By Nathan Jackson
December 17 2010

Lincoln City may finally return to league action on Saturday afternoon if the game with Aldershot goes ahead. The Imps haven't played a league game since being humiliated 5-0 at home and haven't travelled away for a League Two game since November 13th, but the Imps will hope to maintain an unbeaten away record under Tilson

To say it's been a frustrating few weeks for the Imps would be an understatement. The bad weather has caused City's last four games to be postponed, meaning City haven't played since a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup at Hereford on November 27th. Strangely, that result maintained two highly unusual runs that the Imps are having under Steve Tilson. The Imps have yet to lose on a Saturday since Tilson took charge of the team, are unbeaten away from home in that time and have scored twice in all away games since he took over, a run they hope to maintain if the game with Aldershot goes ahead.

It's going to be a rare game if it goes ahead (and not just for the reason of it going ahead) because they are the only side in the entire division to have scored further at home than the Imps have away from home. Although we'll get further onto the subject of Aldershot later on in the preview, it's safe to say that Aldershot are having a difficult season.

There are fewer sides in the division that would represent a better chance for a return of points than Aldershot, something that would be most welcome given that results over the past few weeks haven't generally gone against the Imps, seeing City slip down the table to only be out of the relegation zone via the courtesy of just a goal. The one consolation about results going against City is that the Imps have now played fewer games than anyone else in the division.

As it stands, it only appears to be 50:50 as to whether the game will go ahead. The covers are on at Aldershot but it's due to snow heavily over the weekend in Hampshire, and they are requesting around 30 volunteers to help them remove the covers in the morning.

Well given that it's been a long time since the Imps last played, Tilson could be fully prepared to change things completely. Josh Gowling has returned to Gillingham which could see a return to the first team for Moses Swaibu, and he will probably partner an Adam Watts that gave away two penalties in his last appearance.

Delroy Facey is due to return to the team after being away on international duty, whereas Andy Hutchinson and Clarke Keltie definitely miss out.

Normally I would post a more indepth look at who would start but with it being a long time since the team played, I could easily write about three/four players who don't even feature.

Since Aldershot only formed in the early 90s, history between the two sides isn't exactly a long talking point, so much to the point where the clubs have only ever met four times, Aldershot coming off as the victors on three occasions.

It all started in November 2008 when Peter Jackson took his side to Hampshire and dominate the game with 59% possession and forced more shots than their hosts. City hit the bar through Aaron Brown (who would later have a trial at Aldershot after being released by the Imps last season) but Sandell opened the scoring just before half time. Scott Davies scored a second for Aldershot.

Infact, down the years Davies has developed a habit of scoring past the Imps and has scored in three games in three seasons against City for Aldershot and Wycombe. Aldershot completed the double on the final day of the 2008/9 season when City wasted chance after chance before goals from Grant and Davies gained victory for the Shots. However, City gained revenge for that defeat in Chris Sutton's first game as Lincoln manager as Sergio Torres scored seven minutes from time to win the game for the Imps (seen right celebrating the goal).

City were the last team to visit Aldershot in the league last season and despite taking the lead through Somma, a Marvin Morgan double and a decent effort from Dean Morgan gave Aldershot the 3-1 victory that secured their Playoff spot.

Over the last ten years there has only been two players that has played a competitive match for both teams Michael Gordon and Junior Mendes. Mendes' arrival at Sincil Bank in 2006/7 corresponded with a run that ended City's chances of automatic promotion and continued his run of joining teams and that team subsequently failing to get promotion despite being in a good position (the other teams being Mansfield, Huddersfield, Northampton and Grimsby).

Omari Coleman did join Aldershot on loan from the Imps in 2005/6, but he never played for the Imps. Both sides have had a player called Aaron Brown in recent years, and Aldershot even took our ol Aaron Brown on trial earlier in the year.

Aldershot are having their first difficult season since their formation back in the early 1990s. They are looking set for just their third ever double-figured finishing position this season, the last one being two seasons ago when they first came into the Football League....and you'd be hard pushed for find any Aldershot fans grumbling about finishing 15th in a division of 24 that they've just been promoted into.

Last season they made the League Two Playoffs, building off of the momentum that had been there under Waddock, whom had left earlier in the season to go to Wycombe. He was initially replaced by a few caretakers before Kevin Dillon took over. Despite making the Playoffs, they were easily beaten 3-0 on aggregate by Rotherham and they have not been the same since.

Only two teams have gone to Aldershot and come away with nothing and they were also embarrased by non-League Dover in the FA Cup. They haven't won in the League since November 23rd with a win at Burton, but you'd have to go all the way back to October 16th to find the last time that they won on their own turf in the League, since then Bury and Chesterfield have both gone away with all the points.

Aldershot will follow the game against Lincoln with a lot of six pointers if it doesn't go their way. Their next four fixtures after Lincoln are at home to Gillingham before trips to Morecambe and Barnet, rounding it off with a home game against Hereford.

Will Imps return to action against Aldershot?

Discussion started by theimps.ka (IP Logged), 17/12/2010 16:30

theimps.ka
17/12/2010 16:30

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