Huddersfieldvs.Lincoln

The hosts sit fourth after four straight victories, while their visitors have dropped out of the playoff places in the midst of a dip in form.

Match preview

Huddersfield Town return to action on Saturday in search of a fifth straight League One victory, having put an impressive unbeaten streak together in recent months to move into the fight for top-two spots.

Aiming to make an instant return to the Championship this season under the management of Michael Duff, the Terriers sat in a disappointing position on 13 points from nine matches after four straight defeats across late September and early October, but they have since enjoyed a hot streak, winning seven and drawing two of their last nine outings.

Across those games, the Yorkshire outfit have netted 16 goals while only conceding five, and following a 2-2 draw away at Crawley Town, they have put a four-game winning run together in England's third tier, firstly returning to winning ways by beating Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient.

Wigan Athletic then visited the John Smith's Stadium, and Duff's side made it seven straight home wins in all competitions as Oliver Turton netted the only goal, before the Terriers visited Mansfield Town last weekend and again took all three point as Ben Wiles and Josh Koroma fired them to a 2-1 victory.

Now on the back of a midweek EFL Trophy defeat to Bolton Wanderers, with their focus fully back on their promotion bid, Huddersfield Town will aim to extend their fine home record and narrow their five-point gap to the top two.

In their way stand a visiting side in a contrasting run of form, having quickly slipped away from the division's top six in recent weeks.

After only narrowly missing out on the League One playoff places last time around, Lincoln City enjoyed a strong start to the new term, earning 24 points from the first 13 outings to join the leading pack.

The Imps have since failed to add an eighth notch to their wins column in the last six attempts, though, beginning with back-to-back draws before they suffered three defeats on the bounce across late November and early December.

That culminated in a 2-1 loss away at Rotherham United last Tuesday, before Michael Skubala's men hosted Charlton Athletic at the weekend and, at least, ended their losing run in a goalless stalemate.

Now returning to league action having progressed past Morecambe in the EFL Trophy with a 1-0 win on Tuesday thanks to Bailey Cadamarteri's goal, Lincoln City will bid to correct their league form and move back within touching distance of the top six having fallen four points behind.

Huddersfield Town League One form:

W

D

W

W

W

W

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

L

Lincoln City League One form:

D

D

L

L

L

D

Lincoln City form (all competitions):

L

L

W

L

D

W

Team News

Huddersfield Town continue to contend with several injury issues heading into the weekend, as Jonathan Hogg has joined Lee Nicholls, Rhys Healey and Antony Evans in the treatment room.

Lasse Sorensen returned from his own long layoff in midweek, but Duff may stick with Oliver Turton on the right-hand side as the Dane continues his recovery, while Matty Pearson, Michal Helik and Tom Lees should reform the same back three from their win over Mansfield Town.

In what could be an unchanged starting XI from that triumph last weekend, Danny Ward and Callum Marshall will hope to keep their places in attack while Ben Wiles, David Kasumu and Herbie Kane will continue in the midfield.

Lincoln City should remain without Tom Hamer due to an injury, while Tom Bayliss returned off the bench in midweek having been out since mid-October.

He will compete to start in the midfield on Saturday, although Michael Skubala may stick with the trio of Ethan Erhahon, Jack Moylan and Conor McGrandles from their draw with Charlton Athletic last time out.

Sheffield Wednesday loanee Bailey Cadamarteri will continue to lead the line with confidence, having scored his fifth goal of the season to seal their midweek EFL Trophy victory over Morecambe.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Chapman; Pearson, Helik, Lees; Turton, Kasumu, Wiles, Kane, Koroma; Marshall, Ward

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Montsma, O'Connor, Roughan; Ring, McGrandles, Erhahon, Moylan, Hackett-Fairchild; Draper, Cadamarteri

We say: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Lincoln City

Written by

Sam Varley

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