By Nathan Jackson
July 23 2004

The Imps finally play back at Sincil Bank on Saturday as we entertain a very strong Nottingham Forest side who have been on the up since Joe Kinnear took over only a few months ago. The Imps will look to field a strong side but will that be enough?

LINCOLN CITY VS   NOTTINGHAM FOREST

So we're finally here, the first chance fans will have to go to Sincil Bank this season and it will probably be the most difficult test we'll face this season which makes it more ironic seeing as there is nothing at stake.

LAST SEASON

Forest's season only really got going in the second half of the season when Joe Kinnear took over and they only lost a mere handful of the rest of the games. If he hadn't have taken over, they have mostly likely gone down to Division 2.....sorry, League 2.

The started the season well enough with 4 wins from their first 7 games with those victories coming against Sunderland (2-0), Coventry (3-1), Norwich (2-0), Sheffield United (3-1) and Burnley (3-0). However, a run afterwards of only 3 wins in 26 league games with 2 of those coming against eventually relegated Wimbledon/Milton Keynes/Whatever and Bradford. Joe Kinnear eventually took the reigns and Forest finished a respectable 14th.

IMPS TEAM NEWS

The Imps will field the strongest possible side against what is likely to be a strong Forest side. Francis Green and Jamie McCombe are the only two players guaranteed to be out of they are both suffering injuries.

LIKELY CITY LINEUP

MARRIOTT

WEST (RB) FUTCHER (CD), MORGAN (CD) WEAVER (CD), SANDWITH (LB)

BUTCHER (RM) GAIN (LM)

FLETCHER, YEO, RICHARDSON

PREDICTIONS

If you are one of those fans who has red and white tinted glasses on permanently then you've probably predicted a 5-0 win to City or something but I am not one of those people and I can't see us winning this game.

Imps 1 Forest 3