Aiming to keep their late push towards the top-six positions on track, Lincoln City will do battle with relegation-threatened Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night at LNER Stadium in League One.
The Imps were winners on the road at Port Vale on the weekend, whilst the Shrews were also successful on their travels, earning maximum points from a five-goal thriller against Reading.
Match preview
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Lincoln extended their unbeaten run in League One to a remarkable eight matches on Saturday afternoon, travelling to Port Vale's Staffordshire home and collecting all three points, with the visitors doing their goalscoring business at either end of the afternoon in the West Midlands.
Finding the net for the second time since moving to LNER Stadium on loan from Premier League newcomers Luton Town in January, Joe Taylor opened the scoring for the Imps in the second minute, before a 93rd-minute strike from Reeco Hackett ensured that the hosts would be condemned to defeat.
A nine-game winless run spanning from December to the end of January seriously derailed Lincoln's ambitions of reaching the playoffs this season, however four victories from the last five third-tier matches has allowed Tuesday's hosts to move up to 10th in the League One standings, nine points behind sixth-placed Oxford United.
Having taken the reins at LNER Stadium following the drama-filled departure of former manager Mark Kennedy in November, Michael Skubala has been tasked with taking the Imps into the promotion conversation on a smaller budget than most of their rivals - a test that 41-year-old is relishing in recent weeks.
A lack of clinical edge in front of goal has severely hindered Lincoln's chances of reaching the playoff places this season, and no team inside the top 14 of the division netting fewer times than the Imps in 2023-24, with Hackett and Daniel Mandroiu leading the club's Golden Boot race with just five strikes each.
In a game of massive ramifications near the bottom of the third-tier table, Shrewsbury come out of top of a five-goal thriller against Ruben Selles's Reading on the weekend at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, with all of the goalscoring action arriving in a frenetic opening 45 minutes.
The Shrews burst into a two-goal lead after just five minutes in Berkshire courtesy of strikes from Jordan Shipley and Tom Bayliss before being pegged back by goals by Sam Smith and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, but the visitors managed the last laugh when Tom Bloxham netted in added-on time of the first period.
Maximum points over the Royals over the weekend arrived following a four-game winless streak in League One, easing worries of a relegation battle in the closing stages of the campaign, with Paul Hurst's side now five points ahead of strugglers Cheltenham Town in 21st.
The Shropshire outfit have failed to pose a major threat during their League One travels this season, netting just 10 goals in 17 third-tier contests away from the Croud Meadow - only the aforementioned Robins of Cheltenham have been unable to score more than Hurst's men on the road.
Shrewsbury's lack of attacking prowess is highlighted by the club's Golden Boot race, with Daniel Udoh currently the only Shrews striker to find the net on more than one occasion in the third tier this campaign.
Team News
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After keeping a clean sheet at Port Vale on the weekend, Lincoln are expected an unchanged back three of Sean Roughan, Paudie O'Connor and Alexander Mitchell.
Imps striker Taylor is set to retain his spot in the XI, although there could be an alteration behind the youngster, with Jack Moylan and Dylan Duffy pushing for starts.
Shrewsbury could be without the services of centre-back Aaron Pierre on Tuesday night after the Grenada international was forced off in the first half at Reading.
In the eventuality that four-goal Cheyenne Dunkley requires a new defensive partner, Hurst is likely to select 21-year-old Jason Sraha following his minutes off the bench on the weekend.
Carl Winchester's spot in the midfield is relatively secure but the place next to the 30-year-old is up for grabs, with Jack Hinchy battling Nohan Kenneh for a starting berth.
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Mitchell, O'Connor, Roughan; Sorensen, McGrandles, Erhahon, Bishop, Hackett, Moylan; Taylor
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Marosi; Feeney, Dunkley, Sraha, Benning; Winchester, Hinchy, Shipley, Bayliss, Bloxham; Bowman
We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Shrewsbury Town
Lincoln have enjoyed a resurgence in recent weeks and will be confident of edging close to the playoff picture with a third-straight victory on Tuesday night.
Shrewsbury had to hold on in the second period for a vital three points at Reading, but we feel that the Shrews will be unable to repeat the trick at LNER Stadium.
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Carter White
