Vale make the trip across to Lincolnshire on Saturday to face Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium.
Vale make the trip across to Lincolnshire on Saturday to face Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium.
The Imps currently sit 13th on 52 points, whilst Vale are sitting 17th on 46 points with five games to go.
As we get ready to start the home stretch of our first campaign back in League One, here is some pre-match interesting pre-match reading.
The view from Darrell Clarke:
“We need to build on [Monday’s] performance,” said Darrell Clarke.
“The season is coming to a close, we still need a few more points to make sure we achieve the objective from the start of the season to try and consolidate in this division.
“It’s a tough week on paper, but hopefully we can do the business.”
Opposition Boss’ thoughts:
Speaking to the Lincoln City website, Mark Kennedy said: “The minute we get complacent, we’ll be in trouble, so we will not allow that to happen – it’s about showing an elite mentality 24/7.
“The problem with our league is every game is winnable, but you could also lose them too. If we take our foot off the gas at any point, we’ll make it very difficult for ourselves.”
Fixture Flashback:
Sky Bet League Two, Vale Park, Saturday 14th April 2018: Port Vale 1-0 Lincoln City
We rewind back to 2018, and Antony Kay’s second-half strike secured Vale all three points at home to Lincoln City in Sky Bet League Two.
The all-important goal came with 63 minutes on the clock when Kay got on the end of a David Worrall cross to glance home.
Vale created the first opportunity of the game after four minutes as Joe Davis found Tom Pope with a pinpoint cross, but the striker could only stoop to direct a header just wide under pressure from Luke Waterfall.
The positive start continued as Anton Forrester saw a low shot blocked on eight minutes before Luke Hannant reacted first to the loose ball, only to curl narrowly off target from 20 yards.
However, Lincoln did go close to opening the scoring on 28 minutes when Elliott Whitehouse volleyed a strike toward goal, but it flew inches wide of the far post.
Four minutes later, the midfielder sent one over from close range at the second attempt following a Kay block.
Vale continued to threaten after breaking the deadlock, with substitute Ben Whitfield coming close from 25 yards after 71 minutes following a swift move.
However, eight minutes later, Green almost levelled proceedings with a deflected shot from outside the area, but Sam Hornby reacted superbly to divert it over the bar.
As the match entered its final stages, Lincoln attempted to bombard the Vale area with aerial balls, but the Valiants’ back line dealt with the danger well.
Despite there being five minutes of additional time, the away side were unable to trouble Hornby, and the Valiants held on for the win.
Last Time Out (League):
Sky Bet League One, Home Park, Monday 10th April 2023: Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Lincoln City
Lincoln City handed Plymouth Argyle only their second home defeat of the season after goals in each half secured a 2-0 victory for the Imps over the League One highflyers.
Goals from Olamide Shodipo and Ben House did the damage for the visitors, as they became the second side after Port Vale to defeat the Pilgrims in their own backyard.
Shodipo opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, finishing off a sweeping counterattack to shock the Home Park crowd.
Lincoln grabbed the crucial second goal just two minutes after the break when Ben House lashed home a brilliant strike past Callum Burton, putting the Imps in dreamland.
The hosts twice came close to pulling a goal back through Ryan Hardie, but it wasn’t to be, and Lincoln held on for the victory.
Reverse Fixture:
Sky Bet League One, Vale Park, Saturday 29th October 2022: Port Vale 1-0 Lincoln City
The Vale ended Lincoln City’s five-match unbeaten run, back in October, as Danny Butterworth’s first goal for the club sealed all three points for Darrell Clarke’s side.
Following a dominant first-half performance in which Vale did everything but score, the Blackburn Rovers loanee finally broke the deadlock to score the 250th Vale goal since the Shanahan family saved the club back in May 2019.
Vale broke the deadlock 20 minutes from time as Rushworth did well to get down to a powerful Odubeko effort only to be picking the ball out of his net when Butterworth followed up for his first Vale goal.
Following a tense opening ten minutes, the Vale had their first chance when Butterworth broke from inside his own half, driving 40 yards with possession before seeing his shot from inside the area deflected behind.
Ben Garrity then saw his header from a David Worrall corner saved by Imps goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on 14 minutes.
Just after the half-hour, Vale’s top goalscorer Ellis Harrison was played in by a wonderful pass from Dan Jones, though the Welsh frontman saw his effort well-blocked by Regan Poole.
Three minutes later, the Vale went close again as a driving run from Cass on the right side was followed by a cross for Odubeko at the near post, though the West Ham United loanee fired over on the half volley.
Butterworth looked to get the opener through shots from distance as the Vale continued to apply pressure before the break, though the opener wouldn’t come for Clarke’s side.
Vale had a scare shortly after half-time as a cross-field pass from Jones was intercepted by Jordan Garrick, though the striker was denied by an excellent save from Stevens as he entered the area before Matty Virtue’s follow-up was off target.
Robinson went close to doubling Vale’s lead 15 minutes from time as he met substitute Connor Hall’s cross at the back post and headed inches over.
The visitors had rarely tested the Vale goal throughout, though in the final minute of the 90, Jones had to be on hand to clear off the line after an Imps corner caused havoc in the Vale penalty area.
Form: LLDWW
18/03/23: Lincoln City 0-3 Peterborough United, Sky Bet League One
25/03/23: Fleetwood Town 2-1 Lincoln City, Sky Bet League One
01/04/23: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Lincoln City, Sky Bet League One
07/03/23: Lincoln City 2-0 Cheltenham Town, Sky Bet League One
10/04/23: Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Lincoln City, Sky Bet League One