After only four wins in the last 20 games, City will be desperate to get three points on the board in the league at home to relegation-strugglers Crawley Town.
Crawley Town Form
After being promoted via the League Two playoffs last season, many expected Crawley Town to finish rock bottom. They lost the core of their squad and didn’t really replace them. Six games into the season, they lost manager Scott Lindsey, who guided them into League One.
The Red Devils replaced Lindsey with Rob Elliot, former manager of Gateshead. Elliot’s first win came in a dominant 3-0 win over Lincoln. Before his appointment, Crawley had produced some very good results. A win against Blackpool on the opening day and then a win away in Cambridge had them six from six at the start, but from then on it started to fall off.
After losses to Wigan and Barnsley, they drew with Stockport, before going on a seven-game losing streak. Ending this dour run was a brilliant win over City, and a tally of four points followed against a pair of relegated sides, Huddersfield and Rotherham. A victory at the Valley in early December saw them climb out of the relegation zone for the first time under Elliot.
Christmas wasn’t a fruitful period for the Reds, as they went seven games without a victory in League One. One win against Stevenage and two draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Wigan Athletic saw Elliot’s side close the gap on safety, but any momentum that Crawley built then, has certainly gone now. In their most recent game, The Red Devils were defeated at home to relegation rivals Cambridge United, which has almost put to bed any hopes of survival.
Crawley Town Tactics
Likely to line-up in a 3-5-2 formation, Crawley Town love to keep the ball. The Red Devils have the second highest average possession in the league, only behind Birmingham, which shows they have an endeavour to control the play. Crawley do not create too many chances off the back of that, but when do receive an opportunity on goal, they usually take it. The Red Devils expected goals this season has been 34.1, and they have scored 36, so they are usually pretty clinical when they get the chance. Junior Quitirna is the danger for Skubala’s side tomorrow, being Crawley’s top goal scorer, along with Will Swan and Kamari Doyle.
Crawley’s predicted Starting XI for tomorrow is below:
Wollacott (GK), Feely (D), Conroy (D), Barker (D), Quitirna (M), Fraser (M), Ibrahim (M), Doyle (M), Forster (M), Swan (F), John-Jules (F)
Team News
Jovon Makama will be hoping his display and goal off the bench at Barnsley will earn him a start. Reeco Hackett-Fairchild also netted as a substitute in the 4-3 defeat. Additionally, Ethan Erhahon is facing several weeks on the sidelines. To make matters worse for Lincoln, creative midfielder Jack Moylan is also on the injury list after rolling his ankle during City’s away victory against Northampton.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy is banned following his sending off against Cambridge. Will Swan could take his spot in the starting line-up. Crawley still have a fair few injuries and were only able to name six substitutes last time out.
Credit Graham Burrell
Match Referee
REFEREE: WILL FINNIE
Finnie has officiated 25 games in the EFL and cup competitions this season, during which he has issued 78 yellow cards and 1 red card. Finnie has refereed the Imps five times in his career, with City only getting one win in those outings.
Credit Graham Burrell
Previous Meetings
City have only won one of their five previous Football League meetings with Crawley, a 3-0 away win in March 2019. Crawley have kept a clean sheet in both of their two previous Football League visits to Lincoln City, a 0-0 draw in 2017-18 and a 1-0 win in 2018-19.
Crawley have already beaten the Imps 3-0 at home this season, in a league match in October. City have already got their revenge on the Red Devils, beating them 4-3 in the FA Cup Second Round.
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