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Boston
United Preview
17th March 2006
Lincoln City make the short trip to county rivals Boston
United on Saturday, for the first of two consecutive
local derbies that The Imps will play.
In a week's time, Lincoln will entertain Grimsby Town but
first, they face a test against Boston. Many of Lincoln's
supporters regard Grimsby Town as City's traditional
local rivals. However, ever since Boston joined the
Football League in 2002, the matches between Lincoln and
Boston have rivalled those of Lincoln versus Grimsby for
passion.
Of the eight league matches between Lincoln and Boston -
including a set of fixtures from the 1987/88 Conference
season - Boston have won just once. The other seven have
seen four victories for Lincoln and three draws. For a
full historical round-up of past results from these
matches, please click here.
Lincoln, due to Boston's struggle to adapt to life in the
Football League, have entered the majority of these
matches as strong favourites to win. On Saturday, it
could be a closer contest because Boston are currently
enjoying their best ever season, with a top twelve
position within their grasp.
Meanwhile, Lincoln have embarked on their annual late
surge towards claiming their usual play-off position. A
run of twelve matches without defeat means that Lincoln
sit in eighth place with a game in hand over several
higher placed sides. Even Boston manager Steve Evans has
this week tipped Lincoln to reach the play-offs.
Evans commented to Boston's website: "In many
people's opinions, Lincoln City are certain to make the
end-of-season play-offs so we expect Saturday afternoon
to be a huge test."
"I concur with those views in respect of City making
the play-offs, but in reality, there are probably six
clubs fighting for the two places that I still see as
available..."
Boston are currently fifteenth with a couple of games in
hand. Although their play-offs hopes are unlikely to be
realised, it is expected that they will make history via
their highest ever league finish.
One of the main reasons for this has been the form of
Julian Joachim, who once plied his trade in the
Premiership. Joachim was a shock signing for Boston
during last summer, when he joined his home town club
from Leeds United. A player of Joachim's calibre is
unlikely to come cheap but he has repaid Boston's
financiers by scoring fourteen goals in thirty-seven
league and cup appearances.
Joachim is likely to be a key player on Saturday, who
could cause Lincoln problems. This is made worse by the
news that Northern Ireland international Gareth McAuley -
one of the men who would have been responsible for
containing Joachim - will miss this match through injury.
The loss of McAuley forces Imps' boss Keith Alexander
into shuffling his players and their positions. The most
obvious replacement for McAuley is Nat Brown but
ex-Boston United defender Lee Beevers is also a contender
for McAuley's central defender role.
Brown is the favourite to replace McAuley, so this opens
up a midfield vacancy. Beevers was used in midfield last
week, but a more popular choice would see Lee
Frecklington given a start in Brown's place.
| Odds
For the game |
| Boston United |
11/8 |
| Draw |
7/4 |
| Lincoln City |
11/5 |
Information kindly supplied by Sporting
Odds, who
regularly make special betting offers. Click here for further details.
Click here for more Lincoln City news
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