Preview: Lincoln City

17 April 2022

It's an Easter Monday trip to Lincoln City for Cheltenham Town in what is the club's 1,000th Football League game (kick-off: 3pm).

Having held relegation threatened Gillingham to a 2-2 draw on Friday at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium, Michael Duff's side head to the Imps with the search still on for a club record highest finish.

The match at the LNER Stadium gets underway at 3pm and tickets are available to buy on the day at Lincoln.

In another milestone on Monday, Michael Duff will be taking charge of his 200th game as Cheltenham manager.

Team news

There are no new injury concerns after Friday's game. Left wing back Ben Williams is the only player who misses the match due to injury.

Media talk

Having the right mentality will be crucial in Michael Duff's eyes heading into the game.

"They've got good players, a very good manager, a clear way of playing. I think they've changed a little bit during the season. They seem to have gone back to what traditionally a Michael Appleton team looks like," he said.

"It is going to be a difficult game. I don't think they will go down, I don't think we'll go down and obviously we're both not going to get in the play-offs so it's hopefully which team turns up with the right mentality."

Watch the full interview with Duff discussing the match for free on iFollow.

Opposition

With three games to go Lincoln are eight points clear of the relegation zone and will be looking to tie up their safety.

They've got a good buffer between themselves and the bottom four but have won only once in their last seven.

They'll be hoping the attacking qualties of Anthony Scully and former Robins loanee John Marquis, two proven goal scorers at League One level, will help play a part in their remaining games, while Swansea City loanee Liam Cullen is another option for them at the front end of the pitch.

In Conor McGrandles and Teddy Bishop they boast talent in their midfield department, while Lewis Fiorini is a younger talent who is on loan from Manchester City.

Former Nottingham Forest youngster Jordan Wright is their current go to in goal. That's because Josh Griffiths, who helped Cheltenham to the League Two title last season, is out injured for the remainder of the season having made the switch to the Imps this season on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

The manager: Michael Appleton

Since 2011 Michael Appleton has been managing in the Football League. After a caretaker spell at West Bromwich Albion, he has managed at Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United.

He's also had a stint as caretaker boss of Leicester City in the Premier League, while he took charge at Lincoln in September 2019 when he replaced Danny Cowley.

His time in the dugout has come after a playing career where he started at Manchester United but spent most of his time at Preston North End, before ending his playing days at West Brom.

Tickets & travel

Tickets are available to buy for the game from the away ticket sales window next to the club shop entrance. They can be bought with either cash or card. Collections are also available from the same window.

Fans will be located in the Stacey West Stand behind the goal at the north end of the stadium.

The Travel Club coach heading to the match will be leaving from the car park at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium at 9.30am.

Coverage

Watch: You can purchase a match pass on iFollow for £10 to watch the game in full online

Social media: Follow @CTFCofficial on Twitter for updates. You can also keep up to date with the latest score on the club's Facebook and Instagram

Website: Visit the club website post-match to read a match report and to hear reaction from the manager to the final score

Listen: An audio match pass for full match commentary is available to buy online for £2.50. Listeners in Gloucestershire can also tune in on BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Highlights: Watch extended highlights of the game on iFollow. You can also see shorter highlights on YouTube and Sky Sports

Match Reports

Report & highlights: Lincoln City 3-0 Robins

18 April 2022

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Lincoln City v Cheltenham Town - Extended highlights - Mon 18th April 2022

Extended highlights of Lincoln City v Cheltenham Town, Mon 18th April 2022 in the Sky Bet League One

Below-par Cheltenham Town slipped to a disappointing defeat in their 1000th EFL match at Lincoln City this afternoon.

All the damage was done in first half, shipping three goals in the opening 19 minutes at the LNER Stadium to hand themselves an uphill battle on this landmark occasion.

Michael Duff shuffled his pack after the break and his side did respond, striking a post midway through the second half but it proved to be an afternoon to forget on their penultimate trip of the campaign.

"It was nowhere near good enough," said the manager afterwards.

"I'd like to apologise to the supporters who've come away on a Bank Holiday weekend because it was not good enough.

"It hasn't happened very often this season so you have to be careful. They were lauded after the Gillingham match for breaking records but today just reinforces the point that we're not a team that can just turn up, enjiy the sun and pass it around.

"We needed more intensity in everything we do. It was a really disappointing afternoon."

He made four changes to the side that collected a point on Good Friday. In came Charlie Raglan for Mattie Pollock in defence while Aaron Ramsey, Ellis Chapman and Charlie Colkett returned in midfield. Liam Sercombe and Elliot Bonds dropped to the bench. Conor Thomas did not travel.

Town were so disjointed before the break and were lucky to trail by just three at the half-way point.

Duff's side were behind as early as the fourth minute, undone by Lewis Fiorini's diagonal ball into the path of Morgan Whittaker who beat Owen Evans with an angled finish.

Fiorini almost doubled the advantage moments later, striking the right post from distance as his side dominated the early exchanges.

But Anthony Scully extended the lead despite a wonderful save from Evans, followed immediately by a last ditch clearance by Will Boyle. The midfielder made no mistake at the third attempt.

Whittaker then added his second and Lincoln's third after 19 minutes, squeezing one home from an angle down the right.

Cheltenham crafted their first openings midway through the first half, both through Alfie May but the Lincoln number one, Jordan Wright, was not tested.

Boyle gifted Scully with a glorious chance for a fourth but Evans dropped to save it, and pushed away Regan Poole's drive moments later. He caught a Liam Cullen's curler on the stroke half-time.

At the other end Kion Etete carried a threat and on one occasion, cut inside his marker but his effort failed to test Wright.

Ramsey was withdrawn at the interval and replaced by Lewis Freestone as Duff restored his 3-5-2 formation for the second period. Elliot Bonds (for Chapman) and Sercombe (Colkett) followed, and they did improve.

Etete went on to create their best chance on the day, picking up a loose backpass, rounding Wright and rolling one against the left post with the goal gaping. It summed the afternoon up.

LINCOLN CITY (4-3-3): Wright; Bishop, Jackson, Poole, Robson; Whittaker (Sanders 78), Fiorini, McGrandles (c); House, Cullen (Hopper 73), Scully. Subs not used: Adelakun, Sorensen, Marquis.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Evans; Long, Raglan, Boyle (c), Hutchinson; Wright, Ramsey (Freestone 46), Colkett (Sercombe 76), Chapman (Bonds 65); Etete, May. Subs not used: Flinders (Gk), Pollock, Lloyd, Brown.

REFEREE: S Mather

ATTENDANCE: 8,672 (209 from Cheltenham)

Ticket News

Tickets & travel: Lincoln City

5 April 2022

Tickets and away travel are on sale for the penultimate away fixture of the season at Lincoln City.

The match at the LNER Stadium takes place on Easter Monday 18 April with a 3pm kick-off.

Tickets for the match are on sale at these prices:

Adults £24
Senior (65+) £19
Young Adult (18-21) £19
Junior (Under 18) £10

Robins fans will be located in the Stacey West Stand behind the goal at the north end of the stadium.

A total of 5% of tickets sold by Cheltenham will go to the Robins as income, so we encourage fans to buy in advance.

Tickets that are purchased but not collected ahead of the game will be available for collection from the LNER Stadium on matchday from the away ticket office.

You can book a seat on the Travel Club coach heading to the match with the coach leaving from the car park at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium at 9.30am.

A seat is £18/£16 for non-members, £16/£14 for members and £7 for Junior Robins.

To book tickets or away travel head online to buy. You can also purchase in person from the ticket office.