Lincoln United (H) – Match Preview

Only 1 defeat this month and that was to one of the other strongest sides in the league, we have had a decent month, and hopefully we can now end it on a win

Our last game of the month is at the Hollou, and it sees us hosting Lincoln United.

Our opponents, like us, were promoted last season after finishing top of their league, the United Counties League Premier Division North.

Rolls off the tongue, that does.

The club’s current chairman, Stuart Reddington, has had a solid career, being scouted and signed by Chelsea back in 1999, with his first professional appearance being for Kalmar FF in Sweden, before playing for Mansfield Town, Burton Albion, and also Lincoln United themselves.

As for our opponents, they have had a turbulent start to the season, currently occupying the relegation zone, albeit on the brink of safety, with the club level on points but three goals behind Ashington who are in 18th.

Their recent run of form has seen them go the entire month without a win, with two 0–0 draws against Ossett and Silsden, a 1-0 loss to Bridlington, a 4-1 defeat to Brighouse and most poignantly, a 5-0 thumping at the hands of Bishop Auckland, a match which saw Rio May’s former side escape the dreaded drop zone.

After our game, they kick off November by hosting our last opponents in Consett AFC, before travelling to Newton Aycliffe on the 8th.

The only teams in worse form than The Whites are both Blyth sides (Town and Spartans), and Newton Aycliffe, whereas recent form has us where we actually are, at the very top of the table.

Lincoln’s best performances are all somewhat recent*, with their best FA Vase performance coming in the 2023-24 campaign and their best FA Cup performance happening in 1997-98.

*1997 is not massively recent, I know, but the club was founded in 1938 so… I mean, closer to now than then.

As for us, our month bar that one match (Thanks Matlock), has been perfect, picking up 6 wins from 7, scoring 24 and conceding just 7, with Oscar Fletcher bagging 6 goals in the process.

Being the first side in the country to score 50 goals is also a fun accolade to have, with certain matches aiding massively to that tally (I won’t mention you Silsden, don’t worry).

I am now going to produce the world-famous commentator’s curse:

Another fun accolade we hold, is that we are still yet to draw a match in the league! 10 draws and 3 defeats, and despite some close calls, we are still yet to leave any ground this season with a single point.

After our match against Lincoln, we travel to Ossett United as we kick off November, a game that I will not be able to attend as I will be in Germany.

Speaking of Germany, we will also be hosting an RAFC Oktoberfest tomorrow afternoon! Das ist wunderbar!

New drinks on tap courtesy of Talking Tides Brew Co., live music from two artists, Sound Collectives, and Lewis Williams, and some German food being prepared by local on-site vendors!

Also, hopefully, a great football match to go with it, courtesy of us and our opponents.

So, with everything on offer, I really hope to see you at the ground tomorrow, but if you can’t make it, then there will be live match updates on our X (Twitter) page.

Take care, and up the Steelmen!