Confidence vs Crisis : A not so obvious outcome?

By Nathan Jackson
October 26 2006

Lincoln City make their toughest trip of the season so far when they travel to current crisis club, managerless Swindon Town. After a 100% record in the league this month, City go into the game full of confidence but the result is not as obvious as some City fans are making it out to be.

Last week was a "once a generation" event, a result that City fans won't see too often but we're certainly not going to shut up about it for a while. You'd be hard push to find an Imps fan that has seen many performances like last Saturday's. It was a day where everything, barring a 15 minute spell in the first half, went City's way and the fact we could have reached double figures and it was yet another day when results didn't go our day. It was also a day that is now in the past and much like we have done for most of this season, we must now look to the future and that future sees City head to Wiltshire to take on "crisis club" Swindon Town.

Yet again, the Imps go into the weekend knowing that if we should win, there's a high chance we could go top as Walsall have a tough home game at home to MK Dons but Swindon are miles better than the last 2 sides we've faced and unlike other teams we've faced on the road this season, such as Shrewsbury and Wycombe, they will more than likely keep up an automatic promotion chase all season.

Although many City fan's are feeling confident, there is no doubt that this is the hardest game of our season so far. Swindon are the first side to play in the division after playing in the Premiership. In 1993/4, Swindon gained one of the smallest points amounts in Premiership history and have slowly made their way down the football league in the subsequent 12 years.

 

The only real debating point will be the defence as Adie Moses is fully recovered from his injury but will our best centre-back be able dislodge a defence that has conceded just once this month. It will depend on how the two John's react to Nicky Eaden return to Forest in midweek, it could mean Lee Beevers goes back into his natural right-back position with Brown and Moses in the middle with Hughes on the left, assuming that Paul Morgan isn't unfit. Other than that, it should be the same side that destroyed Rochdale.

Who I think will start (Right to left)

Marriott

Beevers     Moses     Brown    Hughes

Amoo    Kerr  Frecklington   Mayo

Forrester   Stallard

	Hartlepool United			W 1-0
	Barnet			W 2-1
	Rochdale			W 1-0
	Darlington			W 2-1
	Brentford		League Cup	D 2-2
Brentford win 4-3 on pens
	Stockport County			W 2-0
	Chester City			W 2-0
	Wrexham			L 1-2
	Milton Keynes Dons			W 2-1
	Peterborough United			L 0-1
	Notts. County			D 1-1
	Wycombe Wanderers			D 1-1
	Boston United			D 1-1
	Accrington Stanley			D 1-1
	Grimsby Town			W 3-0
	Wycombe Wanderers		JP Trophy	L 0-1
	Shrewsbury Town			W 2-1

As you can tell, Swindon's form has stuttered recently and despite winning their last 2 League games, most fans have been fearing a slow slip down the table and their form since the Wrexham defeat has been less than flattering. However, looking at the teams before and after their slump, there is a hidden secret as  the teams they beat early on are near enough all struggling against relegation whereas the majority in the slump have been challenging for promotion.

It's surprising Leeds went for Dennis Wise as their manager as to be far, other than the FA Cup run in 2003/4 that saw his Millwall side defeated by Man Utd, he hasn't got a good record as a manager. Ady Williams has taken over at the County Ground despite only joining in the summer. Ever popular Barry Hunter has been appointed as assistant but goalkeeper Brezovan is out with a broken arm, Monkhouse is injured, Evans is unfit and Ifil is suspended.

Swindon are still a very dangerous prospect and arguably go into the game as slight favourites, despite their recent problems.