Lincoln City determined to make Peterborough United work hard for automatic promotion, Imps top scorer likely to miss out, past meetings, bookies believe Posh can’t fail and current form ahead of the big game

Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton certainly hasn’t ruled out a top two finish for the Imps.
Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton.Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton.
Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton.

The Imps need to win their final three matches starting at the Weston Homes Stadium tomorrow (May 1, 3pm) and hope Posh also lose their final fixture at Doncaster on May 9.

A point tomorrow would seal a place in the play-offs for Lincoln.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Appleton told Lincolnshire Live: “Where there’s a small chance of automatic promotion and it is a small chance – then we have to give it our best shot, We just have to make sure we stay professional and stay on it.

Louis Reed celebrates a goal for Posh against Lincoln last season.Louis Reed celebrates a goal for Posh against Lincoln last season.
Louis Reed celebrates a goal for Posh against Lincoln last season.

“The reality is, if we win the game at Peterborough, there’s still an opportunity, so you just don’t know.

“At the end of the day, there isn’t going to be if we don’t win, but if we do, why not?

“We’re playing a top side. I don’t want to go there and get well beaten. That’s a fact.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If we do go there and win the game, I still expect Peterborough to take care of what they need to do in the last game, and that’s not being disrespectful to Doncaster.

“All I want to do, if possible, is try and win the next two games and really make Peterborough work their socks off to get that top-two spot.”

IMPS DANGERMEN

Lincoln suffered an injury scare at Shrewsbury on Tuesday when influential forward Brennan Johnson limped off with hamstring trouble after half an hour.

The 19 year-old is on loan for the season from Nottingham Forest and has netted 12 goals this term including a recent second-half hat-trick against MK Dons.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brennan’s injury is not serious, but he is expected to miss the match tomorrow.

He was replaced at the New Meadow by lively forward Anthony Scully who scored one of his nine goals this season in the 1-1 draw against Posh at Sincil Bank in January.

Highly rated Dutch defender Lewis Montsma has been attracting plenty of attention this season and he’s managed to bag nine goals from his centre-back position, eight of them arrived before Christmas and he scored against Hull last weekend.

IMPS FORM

Lincoln secured a club record 13th away win of the season at Shrewsbury on Tuesday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Imps have 44 points from 21 road trips, the best record in League One with tough games at Posh on Saturday and Charlton on Tuesday (May 4) still to come.

They’ve won their last three at Bristol Rovers, Burton and Shrewsbury, all 1-0.

Lincoln have been around the top of the table for most of the season, but looked to be struggling to even maintain a play-off place during a run of six matches without a win in March.

But they took a fortnight off after suffering a handful of positive Covid tests and they’ve returned in fine fettle with four wins, a draw and a defeat in their last six matches.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Against fellow members of the top six Lincoln have a decent away record.

They won 3-2 at Blackpool and 1-0 at Portsmouth and drew 1-1 at Sunderland and 0-0 at Hull.

Lincoln’s final game of the season on May 9 is at home to AFC Wimbledon who will have very little to play for after pulling clear of the relegation zone in recent weeks.

PAST MEETINGS

Posh beat Lincoln 2-0 in this fixture last season thanks to goals in the final 10 minutes from Louis Reed and Ivan Toney. Overall Posh have won 10 and lost five of 22 Football League games against the Imps at London Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lincoln were last victorious in a Division Two game in December, 2006 towards the end of Keith Alexander’s Posh management tenure. Ryan Amoo scored twice with Peter Gain replying for Posh.

BIG MATCH ODDS

The bookmakers continue to believe Posh promotion is inevitable.

Darren Ferguson’s men are 100/1 on to be automatically promoted with Lincoln at 28/1 to finish second. Bet £100 on Posh to win £1 in other words!

Posh are now 15/2 to win the League One title. Current leaders Hull are 1/12. The Tigers would probably win the title with three points from their final two matches.

Posh are 21/20 with the same firm to win Saturday’s game with Lincoln to win and the draw priced at 12/5.

A repeat of last season’s 2-0 Posh win is 17/2