By Nathan Jackson
March 5 2008

As strange as it sounds, the Imps will move into the top half of the table if they secure a win at Chesterfield. It would be the first time since early September that City have been in such a position. City will certainly fancy their chances of getting a win due to Chesterfield only picking up 4 more points at home than the Imps have away from Sincil Bank.

It is City's first game without Peter Jackson and it'll be a strange occasion for City fans, especially seeing Iffy Onuora in charge of first team affairs after less than a month at the club.  His managerial record at Swindon and Gillingham wasn't exactly thrilling, but a friend of mine who support's Swindon said he plays a similar style to Jackson. Part of his reason for a less than great record at Swindon was Ron Atkinson feeding his ego by doing his tv show "I'm Better Than You" a.k.a "Big Ron Manager."

City's recent run of 7 wins in 9 has seem them shoot up the table and with Brentford losing 4-1 at home to Bury on Tuesday night, City will move up into the top half of the table if they beat Chesterfield. It will probably only last a few hours but it will still be a nice site for Imps fans to see having spent the vast vast majority of the season near the drop zone. Win a win the Imps will leapfrog Brentford and Brentford. Both can regain their places if Brentford beat Macclesfield and Bradford win at Stockport.

The Imps are definitely without Mark Stallard through suspension. Lee Frecklington has a very slim chance of playing but will also certainly miss out. Other than that the Imps have no major injury worries ahead of the game. Chances are it will be the same starting XI that beat Wycombe, the only potential change could see Dany N'Guessan rewarded for his two recent match chance performances at home with a start.

Chances are though that N'Guessan will start on the bench, meaning that the starting line up will see Marriott in goal, Ridley, Beevers, Hone and Green in the defence, Clarke, LJL, Dodds and Kerr in the midfield with Forrester and Wright up front.

Chesterfield are starting to come back into form with wins over Brentford and Rochdale. Before that they were struggling for form. It comes as little coincedence that as soon as Lester's goals dried up, so did Chesterfield's results. They've won just 4 times this calendar year, the other two being against Wrexham and Hereford.

Chesterfield have often conceded hefty amounts at home. Hartlepool put 3 in the Saltergate net before Rochdale put 4 past them. Their home record stands at 6 wins, 6 draws and 5 defeats, scoring 27 and conceding 21.

Chesterfield will move briefly up to 5th if they win the game.