The final game of a record-breaking 2025/26 campaign for the Imps brings a trip to Staffordshire to face already-relegated Port Vale, writes Kyle Fox.
From an outsider’s point of view, it’s fair to say Port Vale’s return to League Two has felt inevitable for some time, with the Valiants having sat bottom of the division for much of the season until recently. Unfortunately for Vale fans, this outcome was confirmed last Wednesday following a narrow defeat away at Cardiff.
After a 5–0 defeat away at Huddersfield on Boxing Day 2025, Port Vale made the decision to part ways with then-manager Darren Moore. Moore had guided Vale to promotion from League Two last season, finishing second, but was unable to replicate that success in League One this campaign. He departed with a record of four wins, six draws and 13 defeats, equating to a win percentage of just 17% and an average of 0.8 points per game.
Jon Brady was appointed as his successor, taking over on 6 January, and since his arrival Vale have recorded a slightly improved return of six wins, six draws and ten defeats. This gives him a win percentage of 27% and an average of 1.1 points per game. Brady also guided his side through the third, fourth and fifth rounds of the FA Cup, defeating Fleetwood, Bristol City and Sunderland. That cup run, which ended in a 7–0 defeat away at Chelsea in the quarter-finals, will have created unforgettable memories for their fans despite their struggles in the league.
This fixture actually pits the highest scorers against the lowest scorers, with Lincoln currently sat on 87 goals scored with Port Vale on just 36. Port Vale also rank bottom for home results overall with just four wins plus nine draws and nine losses while Lincoln are top for away results, with 12 victories, six draws and four defeats.
Port Vale Form
Brady began his tenure with back-to-back victories in his first two matches in charge, overcoming Fleetwood in the aforementioned FA Cup tie before following it up with an EFL Trophy round-of-16 triumph away at Bolton. However, that early momentum was short-lived, as Vale then managed just one win in their next eight matches in all competitions, a run spanning from mid-January to late February. Their only victory in that period came away at Leyton Orient. The spell also included their exit from the EFL Trophy following a heavy home defeat to Stockport, as well as damaging losses against fellow relegation candidates Exeter and Wimbledon.
Following that difficult run, Vale enjoyed a five-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, which culminated in consecutive FA Cup victories at home to Bristol City and Sunderland, both achieved within six days at the start of March. However, another downturn in form followed. From mid-March to early April, the Valiants won just once in all competitions after their victory over Sunderland. Five of those matches ended in defeat, including damaging away losses at Blackpool and Doncaster, as well as a heavy defeat at Wycombe. The fifth loss in that sequence came in the 7–0 defeat away at Chelsea, which brought their FA Cup journey to an end. The only positives in that run were a goalless draw at home to Huddersfield and a 1–0 victory against Bolton.
Since their FA Cup exit, Vale’s form has improved considerably, with just two defeats recorded up to this point—both coming away from home against Cardiff and Plymouth at the end of April. This recent run has also featured three wins, away at Peterborough and Stockport, as well as a home victory over Rotherham, alongside draws at home to Barnsley and Wigan.
Credit Graham Burrell
This recent upturn in form has seen the home side keep a clean sheet in each of their last five home matches, helping them move below the league average for goals conceded at home. They also rank joint seventh for clean sheets with 13, equating to a rate of 29%, which is above the league average.
Their most prominent issue, however, has been scoring goals. Vale have only scored in 49% of their matches, rank 24th for goals per game (0.8), and sit 22nd for shots on target per match (3.2). They have failed to score in 12 of their 22 home games, have the lowest number of goals scored at home in the division, and have drawn blanks in each of their last two home fixtures. In total, they have found the net just twice across their previous five home matches. Interestingly, 28% of the home side’s goals have come within the opening 15 minutes of matches. They also rank bottom of the second-half table when measured by points gained from second-half goals.
Loanee goalkeeper Joe Gauci has played a significant role in his side’s relatively strong defensive record, registering 11 clean sheets in just 33 appearances. Centre-back Connor Hall has also been a key performer for Brady’s side this season.In attack, Devante Cole remains Port Vale’s top league scorer with six goals, despite not featuring since the end of January when he left the club to join Luton Town. Ryan Croasdale is the current leading scorer in the squad with four, while Ben Waine sits just behind on three league goals. Jordan Shipley leads the way for assists with four.
Team News
In his pre-match press conference ahead of this game, Michael Skubala admitted there were still a few things to work out in terms of team selection. He was clear that any players with injury concerns, even if minor, will not play as the club now looks ahead to pre-season to prepare for a monumental 2026/2027 campaign. However, there were no mentions of any new injury worries for the Imps.
The hosts welcomed midfielder George Byers back into the matchday squad and he was substituted on as he featured for the first time since mid-January on Tuesday night away at Stockport. Alongside him, defender Ben Heneghan returned and came off the bench to play for the first time since late February. Defender Jaheim Headley, midfielder Jordan Shipley and forward Dajaune Brown were all absent from the squad on Tuesday against Stockport, whereas both defender Kyle John and forward Andre Gray have not featured since 7th April. Another defender in Elijah Campbell has been sidelined since 22nd April, midfielder Funso Ojo has also not played since the Chelsea game in early April with Jayden Stockley out since mid-April.
Predicted Port Vale XI
Gauci, Humphreys, Gabriel, Heneghan, Ward, Garrity, Byers, Gordon, Waine, Sherif, Archer.
Credit Graham Burrell
Previous Meetings
Lincoln have had the better of recent meetings between these two sides in both League One and League Two. There have been ten meetings since the Imps were promoted back to League Two in 2017. The Imps won the first game at Sincil Bank that season in a 3-1 victory, with Vale winning the reverse fixture that season 1-0 at Vale Park.
After that, the Imps won convincingly in consecutive matches away at Vale Park at the start of the 2018/19 season. First, a 4-0 victory in August to knock the hosts out of the EFL Cup in the first round, followed by a 6-2 win in October in League Two action.
More recently, Lincoln are unbeaten against the Valiants in the previous four matches against Port Vale. The latest win came in November of last year, a win which kick-started this current remarkable 28-game unbeaten run. The last win for Vale came in October 2022 in a 1-0 home victory.
Prediction
Port Vale 1-2 Lincoln
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