Cambridge United will look to build on Saturday's point against Northamtpon in Sky Bet League One in midweek when they take on an in-form Lincoln City at Sincil Bank…
How to Watch
A healthy set of U’s fans have already secured their place for the trip up to Lincolnshire on Tuesday evening, which gets underway at 7:45pm.
Those who wish to join them can purchase their tickets online at cufctickets.com or over the phone by calling 01223 566500 (option 1) – online booking ends at 9:30pm on Monday and one away credit will be allocated.
Unable to attend? If you can't join us, UK-based and overseas supporters can stream the game live with an iFollow Match Pass.
Opposition Focus
Founded all the way back in 1884, City have spent the majority of their tenure fluctuating between the lower divisions of the Football League, with several, and usually one-off, seasons in non-league. From 2011, five mediocre seasons in the fifth tier beckoned – established in the middle of the pack, an escape attempt from the Conference Premier never looked likely. Up stepped Danny and Nicky Cowley who, in their first season, stormed to the title and helped the Imps become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the FA Cup Quarter-Finals. The EFL Trophy was lifted a year later, before another promotion was secured in 2019. As recently as 2020/21, they came within a victory of Championship football. Whilst that rampant upward trajectory has slowed down slightly, their ability to go from strength to strength by the season has been admirable. Mark Kennedy reignited a never-say-die mentality with excellent defensive resolve last season, with the well-respected Michael Skubala picking up the pieces and retaining the Imps’ credentials as possible play-off dark horses.
Searing with confidence, the Imps are equipped under a 3-4-1-2 system, with Danish goalkeeper Lukas Jensen the mainstay at the back – he’s on 15 clean sheets for the campaign. Ahead of him, Paudie O’Connor is no-nonsense, with young centre-backs Alex Mitchell and Sean Roughan really making a name for themselves beside him. On the flanks, the reliable Lasse Sorensen and Reeco Hackett continue to chip in with goal involvements and Ethan Erhahaon and Daniel Mandroiu are an exciting duo in the middle of the park. With a range of options at their disposal in the attacking department, another Irish pluck in Dylan Duffy has been a constant, with Ben House’s work rate a boost for loan striker Joe Taylor and the promising Freddie Draper.
A consistently sound season thus far means that there’s still so much left for Skubala’s men to play for. Despite an opening day 3-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers, they ventured on a six-game unbeaten run to rise up the table. Three losses in four was then followed by a respectable run of two defeats from 11 but form briefly faltered as they were downed on four successive occasions over the Christmas period. In fact, a New Year’s Day loss to Blackpool was the last time they tasted no points, with Lincoln in the midst of an 11-game unbeaten run that has seen them win six and draw five, keeping seven shutouts in the process. This rampant spell puts them lodged in 9th, with a six-point gap from the play-offs – whilst it’s still possible, City will believe.
Form Guide
Lincoln City: WWWDW
Cambridge United: LLLLD
United’s Approach
Last time out, the U’s importantly arrested the slide by avoiding defeat for the fifth successive game but were forced into a share of the spoils thanks to Northampton Town’s late momentum as a 1-1 draw was shared at CB5.
Garry Monk’s tenure couldn’t have got off to a better start as the hosts roared into an early lead after Elias Kachunga finished off a well-crafted move, but they couldn’t move up the gears from here, with the Cobblers gradually growing and equalising ten minutes from time via Jon Guthrie.
Reflecting on his first outing, the Head Coach said: “The positive of it is we’ve stopped that run of results. At this stage of the season, as much as the aim is the three points, every point will count… I’ve always said it, if you can’t win a game then make sure you don’t lose, and I thought they did everything to make sure they didn’t lose that game.”
As a result of the sides around them failing to win, the gap from the bottom four is extended to five points, with a game in hand over many. Just five points separate 20th to 14th, so every point will matter in the final hurdle. Excluding the top ten, no side have conceded less than the U’s, who must continue to show that resolve as they embark on back-to-back away journeys.
Head-to-Head
Cambridge United Wins: 14
Lincoln City Wins: 16
Draws: 17
Down Memory Lane
The last meeting between the sides in November proved to be the final game in Mark Bonner’s spell in charge as the Imps powered to a professional 0-3 victory.
A bright start from Lincoln saw them draw first blood through Daniel Mandroiu’s penalty, before Dylan Duffy doubled the advantage shortly after the half an hour mark. The U’s were unable to muster a response to the setback and fell victim to a third late in the evening when substitute Jack Vale sealed the triumph.
From the famous Football League debut in 1970 to now, there’s been some incredibly tense and tight encounters over the years, with the head-to-head record almost symmetrical. November’s reverse was the Imps’ first win in four, with United registering three successive clean sheets prior. At Sincil Bank, the U’s are unbeaten in four, drawing three and winning once, which came during a dramatic January 2022 meeting when Joe Ironside’s last-gasp goal sealed the points.
Officials
Referee: Scott Oldham
Assistant Referee: Bradley Hall
Assistant Referee: William Cavanagh
Fourth Official: Ryan Williams
