By Nathan Jackson
March 15 2005

City travel to Southend this weekend hoping to beat the Southern Section winners of the LDV Vans Trophy. City will also look to become only the 3rd team since November 20th to beat Southend and an up hill task appears to be ahead if the Imps want to keep that playoff place which is slipping away.

Just over 2 and a half weeks ago, City had beaten Cambridge, a win would have taken us out of the playoff places in the right direction, no a loss this Saturday against the division's in form team will almost certainly see the Imps out of playoffs but in the wrong direction. City haven't won in 3 games, getting 1 point from a possible 9, if we'd have got the other 8, we'd be 2nd.

Anyway, City go into Saturday's games desperatly out of form, the total opposite to Southend who are now 12 games unbeaten in all competitions, that includes a recent victory on aggregate over Bristol Rovers to take them to their second consecutive LDV Vans Final in Cardfiff and are well on track to make it 3 in just over a year.

Keith has a FULL squad to choose from thanks to the returns from injuries of Chris Cornelly, Ben Futcher and Nathan Peat. The only slight doubt could be Paul Morgan who went home in warm up last week due to a hamstring injury. A lot of people would be happy if Green didn't make the squad due to his petulant reaction to being substituted last week, not that he ever does anything anyway. The formation will more than likely stay as the 5-2-3 that returned against Wycombe.

Most likely formation (Right to left)

Marriott

Beevers      Bloomer        McAuley          McCombe     Sandwith

Butcher        Gain

GTF          Yeo       Ipoua

 

When Lincoln played Southend earlier in the season, the shrimps were well and truly awful. They only got a point thanks to the worst decision from a referee so far this season (and that's saying something). Southend looked to be heading for relegation after they only picked up 2 points in their first 5 games but since then, they have got a minimum of 3 wins a month.

The main reason for their pick up in form is striker Freddy Eastwood, Although when he signed they were a safe midtable position, the Shrimps gambled on a non-league player on loan and what a gamble is was. He scored a hatrick on his league debut and the first of those goals came after only 8 seconds against Swansea.

Southend are the divisions form team, losing only twice in all competitions since November 20th, they have won 13 games since then and progressed to the LDV Vans Final for the 2nd year in a row, an achievement that no-one has achieved before and if form is anything to go by, they will easily do better than last years 2-0 defeat to Blackpool.

Southend's home form is also impecable, losing only 3 home games all season, drawing 4 and winning 11. They are on 63 points after 36 games and currently lay 3rd in the table and it wouldn't suprise anyone now if they went up automatically although I'm sure they'd be more than happy with yet another trip to Cardiff if they made the playoffs.

Key Players: Freddy Eastwodd

Keith have lost only one of the 6 games between the two sides since he took over. That game was in the FA Cup last season when a really poor display from the Imps gave Southend a win by a margin they didn't really merit. That came just 3 months after the Imps had comfortably won 2-0 at Roots Hall thanks to goals from Marcus Richardson and a 25 yard screamer from Richard Butcher.

The return game at Sincil Bank was Southend's in the first half going into the break 2-0 up thanks to a 6 minute brace from Leon Constantine, if it wasn't for him, Southend would probably be in the conference right now. City however came back thanks to goals from Francis Green and a Simon Yeo equaliser 4 minutes into added on time.

2002/3 saw the Imps secure a 2-1 win over the Shrimps at Sincil Bank thanks to goals from Peter Gain and Simon Yeo. The game at Roots Hall finished 1-0 after an 8th minute Ben Futcher header.

Southend were the first team to visit Sincil Bank and City were firmly in control after an 8th minute GTF header. The Imps were playing "total football" and everything was going for them. However, Wayne Gray ran onto a long ball, he kicked it a bit to far with his first touch and Marriott cleared it for a throw, however, Gray fell over his leg long after the ball had gone and Southend were given a very controversial penalty which Gray equalised from. That moment caused all confidence to go from the Imps and the next 4 league games ended in Lincoln defeats.