By Nathan Jackson
March 26 2005

Sky Sports could be set to see a thriller between Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United. In the previous 8 meetings, the two sides have shared 26 goals including a 5-3 and two 3-2's. In the race for promotion, a win for either side would enchance their chances of promotion.

Lincoln vs Scunny

Live on

Well well well, what a nice little win that was on Friday night but now comes a totally different prospect, not only is it a local derby with both sides chasing promotion, it's only Sky Sports. The annual home game against Scunthorpe often brings tense affairs and the Iron will be looking for their first league win at Sincil Bank since 1992. It is expected to be a rather large crowd as well as a crowded score sheet as the two sides have shared a massive 26 goals in 8 games.

Beevers is still out with the Welsh Under 21's but other than that, City have a full fit squad to pick from. Yeo will more than likely start with GTF possibly starting on the bench after Asamoah and Green have both impressed in recent games. There's not too much to comment on these days really although all 4 central defenders will more than likely start with McAuley pushed out to the right.

Most likely formation (Right to left)

Marriott

McAuley     Morgan        Futcher     McCombe     Sandwith

Butcher    Gain

Yeo      Green       Asamoah

 

To be fair to them, Scunny have performed very impressively this season and if they don't go up, it would a huge disappoint for the club that has occupied one of the automatic spots nearly all season long. After last season's collaspe that saw them almost crash out of the league, Scunny got off to a great start winning 3 of their opening 4 games including a 3-2 win over City. Scunny didn't taste defeat until mid September when Chester suprisingly won at Glanford Park.

Scunny would then go on a massively impressive run of 12 league wins out of 15 games and then pulled clear of the chasing pack. However, a 1-1 draw at Chester changed their season, they drew at home to Notts County before consecutive defeats just before their massive FA Cup 3rd Round trip to Premiership leaders, Chelsea where they performed well despite losing 3-1, an impressive result considering the talent Chelsea have at their disposal.

That game was followed by a 3-2 win over Bury but they only won 2 of their next 6 and then lost a thriller to Yeovil 4-3 at Huish Park. A loss to Swansea was followed by a last minute win over Rushden and a 4-1 thumping of Cheltenham Town. They have since drawn at Rochdale and at home to Oxford.

Scunny's home record is the best in the Division with 46 from a possible 60, however, their away form is patchy with 5 wins and 7 draws and 7 defeats on their travels.

 

Earlier this season, Scunny beat the Imps 3-2. Scunny went into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Keogh and Butler but a GTF penalty and last minute Futcher header looked to have brought the Imps a point, however, 3 minutes into injury time, Butler headed Scunny's winner.

Other than that, City have owned Scunny in recent years. Last season the game at Glanford Park was easily dominated by Lincoln with goals from Futcher, GTF and Green giving the Imps a 3-0 lead before Hayes got a consolation. It could have easily been 5 or 6 because we had so many one on ones it was unbelieveable.

The return fixture at Sincil Bank ended 1-1 when a freak Cleveland Taylor goal equalised from Peter Gain's 1st half opener.

2002/3 saw the teams meet each other 4 times. The first was in September when a Futcher header in the 34th minute won the game for City. The game at Glanford Park ended 0-0. The two teams drew each other in the playoffs and it turned out to be one of the best games ever seen at Sincil Bank. Two quickfire goals from Simon Weaver and Paul Mayo saw City race into a 2 goal lead but Alex Calvo Garcia pulled one back midway through the half and it was 2-1 at half time. Paul Smith extended City's lead in the 2nd half before Alex Calvo Garcia and Nathan Stanton scored within a minute of each other to pull it back to 3-3. However, Simon Yeo then scored a brace to end the game 5-3 in the Imps' favor. The return game at Glanford Park was a very even contest which City won thanks to a very late goal from Yeo to sent City into the playoff final.