PREVIOUS MEETING

League Two – February 20, 2009

PORT VALE 0

LINCOLN CITY 1

(N'Guessan 13)

Vale failed to pull clear of League Two's relegation zone after their ninth home league defeat of the season.

Under-fire boss Dean Glover changed his 4-5-1 formation to a more attacking 4-4-2, but his side produced a lacklustre display.

Lincoln scored the game's only goal in the 13th minute, when Scott Kerr's set-piece was flicked on to the far right-hand post by a Vale player.

The ball rebounded into the path of winger Dany N'Guessan, who converted from close range.

Vale: Anyon, Griffith, Collins, Owen, Edwards, Lawrie, Ahmed, Brown, Dodds (Richman, 85), Glover (Thompson, 85), Perry (McCombe, 66).

Lincoln: Burch, Green, Beevers, Kovacs, Brown, N'Guessan, Kerr, Oakes, John-Lewis (Patulea, 82), Elding (Clarke, 88), Wright (Mullarkey, 83).

Attendance: 5,097.

FORM GUIDE

Lincoln: LWDDLW

Vale: LLWDDL

WHO WE'D LIKE TO BUY

Chris Herd. The 20-year-old made a big impact in Burslem during his two-month loan spell from Aston Villa in the 2007/08 season.

The midfielder may be slender in stature, but he has the strength, pace and guile to hurt teams at this level.

WHO TO BOO

Delroy Facey. The loan striker will be targeting a double over Vale this season after helping Notts County secure a 3-1 Meadow Lane win against Micky Adams's side in September.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Russell Booth (Nottinghamshire). The experienced official has been on the Football League list for five years. This season he has refereed at Championship level and dished out 27 yellow cards and two reds in 17 games.

PROBABLE TEAMS

Lincoln City: Burch, Hughton, Baker, Watts, Lichaj, Gordon, Kerr, Herd, Smith, Facey, J Clarke.

Port Vale: Martin, Yates, McCombe, Collins, Prosser, K Taylor, Griffith, Loft, R Taylor, Richards, Haldane.

PREDICTION

Vale steal the points in Lincolnshire as striker Marc Richards ends his goal drought by netting the winner.