Can the season FINALLY start at Griffin Park?

By Nathan Jackson
October 26 2007

Lincoln City fans have been filled with optimism after a dominating performance against Peterborough, many believing that the long awaited victory isn't far away. City have a decent chance against a struggling Brentford side, a win for either side would realistically move them away from the relegation as both sides have failed to made a solid start to League 2 this season.

City go into the game at Brentford on the verge of announcing a new manager and will aim to keep an unbeaten run under Grant Brown, hopefully picking up the first win since August 25th in the process. City's recent run has been woeful, but they now face an opponent who's form is also far from fantastic. 

The Imps have only lost once in four games and the performance against Peterborough last week has encouraged many Imps fan to believe that we can climb away from the relegation zone. Peterborough's undeserved last minute equaliser wasn't enough to prevent City moving out the relegation zone, as 2 hours later Wrexham were losing at home to Barnet.

With City starting to pick up points and those around us dropping them like a bag of heavy shopping, the Imps could easily find themselves out of trouble soon enough, although two difficult home games against Chester and Chesterfield follow within the next few weeks. 

City will probably line up with the same starting line up that started against Peterborough. That would mean Alan Marriott in goal with Gary Croft, Lee Beevers, Adie Moses and Nat Brown as the back four. Scott Kerr, Jamie Hand, Lee Frecklington and Paul Green in the midfield with Ben Wright and Louis Dodds up front.

City do have a majoritively fit side, with only Mark Stallard missing through injury. 

Brentford haven't started the season well, with Terry Butcher's typical managerial form finding it's way down to Griffin Park. For a side that have been in the League One Playoffs 3 times in the last 6 years, they could soon find themselves in the Blue Square Premier if results don't start picking up soon. A 1-1 draw at Rochdale last week was hardly a result to boost confidence after a bad run of results.

During the summer they attempted to get a better atmosphere by switching the away end at Griffin Park and giving the home fans a newly roofed terrace behind the goal, it's hardly gone the way they planned though and they currently have 13 points from 12 games, leaving them in 16th place and just 4 points above the drop zone. 

City could move up to 19th with a win, a draw would only see us move up if Grimsby lose by more than 2 goals, a defeat could see City slip to the bottom of the table on the same weekend that City went top last season.

Brentford could go as high as 11th with a win, but only as high as 14th with a draw, a loss could see them slip to 20th.