Saturday 5th April 2025 - 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Introduction
Another trip on the road in midweek for the Addicks, another three points... Well on paper, on the face of it, that's what'll primarily be remembered of our trip to Mansfield, instead it was another gritty performance which saw Charlton coming away with a win that they perhaps were lucky to deserve. However it was the type of win that a team gunning for promotion will nearly always be able to dig out, and can often be the difference between finishing in the top six, and having to settle for mid-table.
The Opposition
Name: Lincoln City (12th) - Manager: Michael Skubala
Ground: Sincil Bank
Previous League Result: Lincoln 1-0 Huddersfield
Talking of mid-table, it brings me on to discuss our next opponents, our next visitors to the Valley; Lincoln City.
The Imps travel down to SE7 this weekend pretty much in the unenviable position of 12th, they're ten points behind 6th and 14th points ahead of relegation... With just eighteen points left to play for this campaign it looks highly likely as though Lincoln will be playing League One Football next term, and will possibly be going through the motions for the next six games... Tell that to a side who welcomed Huddersfield to Sincil Bank on Tuesday night and still recorded a 1-0 victory though, the Imps are clearly still playing for pride and will be dangerous visitors to our corner of London tomorrow afternoon.
In terms of Lincoln's form guide, and inconsistent is what you could describe their season as a whole... They've struggled to win back to back games for the majority of the season, and whilst they've achieved that on three occasions, you have to go back to January when they defeated Northampton and then Peterborough - So already there could be an omen for the Addicks, with us much stronger at the Valley you'd like to think that it'll be even harder for Lincoln, especially as they've recorded just two wins, and one draw away from home in 2025.
Nonetheless I'm reminded of 2021, when a high flying Lincoln side visited the Valley looking to end their season on a high (which saw them end up in the Play-Off Final), and lost 3-1 to their hosts... Lets hope there isn't a small measure of revenge for that defeat, especially as they could do us a huge favour come the final day of the season!!
Charlton Team News
The Addicks have breathed a sigh of relief in the last two games, with the return of Josh Edwards to the aside (after his two match absence) and so giving us our combo of balance and attack in the side once more, what with it allowing Thierry Small to return to his unnatural role over on the right of Midfield / Defence - However there were worries and frustrations on Tuesday night, when it was confirmed that Lloyd Jones was absent from the team at 6:45pm.
In the end Tom McIntyre put in a performance that meant we didn't really miss Lloyd Jones too much (after all we've still lost three games this calendar year with the stalwart Centre-Back involved) - Nathan Jones confirmed in his Press Conference this week, that it was touch and go whether Lloyd would be involved this coming Saturday, however with greater battles on the horizon, and with McIntyre putting in a solid display away from the Valley... Well it might be best to leave the squad unchanged once more.
Mannion
Ramsay - McIntyre - Gillesphey
Small - Coventry - Docherty - Edwards
Berry
Campbell - Godden
Substitutes Bench: Bouzanis - Mitchell - Watson - Anderson - Gilbert - Aneke - Dixon
Ramsay - McIntyre - Gillesphey
Small - Coventry - Docherty - Edwards
Berry
Campbell - Godden
Substitutes Bench: Bouzanis - Mitchell - Watson - Anderson - Gilbert - Aneke - Dixon
Comments
COYA!
We've only lost three games in the last 25 (I think) and are in red-hot form.
Whilst I doubt Reverend Jones will take Lincoln lightly I would hope that he'll be focussing more on us and letting the Imps fear the rip-roaring, goal-scoring, match-winning, promotion-chasing Addicks.
The Promotion bandwagon is well-and-truly motoring now, destination: Championship.
Please, please PLEASE don't let Lincoln be a Swindon-shaped pothole.
Addicks 2-1 ... Godden (again) and Small
Jones may not be as eye-catching or dynamic as some of the other players such as TC, Godden, Ramsay or Small but he is the glue that holds the back line together.
Lincoln won't make it easy, they never do. A repeat of the performance against Huddersfield can't be expected, that was obscene.
But some elements of the Mansfield performance were off-key - I guess we'll see a 'reaction' to those.
We must be overdue a setback at home - like Wycombe had on Tuesday (30 shots, no goals), or a penalty decision against us, deflected goal against us, some kind of bad luck where we don't pick up all the points - but hopefully that setback isn't tomorrow.
Bookies odds of 4/5 feel about right.
With confidence running high and our home form being Excellent I'm expecting another 3 points tomorrow.
We have a very good chance of beating our next 3 opponents and that must be the goal.
9 points from Lincoln, Cambridge and Northampton and you just never know what could happen next.
Exciting isn't it.
Comfortable 4-0...✅
- Charlton Athletic have won just one of their last seven league games against Lincoln City (D3 L3), a 2-1 victory at the Valley in January 2023.
- Lincoln City have won just one of their nine away league games against Charlton Athletic (D2 L6), a 2-1 win in April 2022.
- Charlton have won each of their last eight home league games by a combined 17-2 scoreline, their best home winning run since December 1980.
- Lincoln lost their last away Football League game against a side from London 3-2 against Leyton Orient in February and will be looking to avoid suffering consecutive EFL losses in the capital for the first time since August 2009.
https://www.efl.com/news/2025/april/03/sky-bet-league-one--pre-match-stat-pack/“We are going to have to be on it or we’re going to get hurt. We have to start fast and stand up to what they do.
“Nathan knows how he wants to play at this level. They’re very powerful and very good at landing on second balls.
“They bully you with the ball and make you defend a lot.”
Another homie after a tough workout from the Imps
I am off now to listen to my gramophone.
that sick feeling of nerves begins after the last game excitement eases off , need to get 3 up before relaxing !