Lincoln can continue their best start for 6 years with a first away win at improving Dartford FC, 2-0 victors at Tamworth FC. Wrexham, play Chester FC in non-league’s first bubble fixture (a police escort on official from your home ground to the away one and back – and you only get your ticket when you get off the coach as you go in) will have a harder ordeal you feel even though we are yet to win away and they are pleased to see the back of us. The Imps strangled the Dragons passing football last week but the ferocity of the derby could see them jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Lose this one and Morrell’s passing Princes will really need to go back to the drawing board and quick.
Old school tabloid hack Vic Erzantartz pulse begins to quicken………………….
Simon Yeo scored a penalty in that one a few years ago – up the Wrexham end – and can vouch for the ferocity of the affair, when Wales meets England in the most policed derby, per head, in world football. The last one he played in saw 500 police with the capacity restricted to under 5,000. Chester have been given 1200 tickets for this one and will want to bounce back from a 1-2 defeat to Forest Green and a 1-3 loss at Kidderminster.
Happier times perhaps for Lincoln City, who have a 100% home record, but just a draw and a defeat on the road. Indeed it is almost the reverse mirror image of the 2006/7 season that saw three (eventually 5 alas ending at Boston 0-1) wins on the road with two draws at home. The Imps currently have 10 points to the 11 of the Schofield and Deehan season, but are not really getting the credit they deserve it would seem.
Thomlinson has come out and said that teams should start to fear Lincoln and even the manager is confident enough to say we are ready for everyone. But we should not underestimate a Dartford side who won 2-0 at big spending Tamworth last week to end a run of three defeats to nil. Dartford do not do draws having won 2 and lost 3. They have won one and lost one at home so far this season and given the Imps form this is unlikely to end up a draw. The Darts beat Alfreton 1-0 on opening day at their lovely Princes Park venue then lost at home to Braintree 2-0.
We should not count our chickens, but The Imps will be favourites to win this one for a change with Fairhurst, Thomlinson and Rowe already amongst the goals backed by a side brimming with confidence. A hearty 200 plus are set to travel and they will make plenty of noise in a stadium that lends itself well to atmosphere. Win this one and get the away form going and the Imps will go into the home game with Salisbury fancying their chances for the play-offs this season.