Hobson 3, The following have 2 – Mark Stallard,
Paul M Smith, Dany N’Guessan, Phil Neale, Dixie McNeil Tony Lormor,
Jason Lee, Matt Carmichael, Brendan Bradley
Keith Against Hereford
01/09/1992 a Div 3 W 2-0 Att 1,403 on as sub
