Graham Alexander’s Bradford City make the trip fellow promotion chasers Lincoln City on Tuesday night, looking to return to winning ways after West Yorkshire derby defeat.
Bradford City suffered back to back defeats for the first time this season, after they were beaten by Huddersfield Town in the West Yorkshire derby on Saturday.
A disappointing day for Bradford City, the Bantams will be looking to bounce back with an away game with 2nd place Lincoln City.
Over the years Lincoln has been a happy hunting ground for Bradford City, winning 3 and drawing 1 of their 5 visits to Sincil Bank since Lincoln moved there in 1985, but it has been over 15 years since Bradford made the trip East, and not many teams have left Lincoln with anything this campaign.
Lincoln City sit 2nd in League One for home form, picking up 33 points from their 14 home games, a record only bettered by league leaders Cardiff City.
City will have to be at their best if they are going to pick up a result from this one, which is looks a whole lot trickier with the players in the Bradford City treatment room.
Antoni Sarcevic and Will Swan both missed the game against Huddersfield, and Graham Alexander has confirmed that the duo will also miss the Lincoln game.
Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus, Alexander said;
“They picked up niggles last week after the game, so we’re going to miss them for a couple of games.
“That’s what it is, there are injuries, suspensions, illness that happen all the time in football squads.
“That’s why we try to build up a squad, that’s why we try to use the squad to it’s maximum.”
Bradford City go into Tuesday nights encounter 4th place in League One, having dropped below Bolton Wanderers on Saturday on goal difference, and now finding themselves 6 points behind 2nd place Lincoln after their 2-1 win against Burton Albion on Thursday night.
Despite the two defeats on the bounce, opportunity still knocks for City, with the Bantams knowing that victory at Lincoln would move them within 3 points of their opponents with 2 games in hand.
Another big game for Bradford City, and Alexander is relishing these opportunities;
“They’re big games, and do you know why they’re big games?
“Because of where we are in the League and what we’ve done.
“I love the position we’re in, I love the expectancy on us that we’ve created.
“We have to maintain that and it’s a challenge in front of us.
“Nothing is easy and we’re looking forward to it.”
A huge game between two promotion rivals looking to take a step towards the Championship.
Potential line-ups
Lincoln City: GK George Wickens, FB Tendayi Darikwa, CH Tom Hamer, CH Sonny Bradley, FB Adam Reach, CM Ivan Varfolomeev, CM Conor McGrandles, WM Reeco Hackett, AM Freddie Draper, WM Jack Moylan, CF Rob Street
Bradford City: GK Sam Walker, CH Matthew Pennington, CH Joe Wright, CH Curtis Tilt, WB Harrison Ashby, CM Max Power, CM Jenson Metcalfe, WB Ibou Touray, AM Louie Sibley, CF Stephen Humphrys, CF Calum Kavanagh