Lincoln City will be hoping to extend their five-game unbeaten run this weekend as they travel to play-off side Stockport County in the penultimate game of the season.
Assuming the avoidance of a 17-goal swing in terms of goal difference the Imps have already secured a top half finish, however they can also still finish as high as eighth place.
That is the position currently occupied by Bolton Wanderers, who Lincoln recently overcame on Easter Monday as part of a successful weekend double-header.
First half goals from Erik Ring and a James Collins penalty put the Imps 2-0 up early in the game, before Jay Matete and Alex Murphy responded to send things in all square at the break.
Collins’ second and a moment of magic from a Reeco Hackett free-kick was enough to secure a 4-2 victory for Michael Skubala’s men.
Opposition: Stockport County
On the other hand, hosts Stockport County looked to be launching an early season title charge going unbeaten in nine of their first ten before the Imps found a 2-1 win at Sincil Bank.
They bounced back from that with seven victories in their next 11 before the league’s top goal scorer Louis Barry was recalled by Aston Villa to be loaned out to Championship side Hull City.
The Hatters still find themselves in fifth place and with a play-off spot confirmed as a six-game unbeaten run sees them nine points clear of seventh spot and Reading.
Team News:
Captain Paudie O’Connor returned to the bench in Monday’s victory over Bolton Wanderers following his three-game suspension but Skubala said the defender will need to earn his place back in the starting 11.
On top of that, Ethan Erhahon also returned to the pitch at the start of April and likewise Jack Moylan who made his return from injury as a substitute on Monday.
The Lincoln head coach said: “Most people have come out of the weekend great, so I don’t think there’s any updates on that, Jack Moylan getting on the pitch was fantastic and he’s good to go again.”
Head-to-head:
The most recent clash between the two sides resulted in victory at the LNER Stadium in October as goals from Ben House and Sheffield Wednesday loanee Bailey Cadamarteri were enough to secure a 2-1 victory.
Before that the two sides had not faced each other since the 2012/13 National League season. Stockport took four points off the Imps in that campaign.
Overall, the head-to-head record is fairly even with Lincoln taking victory on 42 occasions, but have been defeated on 41 occasions, while the points have been shared 29 times.
Played for both:
While nobody has spent an extended period at both clubs current Stockport striker Kyle Wooton spent time with Lincoln in non-league.
He featured five times scoring just a single goal while on loan from Scunthorpe United in 2015/16.
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