Exeter City are the opponents this week, with the Imps looking for the first home victory against the Grecians since 2018.
It’s been more than six years since Ollie Palmer’s late goal gave us a 3-2 victory against Paul Tisdale’s side, and we’ve since drawn three games on the spin against them at the Bank. One of those, in the title-winning season, could very well have been a defeat were it not for John Akinde’s stoppage-time winner. However, it was a draw, and that means Exeter’s run of visits to Sincil Bank without a win extends to 2009 when a late Rob Burch own goal gave them all three points. It’s always a late goal!
Even though we played them last season, it seems like an age ago. Tashan Oakley-Boothe started for City that day, and Tom Hopper got us a goal after we gifted one to Sam Nombe. We gifted them a goal at their place last season as well, so this game might well have a late, gifted goal, one way or another.
What it will not have is an Adam Jackson, which is where we start our roundup of who is in and who is out. Jacko, who suffered a broken nose courtesy of Jayden Stockley last Saturday, is still out.
“He’s had a broken nose, so that’s going to be a tough one,” admitted head coach Michael Skubala. “We don’t really know yet how long that could be. Worst case, it could be six, or seven weeks. Best case it could be two weeks with a mask.
“But we just don’t know the situation; we’ve just got to let Jacko, breathe properly first- literally breathe properly first, before we can think about heading balls again.”
Another player set to miss out is Freddie Draper. He had a quiet game against Charlton in midweek, but a challenge before half time has resulted in him being touch and go for the weekend, but Skubala thinks it’s more likely we’ll see Ben House start the game.
“Freddie came into the (Charlton) game and did really well. But then, unfortunately, just before half time, he got a scissor tackle through his ankle again.”
“I think Freddie’s going to be struggling for a bit of time … I think Freddie might be out for the weekend.”
There is some good news – Ethan Hamilton is back in training. The former Manchester United man missed last weekend’s game at short notice and was sent to see a specialist, which triggered supporters’ fears. Ben House and Tyler Walker saw specialists in September, and we have barely seen them since. However, one of the Ethans in the middle has come through whatever the injury was, and whilst he’s back on the grass, he could be restricted to the bench.
“Ethan is actually back into training today,” Skubala added. “So that’s good news; whether or not he’ll be ready for Saturday, we’ll see, but he’s back into training, so he’s not too far away at all.”
Of course, Conor McGrandles, who missed the trip to Charlton by virtue of being a Charlton player, will return. He’s likely to line up alongside Ethan Erhahon in midfield for his second start in an Imps shirt since his capture on deadline day.
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