We take a look at the current form of both sides, Scotimp’s views from the Season Preview and past meetings between the two sides.
Ahead of tonight’s game against Mansfield Town we take a look at the current form of both sides, Scotimp’s views from the Season Preview and past meetings between the two sides.
Mansfield Town: Last Six Results (League Two):
Morecambe 1-2 Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town 3-1 Barnet
Swindon Town 1-0 Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town 5-0 Newport County
Exeter City 0-1 Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town 1-1 Coventry City
Next Two Fixtures (League Two):
Colchester United (h)
Notts County (a)
Home Attendance Stats (League Two):
Lowest: 2,866 (v Newport County)
Highest: 7,525 (v Chesterfield)
Total: 67,846 (16 games)
Average: 4,240
Top Scorers (League Two)
1: Danny Rose (14)
2: Kane Hemmings (8)
3: Lee Angol (6)
4: Alfie Potter (4)
5: Zander Diamond (3)
Scotimp’s Views From the Season Preview – Part One | Part Two:
After spending a king’s ransom to escape the Conference in 2012-13, Mansfield owner John Radford is employing a similar tactic this season after four mediocre years in League Two. Employing Steve Evans as manager last November was certainly a sign of intent. His record in lower division football is good, even allowing for the off-field activities which have brought him a host of headlines for all the wrong reasons, and he now has his own players. Evans has made wholesale changes on the playing side over the summer, with 11 leaving and 13 coming in. Although only missing the play-offs by an effective five-point margin last time around, the football on display was hardly exciting, with just 54 scored and 50 conceded. He has boosted his squad in the midfield/forward areas in an effort to increase the number of goals scored, but has he signed the right players to achieve that? Transfer business was completed by the end of May, which seldom ends well, and their wage bill will take a significant hit accordingly. The release of Matt Green was not welcomed by the majority of Stags supporters, and Lincoln fans have serious doubts over the ability of former loanee Lee Angol to score the numbers required. The bookmakers have Mansfield as favourites for the title due to the presence of Evans and that disproportionate budget, and Radford will surely be expecting an immediate return on his substantial investment.
Prediction: Promotion, but not as champions as the bookmakers expect.
Lincoln City: Last Six Results (League Two):
Lincoln City 3-1 Newport County
Lincoln City 2-2 Swindon Town
Cambridge United 0-0 Lincoln City
Lincoln City 1-0 Cheltenham Town
Crawley Town 3-1 Lincoln City
Lincoln City 1-4 Crewe Alexandra
Next Two Fixtures (League Two):
Chesterfield (a)
Grimsby Town (h)
Home Attendance Stats (League Two):
Lowest: 7,320 (v Barnet)
Highest: 9,603 (v Notts County)
Total: 154,259 (18 games)
Average: 8,570
Top Scorers (League Two)
1: Matt Green (10)
2: Matt Rhead (7)
3: Harry Anderson (6)
4: Michael Bostwick (5)
5: Ollie Palmer (3)
Scotimp’s Views From the Season Preview – Part One | Part Two:
Lincoln City’s promotion to the Football League last season was as unexpected as it was breathtaking. Their run to the FA Cup quarter-final astonished and enthralled football supporters all over the world, and that is one reason why they are expected to do well this season. Wins over Oldham, Ipswich, Brighton and Burnley suggest that City will have little trouble with the likes of Crawley and Newport, and they have a far stronger squad this season. The methodical and analytical approach of Danny Cowley and his management team should deliver results regardless of which tier they are in; and whilst promotion to League One at the first attempt seems a tall order, they have plenty of momentum. Cowley has made some interesting signings during the close season, with Peterborough’s Player of the Season Michael Bostwick the headline-maker. Off the field, their policy of attracting sustainable investment has been enhanced through the advent of a couple of new directors. With a bespoke training ground scheduled to open in December and a new 15,000-seat stadium very much on the horizon, developments in infrastructure are set to keep pace with progress onfield. The people of Lincoln are certainly convinced: they have snapped up almost 6,000 season tickets over the summer, a response not seen since their Second Division days in the mid-1950s. City are almost guaranteed an average crowd of between 7,000 and 8,000, even if consolidation is the outcome next May. But the Cowleys have the opportunity they have worked for ten years to secure – to test their skills in the Football League – and they are unlikely to settle for anything less than a promotion challenge.
Prediction: Automatic promotion.
Last 6 Meetings:
18/10/11: Lincoln City 1-1 Mansfield Town (Conference)
3/3/12: Mansfield Town 2-1 Lincoln City (Conference)
9/10/12: Mansfield Town 0-0 Lincoln City (Conference)
26/2/13: Lincoln City 0-1 Mansfield Town (Conference)
29/8/17: Mansfield Town 1-3 Lincoln City (EFL Trophy)
16/9/17: Lincoln City 0-1 Mansfield Town (League Two)
– @MansfieldTownFC (a): Form, Past Results & More:https://t.co/gKLd903gfD#Stags #Mansfield #ImpsAsOne
? Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) March 6, 2018
