By Nathan Jackson
April 1 2006

The Imps travel to Darlington on April Fools Day knowing that a defeat to the Quaker would damage the hunt for the playoffs. 2 defeats in the last 3 games have seen the Imps slip out of the playoffs but with most of the top 10 playing each other, it could be a great oppurtunity should the Imps win.

April 1st is usually a day where you pull pranks on other people and want to "have a laugh", however, there will be no room for jokes as the Imps travel travel to inconsistant Darlington. It's a big weekend all of the top sides in the division and if Northampton beat Peterborough, the Imps would need just a point to move back into the playoff places unless Wrexham win away at Grimsby. The only other team with a realistic chance of a top 7 finish are Bristol Rovers and they will fancy their chances against a Wycombe side who have lost 3 of their last 4 matches. Whatever happens in those other 3 games, it is vital that the Imps don't slip to a 3rd defeat in 4 games.

 

Darlington have failed to score at home against the Imps since Keith Alexander took over and after two 0-0 draws, City put in a professional performance last season and ran out as 3-0 winners with goals from Yeo, Richardson and Butcher.

 

 

City's mounting injury possibles were compelled by Paul Mayo's shoulder injury that will more than likely see Lee Beevers fit into the left back position. Mayo is joined on the sidelines by long time injury casulties, Simon Yeo, Gareth McAuley and Jeff Hughes. Luke Foster could also be a doubt after he walked out of Tuesday's defeat at Carlisle holding his lower back, however, he is expected to be in the squad somewhere.

 

Other than that, it should be the same squad that faced Carlisle, although if Tom Wilkinson comes on the pitch, it'll be as good as having 10 men on the pitch after it took him over 30 minutes to touch the ball after coming on the other night and even that was mishit.

 

Who I think will start (Right to left)

Marriott

Cyran         Brown      McCombe   Beevers

Foster     Frecklington        Kerr

Green    Birch    M/Robinson

 

 Darlington's inconsistency is the main reason why they have failed to mount a serious playoff challege this season and their unrealistic challenge hasn't been helped by just 1 win in their last 8 games and even that wasn't a particulary hard win as they beat struggling Chester. Their last home outing ended with an embarrasing 5-0 defeat to League leaders Carlisle, easily their biggest defeat of the season.

 

Darlington do still have a mathematical chance of making the playoffs and with one game in hand over 7th placed Peterborough, a win against the Imps and winning that game in hand would leave them just a single point over what is now 7th.

 

Darlington's strength is the quality in their side and that squad includes former Premiership defender, Neil Maddison. Other impressive players in their side include another member of the seemingly endless Sodje family, this time it's Akpo, a player sent off in this season's game at Sincil Bank. Simon Johnson, Matt Clarke and  Sam Russell form part of an impressive squad. The only problem with having a good squad though is that if they don't work as a team, then they're about as useful as a condom machine in the Vatican.