Bolton Wanderers travel to Lincoln City on Easter Monday, seeking to end a three-match losing run to enhance their late-season push for a playoff place in gameweek 44's League One contest at LNER Stadium.
The Trotters, currently in eighth place, are three points behind Leyton Orient, who sit in sixth, highlighting their proximity to a coveted top-six berth, and they could advance toward this goal against a home side with little left to play for this season.
Match preview
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Despite their season unlikely to culminate in anything more than a top-half finish, Michael Skubala's squad are finishing the season strongly.
Lincoln enter Monday's clash on a four-match unbeaten streak, securing two wins and two draws before hosting the playoff hopefuls.
Both victories in that run — a pair of 1-0 wins over Huddersfield Town and Reading — sandwiched draws with Charlton Athletic (2-2) and Shrewsbury Town (1-1), and the Imps aim to achieve consecutive League One victories for the first time since January, when they triumphed over Northampton Town (1-0) and Peterborough United (5-1).
Further boosting the home supporters' confidence is their team's five-match unbeaten streak at LNER Stadium, where they have recorded three wins and two draws, scoring 11 goals and conceding just two during that period.
Although the 11th-placed side are no longer in contention for a top-six spot, Skubala's squad will undoubtedly play a significant role in Bolton's playoff ambitions.
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The Trotters' inferior goal difference (-1) means that even if they secure three points and Leyton Orient suffer defeat to Cambridge United, Steven Schumacher's side cannot surpass the sixth-placed club in gameweek 43.
However, that result would bring the side in eighth closer to a strong finish, although they must also consider Reading - who are level on 69 points with Leyton Orient - in seventh.
Nevertheless, the Wanderers must recover from a three-match losing streak if they are to end the season in the coveted spots, having failed to score in home losses to Rotherham United (1-0) and Wycombe Wanderers (2-0), and conceding four in their last away match at Barnsley, losing 4-1.
With Bolton losing six of their previous eight matches in League One, they head into the final push for the top six without momentum, and it remains to be seen if Schumacher's side can turn the tide starting on Monday.
While Bolton are concerned about their playoff chances, another loss could see them drop as low as 10th, with Huddersfield in ninth just two points behind and Blackpool three points adrift, both holding superior goal differences of +9 and +12, respectively.
Team News
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While Ethan Erhahon returned from injury for Lincoln on Good Friday, Tom Bayliss was substituted with an apparent problem just after the hour mark and may miss Monday's match.
If the midfielder is unavailable, he would join Jack Moylan and Bailey Cadamarteri on the sidelines.
James Collins and Tendayi Darikwa have netted eight and five league goals, respectively, and both aim to be pivotal for the in-form hosts.
Having departed injured after 18 minutes against Wycombe, Bolton's Jordi Osei-Tutu could join Victor Adeboyejo, Eoin Toal, Will Forrester, Szabolcs Schon, Aaron Morley and Josh Sheehan on the sidelines.
Aaron Collins, who scored in the 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture, could add to his 12 League One goals this season, while teammate John McAtee hopes to increase his tally of 11 league goals.
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Jackson, Roughan; Hamilton, Erhahon; Hackett-Fairchild, House, Gardner; Collins
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Dacres-Cogley, Forino, Johnston, Murphy; Matete, Thomason; McAtee, Dempsey, Collins; Lolos
We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
Although Lincoln have lost seven of the previous eight meetings with Bolton, the Imps' current form on home soil and Bolton's struggling results present Skubala's men with an opportunity after a five-year wait.
We expect the hosts to finally end their wait for success in this matchup and disrupt the Trotters' playoff ambitions.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
