Lincolnshire Or Donkey Derby?

These past two seasons Lincolnshire`s two rival sons, Lincoln City and Grimsby Town have languished. Both sit perilously close to a trapdoor for the second successive season with many suggesting this could well be the season of doom for one of us. So at 3p.m. today at Sincil Bank two recession plagued proud conurbations clash for bragging rights and perhaps Football League safety itself. This, more than the respective hair raising disciplinary records of the respective sides, suggests a battle at the Bank today. Thus this one needs neither spice nor spin as both sides go for the win.


League Positions

Imps 20th
Mariners 23rd


The Line-ups

The Imps.

Such is the woe at Sincil bank that Sutton is set to name 6 subs. Sergio Torres is out replaced with Khano, Heath thankfully comes in for Brown and Hughton also returns from his Irish heroics. Howe is nursing a knock leaving Jamie Clarke to partner fingers, unless the beast passes a fitness test on Saturday morning. King Kovacs is still in next to Baker with Watts again sitting this one out. Flash Gordon has had to be kept in a straight jacket all week ahead of the prospect of a Football League Derby and Scott Kerr may make a surprise return ahead of Shane Clarke.

Formation 442
(G) Robert Burch
(D) Heath Baker Kovacs Moses/Hughton
(M) Khano Gordon Pulis S Clarke/Kerr
(ST) J Clarke, Fagan
Subs
Rumour is we can only name 6.
20 Paul Musselwhite (G), Daniel Hone (D) Moses/Hughton (D) S Clarke/Kerr (M), Stefan Oakes (M) Hutchinson (ST).


Form
Overall Record 20th
P 16 W 5 D 2 L 9 F 11 A 21 GD -10 PTS 17
Home Record Pos 15
P 6 W 3 D 2 L 3 F 6 A 8 GD -2 PTS 6
Biggest Home Win 3-0 Darlington
Biggest Home defeat Notts County 0-3


The Mariners
The Managerless Mariners have completed a double swoop ahead of the Derby, bringing in Nicky Featherstone and Michael Coulson on loan deals. Hull midfielder Featherstone will be with the Mariners until January 4 while Barnsley striker Coulson joins on a one-month loan deal. Both are set to start as caretaker Neil Woods attempts to improve on one goal in three matches. He will be without defenders Robbie Stockdale (thigh) and Rob Atkinson, a regular in the heart of their back four, after he was sent off at Northampton. Strikers Nathan Jarman (foot) and Adam Proudlock (ankle) are also out.
Formation 5-3-2 or 4-4-2 .
(G) Colgan
(D) Clarke Widdowson Lancashire?
(M) From Featherstone Sweeney, Leary, Bore, McCrory, Shahin
(ST) From Coulson Conlon North
Subs
Overton (G) Linwood (D) Boshell (M) Wood (M) Conlon/Forbes (ST)
Akpro (ST) North (ST)


Form
Overall Record 23rd
P 16 W 3 D 3 L 10 F 16 A 22 GD -16 PTS 12
Away record Pos 16
P 8 W 2 D 1 L 5 F 7 A 15 GD -8 PTS 7
Biggest Away Win Torquay United 2-0
Heaviest Away Defeat Port Vale 0-4


Heroes & Villains

Imps Hotshots

Rene Howe 4
Chris Fagan 3
Jamie Clarke 2
Sergio Torres 2
Janos Kovacs 1
Aaron Brown

Imps Assists

2 Cian Hughton, Lenell John-Lewis
1 Stefan Oakes, Michael Gordon

Imps Card Collectors
Reds 3
1 Aaron Brown
1 Ian Pearce
1 Eric Lichaj

Yellows 35
6 Janos Kovacs
4 Scott Kerr,
3 Moses Swaibu, Shane Clarke, Rene Howe,
2 Anthony Pulis, Stefan Oakes, Andrew Hutchinson, Cian Hughton.
1 Jamie Clarke Nathan Baker, Aaron Brown, , Dany Hone, Richard Butcher, Chris Fagan, Joe Heath, Sergio Torres.



Grimsby Town

Mariners Hotshots
Barry Conlon 4
Peter Sweeney 3
Adam Proudlock 1
Adrian Forbes 1
Paul Linwood 1
Robert Atkinson 1

Assists
2 Danny North Bradley Wood
1 Peter Sweeney, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, Adam Proudlock Danny Boshell


The Mariners Card Collectors
Red Cards
Barry Conlon 2
Adam Proudlock 1
Danny Boshell 1
Robert Atkinson 1
Oliver Lancashire 1

Yellows - 29
4 Peter Sweeney
3 Ryan Bennett, Joe Widdowson, Bradley Wood
2 Barry Conlon Adam Proudlock Danny North Peter Bore Robbie Stockdale
1 Paul Linwood Michael Leary Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, Danny Boshell, Nick Hegarty
Damien McCrory

Financial Stats

Imps
Highest Gate 5527 Notts County
Lowest Gate 3005 Darlington
Average Attendance 3731
Total Turnstile Clicks 29,852

Grimsby

Highest Gate 5007 Crewe Alexandra
Lowest Gate 3173 Hereford United
Average Attendance 4023
Total Turnstile Clicks 32188



Historic Head-to-Head V Grimsby

Results Span 1923-2006

Total P 49 W 13 D 23 L 12 F 64 A 53
Home P 24 W 11 D 11 L 2 F 47 A 27
Away P 24 W 2 D 12 L 10 F 17 A 26

Highs & Lows

Biggest gate 05/03/1949 L 2-3 23,146 Div 2
Lowest League gate 22/09/2007 1-2 4,428 League 2
Biggest win 25/03/2006 W 5-0 7,182 League 2
Biggest loss 08/04/1899 L 1-6 Div 2


Imps Hotshots V Mariners

6 Glyn Lewis Joe Clare
5 Percy Freeman
4 Bernard Towler, Freddy Simpson, Sandy McCubbin, Fred Bett


Record Appearance Holders V Mariners

30 Billy Bean
29 Jack Hardy
23 Joe Clare
20 Bert Johnston, Clem Jackson