Match Preview: Lincoln City v Stevenage (Saturday, 3pm)

Two of League One’s meanest defences go head-to-head at the LNER Stadium on Saturday, when Lincoln City host Stevenage.

Only one side – Portsmouth – has conceded fewer goals than Lincoln to date: the home side have let in just 32 goals in 35 games.

The Boro have conceded 34 goals in as many games, giving them the fourth tightest back line so far this season.

Key to the Imps’ home form has been Lukas Jensen, who has allowed 0.83 goals past him per 90 minutes, compared to 0.72 for Taye Ashby-Hammond in the opposite net.

In Jamie Reid, Stevenage have the league’s most on-form striker so far this season. He has notched 17 goals in 32 appearances.

His goal rate of one every 153 minutes is quicker than that of Recco Hackett-Fairchild, Lincoln’s top scorer with a goal every 247 minutes, and a total of six goals in 20 games.

City are in fantastic form in League One, with five wins and a draw from their last six games.

With two wins and a draw over that period, the Boro’s form is much worse – they have taken seven points from 18, compared to the Imps’ 16.

The visitors are sixth in the table after 34 games, of which they have won 17 and drawn eight, earning 59 points.

The home team are five places behind Stevenage in 11th, with 13 wins and 12 draws putting them on 51 points.

Lincoln’s last match was on Tuesday, a 3-0 win against Shrewsbury Town, with Hackett-Fairchild, Lasse Sørensen and Teddy Bishop getting the goals for the Imps.

Stevenage beat Cambridge United 1-0 last time out, also on Tuesday, with Jordan Roberts on the scoresheet.

Saturday’s match will be refereed by Robert Madley, who has taken charge of five League One games so far this season, issuing no red cards and booking 24 players. He has awarded one penalty.

The last Lincoln game Madley refereed was a 1-1 home draw with Reading on December 16. He is yet to oversee a match featuring Stevenage this season.

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Lincoln City v Stevenage
League One | LNER Stadium
Saturday, 2 March 2024 @ 3.00pm

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