Can City halt Stockport's rise up the table?

By Nathan Jackson
March 14 2008

Lincoln City have a very difficult game on Saturday when Stockport County visit on the back of a 7 game winning run on the road, including every trip they've made in 2008. Despite winning on Tuesday, the performance against Notts County was far from convincing and we'll have to play a lot better to beat a side that are showing serious promotion form.

The Imps haven't played well for a long time. We've been winning a fair bit but performances are still shoddy to say the least. More often than not our opponents have outplayed us in recent weeks and we've scored against the run of play. Our performance at Notts County still resembled those of the days of John Schofield as most of the players seemed to show a lack of effort as a very very poor County controlled the game.

However, the Imps could potentially move 12th with a win and into the top half of the table for the first time since early September. It would be a very strange sight for City given that we spent the vast vast majority of the season around the bottom 2. Infact, a win for the Imps would also see City's home wins and defeats match for the first time since August. One scary thing though is that we could potentially be within just 9 points of the Playoffs if we win...surely not.

City have no new injury worries and first team regulars, Lee's Frecklington and Ridley, and Lenell John-Lewis are all certain to miss out. It will probably be the same starting 11 that beat County. That would mean it will be Marriott in goal and Green, Brown, Beevers and Hone in the defence. Clarke, N'Guessan, Kerr and Dodds will more than likely comprise the midfield with Jamie Forrester and Ben Wright up front.

You have to go back to boxing day to find the last time that Stockport didn't win away from Edgeley Park. Since then they've won aet Wrexham (1-0), Dagenham (1-0), Bury (3-2), Rotherham (4-1), Accrington (2-0) and Hereford (1-0). Their overall away record is daunting reading with 11 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats. 

For a more obvious statement of form, they've lost just twice in the League since the Imps won 3-1 at Edgeley Park back on December 4th. They followed up that defeat by thumping Wycombe Wanderers 6-0 at home. In an almost ironic way, they would face Wycombe if the season finished now.

Many felt that selling Anthony Elding would signal the end of Stockport's season but it has infact done the complete opposite and they now look odds on to get in the Playoffs. They could even potentially still trouble the top 3 if they keep up their form.