By Slevin Morgan
April 8 2010

After an horrendous Easter a victory is definitely needed against Bournemouth, anything less will see a likely decrease in the gap over the relegation zone. The Cherries are themselves looking for a maximum haul to try and move a step closer to automatic promotion.

Games against Bournemouth are often incident packed. Who will ever forget the 9-0 mauling the Imps gave to the Cherries on Harry Redknapp's first game in charge? Or even the 5-2 game in Cardiff that didn't really feel like a sad day because of the achievement of City's "relegation certainties" reaching the Playoffs, or how about last season's thrilling 3-3 draw at Sincil Bank. However, all of which pale in comparison with the importance of this game for the Imps.

The results over the weekend have now brought Grimsby back within touching distance of the Imps and although a 9 point gap seems large enough on paper, the comparative run in of fixtures for City and Grimsby couldn't be more different if you tried. Grimsby have the bottom two to play and have a further three games you can see as being winnable, City's final six games sees them play 5 of the top 12.

This could well be the turning point of our season and could be the biggest result of the season without doubt. A win is a must for the Imps and it might not be as hard of a task as it might have seemed before Bournemouth travelled to Grimsby. The Mariners (via cheating) secured a 3-2 win over Bournemouth in a result that kept Grimsby in with a sniff of survival.

One thing that's for sure is that City realistically need at least six points from their remaining six games to survive and to get this, we need to make our home games count. However, a point could be a good result if Grimsby fail to get anything at a Hereford side who are on a very impressive winning run.

City's injuries are starting to clear up with the only absolutely guaranteed non-participants are Adam Watts (broken leg) and Scott Kerr (suspended). Ian Pearce is doubtful,Nathan Baker came through the Morecambe game ok (which considering he's more fragile than a tower of jenga is quite a feat) and Steven Lennon could return to the side after going off injured against Cheltenham.

OUR EXPECTED CITY STARTING LINE UP
	Burch hasn’t had a clean sheet since December 5th and has conceded six in his last two games against Bournemouth. However, it is unlikely that he will find Musselwhite replacing him in defence.
	I don’t know what it is about Swaibu but every time he makes a clearance it goes straight to an opposition striker. Despite appearing to be seriously out of favour when Sutton first arrived, he will play his 11th game in a row for the Imps. It would have been longer had it not been for a red card he got when Le Fondre fell over.
	Nathan Baker returned to the fold against Cheltenham and the Imps subsequently lost all cohesion in defence. Despite being at the club since October, City have only tasted victory four times when Baker’s been in the side.
	Brilliant against Cheltenham, disastrous against Morecambe, it’s hard to predict example what you’re going to get out of Joe Anderson. Bournemouth will be his 20th game in an Imps shirt.
	Green’s return from injury has been good in the sense that it has allowed Hughton to his impressive midfield position.  He is still trying to earn himself a new contract.
	Hughton has been impressive since returning to the midfield and has produced to great finishes in the last few weeks. Hughton has been a near ever present this season.
	Shane Clarke continues to somehow make it into the first team most weeks, almost to the point where Sutton will sacrifice other first teamers to accommodate him.
	Matt Saunders has been one of our best players in recent weeks and continues to improve with every game. It’s just a pity he’s only here on loan
	As much as fans rate Herd, his return to the first team has coincided with City’s good performances stopping and the old crap coming out again.
	Defences seem to have gotten wise to Somma and he’s gone very quiet recently, despite that he’s the only player who ever really looks like scoring.
	Connor has six games to prove he’s worth keeping at this club. The striker has only had 11 shots in his 15 first team matches.

The clubs haven't met an overly large amount of times in recent years with this season's 3-1 win for Bournemouth down on the south coast being just the sixth time the clubs have met since the turn of the century. It was a one sided after where Brett Pitman ultimately proved the difference between the sides.

Last season's games were vastly difference. City won 1-0 down on the south coast despite the hosts dominated, but a 3-3 draw at Sincil Bank proved to be one of the games of the season. City took the lead through N'Guessan before Moseley and a Pitman double put Bournemouth 3-1 up. A late goal from Beevers (who had given away the two penalties) seemed nothing more than a consolation until Lee Frecklington's last ever kick of a ball for Lincoln saw David Button push it into his own net.

The previous meeting before last season was in the 2002/3 season. Both sides won their away fixtures in the League, Bournemouth won 2-1 at Sincil Bank before the Imps won 1-0 at Bournemouth to become just the second side to win at Dean Court that season. The sides met again in the Playoff Final and a storming performance from Bournemouth saw them brush aside the Imps with a 5-2 scoreline. Ironically Bournemouth had faced and beaten both sides that had won at Dean Court during the season.

Other than that the results have been historically mixed. Both sides have won six games on their home turf and lost three times. However, Bournemouth edge the Imps on wins because of that win in May 2003.

After securing safety on the penultimate day of the 2008/9 season, Bournemouth have vastly enjoyed their 2009/10 season and are primed to be automatically promoted. Other than a 2-0 defeat at Northampton, Bournemouth were literally perfect in the first few weeks of the season, winning all but one of their opening nine League games to unsurprisingly find themselves top.

A slight blip afterwards saw them slip down the table and they've actually only secured back to back wins four times since September. The goals have still been relatively flowing through with only seven sides keeping Bournemouth out, most of whom are chasing promotion.

Their record against the teams down the bottom in recent months weeks has been average. Since the turn of the year they have drawn at Cheltenham and Macclesfield, beating Barnet but also losing at Grimsby (although Grimsby did cheat a far old bit).

Bournemouth haven't conceded in their last three games, but they have been a bit generous in front of their own goal and they have suffered some heavy defeats. They have lost 4-0 at home to Rochdale and 5-0 away at Morecambe and since the turn of the year, they have lost as many as they have won (six each).

All or nothing against Bournemouth

Discussion started by theimps.ka (IP Logged), 08/04/2010 13:07

theimps.ka
08/04/2010 13:07

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