INTRODUCION

After Saturday's win at Shrewsbury, confidence is very high in Lincoln as the month which, on paper could easily see the Imps go undefeated and top the table come the beginning of September. A Gary Taylor-Fletcher strike 7 minutes into the 2nd half saw the Imps take all 3 points from Gay Meadow, although, in all honesty a draw would have been a fairer result.

So now we move onto a side that the Imps had a mixed year with last season. Having faced Southend 3 times, we won, drew and lost but their two Leon's (Constantine and Cort) have now gone and things aren't looking good for the Essex side. They lost 2-0 to Cheltenham on Saturday in what a lot of Southend fans called, a truly abysmal display.

TEAM NEWS FOR THE IMPS

Green is back from injury and played in the game at Shrewsbury, however, there are doubts over Simon Yeo who possibly dislocated his shoulder when he was tackled and went straight into an advertising hoarding. Other than that, it's as you were.

Expected City line-up (right to left)

Marriott

West   Morgan  Futcher   Weaver   Blackwood

Butcher    Gain

Fletcher  Green  Yeo (if fit)

SOUTHEND UNITED

One of the one man teams of last season. Leon Constantine scored 20 goals for Southend and Shrimpers fans were really looking forward to this season believing they could even possibly make the playoffs. Leon scored both goals in Southend's 2-2 draw at City last season but has since moved to Peterborough and Southend fans can't see where the goals are going to come from this season.

City faced the Shrimps three times last season. The first was in September as City won 2-0 to record their first away win of the season with a truly sensational goal by Butcher and Richardson's first goal for the club.

The second, just 3 months later came in the FA Cup. That game, City were second best in everything and were convincingly beaten 3-0, they drew Scarborough in the next round but lost at the McCain Stadium to set the Yorkshire team up with an lucrative visit of Chelski.

The third came in March just 3 days after City had beaten Mansfield 4-1 at Sincil Bank. However, this game was considerably less easy as within 6 first half minutes, Constantine had put Southend 2-0 up but a 52nd minute goal from Green and a very late late equaliser in the 3rd minute of added on time from Yeo saw the Imps maintain a promtion push.

MOST RECENT RESULTS AGAINST SOUTHED

2003/4

Lincoln City 2 Southend United 2 - League

Southend United 3 Lincoln City 0 - FA Cup 2nd Round

Southend United 0 City 2 - League

2002/3

Southend 0 Lincoln City 1 - League

Lincoln City 2 Southend United 1 - League

PREDICTIONS

My head says that City are going to win and so does my heart. Quite literally, the only reason Southend got anything at Sincil Bank in March was because of Constantine, the only player not only to have a shot on target, but the only player to have a shot for Southend. Now he's gone and much like the Southend fans think, I can't see where a goal is going to come from.

I'm going to plump for City winning 2-0.

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