You only have to rewind the clocks two months and look back at when The Shots were due to entertain the Imps to see the sort of consistency that the two sides were originally due to meet and the Imps to see how things can change. City were 19th, just three points off the relegation places but having picked up 18 points from the last 21, there is certainly a target for The Shots to aim for.
Still unbeaten at home since Holdsworth took over, the home side did their best to put an end to that record at the weekend and but for some poor "finishing" from the Silkmen, it could have been so much worse, but two days on and the side have had a chance to regroup and move on.
Aldershot enter the match having slipped down one place to 16th place after the weekends 0-0 draw against Macclesfield Town and currently have 35 points from 29 games, while Lincoln are three places higher up the table in 13th, with 37 points having played a game less.
Shots Team News
Players and coaching staff alike were left disappointed after failing to break down a determined Macclesfield side at the weekend and although there was very little to get excited about the boss is confident that his side can get themselves back on track and will have learnt from their first half failings. ”Lincoln are turning their games into wins which is a big plus factor for them and they’re on a great run of form, but it is an opportunity for us to rise to the occasion and build on part of the performance from Saturday – the way we finished the game, we need to start that way,”. the boss told the Premium Shots ahead of the match.
Indeed, with contracts coming to an end this summer, many of the players will realise that they only have between now and the end of the season to impress the boss and he continued: ”I’m trying to give everybody a chance to show me what they can do – the challenge is there for them and I’m looking at the picture for now, for the next game, the game after that and the next two and a half months and ultimately its who is going to be with us starting next season as well."
Luke Guttridge and Ben Herd could be set for returns having been forced down the pecking order in recent games while Danny Hylton has recovered from his bruised foot.
Shots from: Jamie Young, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Jordan Clement, Ben Herd, Simon Grand, Luke Guttridge, Darren Jones, Jamie Vincent, Anthony Charles, Ben Harding, Danny Hylton, Manny Panther, Aaron Morris, Peter Vincenti, Clayton Fortune, Jermaine McGlashan, Wade Small, Alex Rodman, Reece Connolly and Tim Sills.
The Opposition
Speaking to the local media, Josh O’Keefe said: ”We have won six out of our last seven games so we’ve got to fancy our chances at Aldershot.
”The lads are confident and that [the victory against Morecambe] was only the second time this season that we have won a game by more than one goal.
”It will be a long journey but we are playing brilliantly. While we have played eleven games in just over a month and there will be some tired legs, somehow you don’t feel it as much when you’re winning.
”The gaffer has set the team a target of getting fifty points as quickly as possible. Once we’ve done that we can see where we go from there.
”We don’t want to get carried away and we are going to take each games as it comes and that starts at Aldershot.”
There are fitness doubts over defender Julian Kelly (thigh) following his enforced half time substitution against Morecambe at the weekend while there is also a race for fitness for fellow defenders Gavin Hoyte and Stephen Hunt with Tilson saying: ”"I am just wary that we have played a lot of games in a short space of time and we are picking up injuries from that.
”We will have to judge it and see how they all are. Whether they are short-term or long-term, I just don't know. Hunty [StephenHunt], with the amount of games he has played, is just as stiff as a board. Gavin [Hoyte] got his foot stuck in the ground in training and it knocked his knee out."
Mustapha Carayol is defiantly out, but continues to make progress following his hamstring injury as is Clark Keltie (thigh), who is yet to begin his return.
Lincoln City from: Joe Anyon, Paul Musselwhite, Trevor Carson, Paul Green, Joe Anderson, Adam Watts, Daniel Hone, Gavin McCallum, Drewe Broughton, Josh O’Keefe, Luke Howell, Julian Kelly, Albert Jarrett, Deroy Facey, Jamie Clapham, Sam Turner, Andrew Hutchinson, Cian Hughton, Ben Hutchinson, Gavin Hoyte, Ashley Grimes, Ali Fuseini, Scott Spencer, Patrick Kanyuka and Stephen Hunt.
Taking Charge
David Phillips will be taking charge of the match and will be assisted by Darren Blunden and Wade Norcott. Ashley Slaughter is the fourth official.
Weather Forecast
The BBC weather forecast for the match is given as partly cloudy after the days earlier heavy rain, with highs of 5°C.
Ticket News
Tickets for the match are set at:
Adult seats: £19, terrace: £17.
Concession (Over 60s, Military and students (both on production of ID cards only) seats: £15, terrace: £13.
Under 16s seats: £8, terrace £6.
The match is not all-ticket and supporters can pay on the turnstiles on the day.
Other News
- BBC Radio Surrey
Supporters unable to make the match can hear live coverage from the match on BBC Radio Surrey (on 104.6 FM) which is brought to you by the regular team of Gavin Denison and Aldershot Town Media Manager Steve Gibbs.
Supporters are reminded that there is no internet coverage of this match.