League One side Lincoln City welcome League Two outfit Morecambe to Sincil Bank for an FA Cup first-round tie on Saturday afternoon.
The Imps and the Shrimps face off in the FA Cup for the first time since the former secured a 1-0 first-round victory back in 1976-77.
Match preview
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Following the dismissal of manager Mark Kennedy in mid-October, caretaker boss Tom Shaw has accumulated seven points across four League One matches in charge of Lincoln, although the Imps have failed to win their last two games.
Indeed, a 1-1 draw with Exeter City last weekend was followed by a 2-0 home defeat against Oxford United on Tuesday, with a Ciaron Brown opener and an own goal from Lukas Jensen condemning the Imps to their fifth league loss of the season.
Lincoln have subsequently slipped to ninth in the table, four points behind the playoffs, but they will now take a break from third-tier action and prepare for back-to-back home cup ties against League Two opposition, with Saturday's FA Cup clash versus Morecambe taking place three days before an EFL Trophy contest with Notts County.
Imps supporters will reminisce about their impressive run to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2016-17 as a non-league club, but since becoming an EFL side, they have only progressed beyond the second round once in the last six years.
Lincoln will fancy their chances of advancing from round one on Saturday as they have won eight of their last 10 FA Cup ties at Sincil Bank, although they did lose 1-0 to Hartlepool in their most recent home tie in December 2021 – not since November 1966 have the Imps lost back-to-back FA Cup home games.
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Morecambe's impressive eight-game unbeaten run, including five straight wins, across all competitions came to an end following a narrow 1-0 away defeat against Barrow in League Two on Halloween.
After scoring a total of 19 goals across their eight-match unbeaten streak, the Shrimps failed to register a single shot on target against the Bluebirds as Dom Telford netted the only goal of the game just before the hour mark to help the hosts claim all three points.
Morecambe have slipped to sixth in the League Two standings, but they remain in the playoffs and are only three points behind Notts County in second place with a game in hand.
Derek Adams's side have swiftly turned their attention to the FA Cup and the Shrimps boss has aspirations of enjoying a good run in the FA Cup this season as they endeavour to earn a glamour tie with a Premier League club.
Morecambe enter Saturday's contest with Lincoln having failed to progress from an FA Cup tie against a team from a higher division in each of their previous 10 attempts, including last season's first-round exit at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday.
However, the Shrimps got the better of Lincoln in their most recent meeting when both sides were competing in League One last season – securing a 3-2 home victory in April courtesy of goals from Cole Stockton (2) and Oumar Niasse.
Team News
Lincoln will be without Ben House, Tyler Walker, Lewis Montsma and Reeco Hackett as they all continue to recover from injury.
Jack Vale was handed his first start of the season in midweek and the Blackburn Rovers loanee could retain his place up front, although Hakeeb Adelakun – who has four goals to his name this term – will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI after beginning on the substitutes' bench against Oxford.
Ever-present midfield duo Ethan Erhahon and Ethan Hamilton are set to link arms again in the middle of the pitch, while Alex Mitchell, Adam Jackson and Paudie O'Connor could all keep their places in the back three.
As for Morecambe, goalkeeper Stuart Moore has been ruled out for between 14 and 16 weeks after undergoing successful surgery on an injury in midweek, while Jake Taylor is also facing a lengthy period in the treatment room.
Chris Stokes will be assessed ahead of kickoff after missing the midweek defeat to Barrow, while Donald Love and Eli King will both be pushing to start after recovering from injury to make substitute outings last time out.
Michael Mellon has been in fine form so far this season, scoring 10 goals in 16 appearances, and the 19-year-old is expected to lead the line on Saturday.
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Jensen; A. Mitchell, Jackson, O'Connor; Burroughs, Hamilton, Erhahon, Roughan; Sorensen, Adelakun, Mandroiu
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Smith; Love, Rawson, Bedeau, Senior; Songo'o, King; Bloxham, McKiernan, Slew; Mellon
We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Morecambe
A total of 10 goals were scored across three meetings between Lincoln and Morecambe last season, with both teams netting on each occasion, and there could be plenty of goalmouth action once again this weekend.
Despite their midweek defeat, the Shrimps remain in high spirts heading to Sincil Bank and will fancy their chances of coming out on top against the Imps, but we believe that the hosts will do enough to avoid a cup upset and progress to the second round.
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