Stevenage vs Lincoln Prediction: Can Skubala inspire Imps upset on debut?

Fifth-placed Stevenage host Lincoln City at the Lamex Stadium in one of only two League One games on Saturday (15:00).

The third-tier fixture list has been decimated by international call-ups, meaning Boro have the opportunity to, unopposed, leapfrog Peterborough United into fourth, while ninth-placed Lincoln will move to within three points of Stevenage if they win this weekend.

Saturday's game also marks Michael Skubala's first as head coach of the Imps, with the 41-year-old plucked from his job as Leeds United Under-21 boss to replace Mark Kennedy, who left the club last month.

Team News

Forward Aaron Pressley made a goalscoring return from injury on Tuesday, netting a second-half double in Stevenage's 5-2 EFL Trophy victory over Crystal Palace U-21s.

Steve Evans made six changes in midweek, so a return to League One action should see recalls for the likes of Jamie Reid, Kane Hemmings and Jordan Roberts.

Lincoln's first XI under Skubala will make for interesting reading, particularly after picking up four points from their last two under interim boss Tom Shaw.

However, one man definitely out of the side is defender Paudie O'Connor, who was handed a straight red card in their last game, a 1-1 draw with Port Vale on November 11th.

Match Odds

Stevenage are 4/5 to get the three points on Saturday, while a Lincoln City win can be backed at 18/5, and the draw at 5/2.

Both teams to score is priced at 10/11, with the reverse shout of BTTS - NO, available at 4/5.

Match Result - Draw @ 5/2

With five draws apiece in League One, Stevenage and Lincoln are no stranger to a stalemate this season, and only Portsmouth and Blackpool (both six) have played out more.

80% of Boro's draws have come at home, the highest percentage in the division, while 60% of Lincoln's have been on the road.

The form of both sides is also eerily similar coming into this one, with each having taken eight points from their last five games and conceding five times in that run, with the Imps scoring just once more (six).

At home and six points ahead of their visitors, Stevenage are understandably favourites for this one, but with their difficulties breaking opposition down at home, there is value in the draw here.

Under 2.5 goals @ 8/11

Despite their position in the table, Boro have been far from prolific in League One, scoring 23 goals in 17 games. Only two teams in the top-half have scored fewer - Bristol Rovers and Wycombe Wanderers on 22, and Lincoln on 20.

Goals have been even harder to come by at the Lamex Stadium, which has seen the under 2.5 goals bet come in five times in eight league games. It's the exact same statistic for Lincoln in away games, with just three of their eight featuring more than 2.5.

I see it being another tight affair for the sides on Saturday.

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