Will Lincoln book their ticket for the next round?
With the UEFA Nations League not kicking off until Wednesday/Thursday at the start of the week, the ball is logically at rest in Europe’s top leagues, so we turn our attention to an English cup competition that was created for teams from League One onwards, i.e. the third-highest division in the motherland of football. A total of 64 teams take part in the EFL Trophy, also known as the Papa John’s Trophy for sponsorship reasons.
The first group stage is still underway, which would be divided into Northern and Southern sections based on geography. Group E of the Northern Section features a clash between Lincoln and Doncaster, among others. The odds favour the former, which is unsurprising given that the home side play at a higher level than their opponents.
Because this is already the second of only three group matches for the clubs and the first encounter was won by both, the winner of this match can definitely already plan for the first knockout round.
The loser, on the other hand, will have to continue to tremble, but will still get a chance to occupy one of the first two places in Group E in mid-October. The Lincoln vs. Doncaster prediction is also influenced by the fact that, despite the difference in class, this is already the second meeting of these clubs in the still young season. More on that later!
Lincoln – Statistics & current form
It’s been less than four years since Lincoln City won the EFL Trophy for the first time ever. In the 2017/18 season, the ‘Imps’ beat Shrewsbury Town in the final at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of over 40,000. The team from then, however, has nothing at all to do with the team that will be on the pitch on Tuesday night. No one is left.
Instead, the club, which has plodded through the lower echelons of the English professional league system in recent years and was even active in the fifth division from 2011 to 2017, but has since made the leap back into League One, the third division, is relying on many young players. The oldest professional in the squad is Joe Walsh at 30, but he has not played a major role so far this season and was only given a start in the EFL Trophy.
Lincoln love the cup competitions this year
The youthfulness of coach Mark Kennedy’s squad has been evident on a few occasions so far this campaign. Both positively and negatively. On the one hand, inexperience is certainly one reason why the ninth-placed team conceded both League One defeats away from home.
On the other hand, there are only two teams in the league where the matches involving them were higher-scoring than those involving the Imps. In total, 28 goals were scored in nine games (14 goals, 14 conceded), which corresponds to an average of over three goals per game. So anyone looking to force an over-goals bet between Lincoln and Doncaster could be onto a bull’s-eye.
Even though the young core of the team regenerates faster than the older players at other clubs, Coach Kennedy will again make a slightly larger rotation. This is also in view of the fact that the next league game takes place this weekend and the Red and Whites have already played two additional games in the EFL Cup. There, they surprisingly made it to the third round, where they will play Bristol City at the beginning of November. Cup games seem to suit the Imps very well this season, because the third division club also had the upper hand in the first group game of the EFL Trophy in Barnsley with a commanding 3-0 victory.
Predicted Lincoln line-up :
Wright – Robson, O’Connor, Walsh, Benn – Sörensen, House, Oakley-Boothe – Bishop, Diamond, Vernam
Last Games of Lincoln :
League One
17/09/2022 – Bristol Rovers 3 – 6 Lincoln City
14/09/2022 – Lincoln City 2 – 0 Derby
03/09/2022 – Cambridge U 2 – 0 Lincoln City
EFL Trophy Northern Grp. E
31/08/2022 – Barnsley 0 – 3 Lincoln City
League One
27/08/2022 – Lincoln City 2 – 2 Fleetwood
Doncaster – Statistics & current form
Doncaster Rovers should be a real household name to some football fans. Between 2008 and 2012 as well as in 2013/14, Donny Rovers already sniffed second division air once. Recently, however, the trend went in the opposite direction. Last season, however, the club was relegated to League Two after finishing 22nd in League One. After the first ten match days, the club is no more than mediocre there either.
In addition to four wins, there were two draws and three defeats. It’s just a shame that the most recent three matches were all lost, leaving Big Rovers without any momentum going into this cup match. They lost to Mansfield Town, Barrow and Swindon Town and scored only one goal in 270 minutes of play. With that in mind, the odds on a home win between Lincoln and Doncaster should be more prominent.
Donny Rovers are on a downward slide through League 4
Two additional aspects speak in favour of this. On the one hand, Gary McSheffrey’s side are not under any pressure to move. Even in the event of defeat, they would hold all the aces at home to Barnsley on the final matchday. On the other hand, Rovers have already lost to Lincoln once this season. They even lost 3-0 at home to the Imps in the first round of the League Cup.
Combined with the never-to-be-underestimated fact that they have to play away during the week and the really weak performances in the league lately, it would be quite a surprise if the fourth division team were to take something tangible away from the third division side. By the way: If the score is tied after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will be called for the decision, despite the group stage character. On the first matchday, Donny Rovers got the better of Newcastle U23s 4-2 on penalties.
Predicted Doncaster line-up:
Jones – Maxwell, Faulkner, Long, Seaman – Degruchy, Ravenhill – Kuleya, Asgard, Taylor – Goodman
Last games played by Doncaster:
League Two
17/09/2022 – Doncaster 0 – 1 Swindon
14/09/2022 – Barrow 2 – 0 Doncaster
03/09/2022 – Doncaster 1 – 3 Mansfield
EFL Trophy Northern Grp. E
31/08/2022 – Doncaster (4)0 – 0(2) Newcastle United Academy
League Two
27/08/2022 – Northampton 0 – 1 Doncaster
Lincoln – Doncaster Direct comparison / H2H record
As already mentioned, this clash took place at the beginning of August. Lincoln won 3-0 at Doncaster in the League Cup, with the Imps leading 1-0 at half-time. Doncaster won at Lincoln and drew goalless at home. In the end, it was still not enough to keep them in the league.
Lincoln – Doncaster Tip
The EFL Trophy offers underclass clubs the chance to win silverware. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea or generally all Premier League clubs as well as the second division clubs are not allowed to participate in this trophy and thus leave the stage to the teams from League One onwards.
An exciting constellation arises on Tuesday evening at the Sincil Bank Stadium, where Lincoln and Doncaster face each other. Just 60 kilometres lie between these two cities. The encounter therefore has a certain derby character. Especially because the teams are facing each other for the second time this season. The first duel in the EFL Cup was won 3-0 by the Imps from Lincoln.
Once again, we see the higher-ranked representatives in the role of favourites. We therefore play the home win tip between Lincoln and Doncaster.
Alternative bets target the double result HT1/FT1 or the handicap tip -1. It is clear that this is the last home match for the home side in this group stage, while the visitors would still have a chance to book their ticket to the knockout round on matchday three even in the event of defeat.
