Well, how’s everyone feeling? Recovered? Or still whiling away your days at work watching repeats of Match of the Day, endless streams of content from the away end on Twitter, and George Williams doing his best Ted Hankey impression? It’s the latter for us.
Last weekend up in Newcastle was absolutely phenomenal. The rewards for a whole promotion season watched from our living room. A day to remember for every U’s fan. But now it’s back down to business.
It’s fair to say we’re entering a run of games that will be season defining. Having spent most of November and December playing the sorts of teams where you go “yeah but look at their budget, they’ll be right up there” etc, the next few months will see us go into games not just expecting a win, but needing a win against the teams around or below us in the table.
The first on that list is Lincoln City. And it’s the hardest of the lot. Not only is it a bit of an anomaly that they’re down here in the first place having been a play-off team last year, but they also spanked us 5-1 back in September with an Anthony Scully inspired masterclass. We thought they’d kick on then, but they haven’t – however, it seems like they are starting to find that next gear as they go into this game on Saturday on the back of back to back wins against Oxford and Sunderland.
Here’s our preview in the latest pod with the excellent Imps blog The Stacey West Blog:
Takeaways from Bonner’s presser
- Thinks Lincoln’s position in the league is a false one and they go into this in really good form
- As do we, and thinks it has potential to be a really good game
- Says Sherring fits in perfectly in terms of character of the squad
- Williams was sick on Tuesday, unclear on availability
- Weir, Jones, Tracey still out – so pretty much same squad as Tuesday + Sherring
Read the full presser here.
Expected line-up
I see Sherring coming in and allowing Iredale to take up his preferred left back position – but Bonz may well decide to stick with what has worked so well as it’s a tough game to make your debut in.
Mitov; Williams, Okedina, Sherring, Iredale; Digby, Worman; Smith, May, Brophy; Big Joe.
Opposition preview
As mentioned above, and as Bonner alludes to, they come into this in a really decent bit of form. By all accounts their win at home to Oxford was fully deserved, and they backed that up with a 3-1 win at Sunderland, featuring that fantastic Chris Maguire celebration (and hat-trick, obviously).
They’ve got players who can hurt us; the aforementioned Maguire, and the man who still gives some U’s fans nightmares, Anthony Scully. We set up in a 4-4-2 that day, a set up that Bonner just got wrong with a bit of overconfidence, so I don’t see it being the same result but it’ll be a really tough and tightly contested game.
Check out the Lincoln preview in the link above, or our Newcastle inspired revelry in the other pod released this week:
Who is their player to watch?
Got to be Anthony Scully hasn’t it? Son of former U Tony Scully, for anyone that was at the Abbey for the home leg of this fixture back in September where he had an involvement in all five goals, he needs no introduction. Just watch those highlights below and you’ll see what I mean.
Who’s in the dugout?
Michael Appleton is a known name to lower league fans. Last season he led Lincoln to 5th place and they were well tipped to follow that up this year, but it hasn’t quite come to fruition just yet. His time at Oxford saw them be promoted to this level a few years ago, so he knows what’s necessary to be successful.
What’s their recent form like?
*W, W, L, D, L
Any ex-United players?
Not at the moment, but midfielder Teddy Bishop was born in the Rosie, so that’s close enough.
Last time out
Mentioned it already too many times. 5-1 loss at the Abbey. NEXT.
A matchday album to listen to
Bonobo – Fragments
What you need for the journey is a moment of calm… enter stage left the soothing tones of Simon Green, the musician and producer known as Bonobo, back with his seventh LP that will soothe the nerves on your way to the game.
The UTAS team’s terrible Moosenet predictions
Julian: 2-1 Lincoln, Smith
Jordan: 1-1, Lankester
Owen: 2-2, Knibbs
Jack: 1-1, Okedina
Tom: 1-1, Smith
From the archive
Far from the finest United team, but a fine Jevani Brown strike saw us come away with a point against 10-men Imps back in October 2018.
Under The Abbey Stand 
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