By Nathan Jackson
December 7 2007

In my own personal opinion it was Hereford United's 4-1 victory over Lincoln that ended our realistic chances of automatic promotion last season, now it's time for a bit of revenge. That 4-1 thumping came just days after City had won 2-1 at Walsall and the Imps were never the same after that game and it appeared to completely knock the confidence from City before the annual playoff failure.

City were the first visitors to Edgar Street after their return to the Football League and it was a highly entertaining game. Both teams playing attacking football and City took a deserved 2-0 lead, although Marriott was having to keep out Hereford at the other end. Hereford eventually pulled on back from the spot before having another disallowed minutes later from Alan Connell. Skip forward a few months and Connell gave the Bulls a 2nd minute lead at Sincil Bank before Steve Guinan scored a hat-trick to leave the Imps stunned.

I had initially predicted Hereford to be relegated this season after seemingly getting rid of all their decent players, but they have surprised me highly and currently sit in the Playoff places following a decent opening to the season. They pose arguably the most difficult task of Peter Jackson's tenure so far.

City have been improving steadily recently and the result at Stockport on Tuesday night was the result of a strong performance in the second half, but City will have to improve significantly as the last two League games have seen us face two teams who could very easily turn into relegation strugglers themselves.

The Imps come into the game with no new injury worries, but only Adie Moses stands a realistic chance of being back in the squad, with Stallard, Beevers and Brown all taking their seemingly eternal holidays at the minute.

Ben Smith will more than likely be in goal for the Imps, with Croft, Hone, Bencharif and Green in front of him. Kerr, Freck, N'Guessan and Warlow in midfield with Forrester and Wright up front, although John-Lewis could be in for his first start after his goal the other night.

Hereford have their own Ben Smith in the side, a midfielder to be precise, he is one of many players who are surprising the division. However, an injury crisis is currently sweeping Edgar Street just weeks after Lionel Ainsworth was loaned with a view to a permanent move to Watford.

Richard Rose (ankle), Robbie Threlfall (ankle) and Clint Easton (ankle) are all absent for the hosts but Luke Webb and Karl Broadhurst could return from injury.

Hereford's main threat will more than likely come from arguably the best known journey-man in the game, Trevor Benjamen, although he was relegated to the bench for the Tuesday night draw at Wycombe. At age 28 he's already had 17 different clubs including Boston and Peterborough.

This will be a true test of how far the Imps are coming under Jackson, and with all our relegation rivals having difficult games we could move even further away from the drop zone with a win.