Lincoln City are likely to face a changed Blackpool side when they travel to Bloomfield Road in the second round of the EFL Cup this evening.
The Imps head to Lancashire looking to respond after successive Championship defeats against Middlesbrough and Portsmouth. Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s side have already enjoyed one impressive away result in this competition, beating Derby County 2-1 at Pride Park in the first round.
Blackpool have made an unbeaten start to the new campaign, winning 3-1 at Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup before collecting four points from their opening two League One matches. Their latest result was a 2-1 victory at Stockport County on Saturday, although the physical demands of that game could influence Ian Evatt’s selection against City.
The former Bolton Wanderers manager has several players who are still working towards full fitness following disrupted pre-season programmes. With Blackpool also facing an early kick-off against Peterborough United on Saturday, Evatt accepts that he will need to use more of his squad against the Imps.
Asked whether other players would be given minutes following the win at Stockport, the Blackpool boss said:
“We’re going to need to because at the moment we’re still at the stage of getting people up to speed.
“There’s still people carrying niggles and knocks, and today against Stockport was an incredibly physically demanding game.
“We’ll see how everyone recovers. Our bread and butter is the league, but we want to be competitive in every game we play, and that will never change for me.”
The prospect of changes does not necessarily make the task any easier for Lincoln. Blackpool possess a squad assembled with the intention of competing towards the top of League One, while those introduced will have an opportunity to force their way into Evatt’s plans. His final comment also makes it clear that the Seasiders are not approaching the competition as an inconvenience.
There could be rotation from the Imps as well. City have another Championship fixture to prepare for this weekend, while several players are pushing for their first starts of the season. Mason Melia and Tanto Olaofe have been used from the bench during the opening weeks, while Andrei Coubis was introduced at half-time against Portsmouth.
Joe Gauci could also come into consideration if Cohen and Shaw decide to change goalkeeper. The Australian international joined on loan from Aston Villa during the summer but has so far watched George Wickens retain his place in the starting XI.
City demonstrated the importance they place on the competition by naming a strong team at Derby. Ben House gave the Imps an early lead before Dom Jefferies added the second, with Lincoln resisting Derby’s attempts to recover and earning a deserved place in the second round.
This evening’s tie offers the Imps an opportunity to rebuild some momentum after a difficult start to life in the Championship. There were encouraging passages against both Middlesbrough and Portsmouth, but the results have left City without a league point from their opening two matches.
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