Lincoln are currently 20th in the Third Division table five points behind Blues but with a game in hand. Lincoln's last outing was on Tuesday night when they went down 1-0 at home to Cheltenham Town. Managed by former Grimsby Town boss Alan Buckley The Imps gained a 1-1 draw when they visited Roots Hall in September with Lee Thorpe giving the visitors the lead and Tes Bramble equalising three minutes later. With Blues having failed to win on the road since Stephen Broad's goal gave Blues victory at Rochdale just over three month's ago boss Rob Newman will be hoping for a morale boosting victory at Sincil Bank.
Southend United make their seventeenth trip to Sincil Bank on Saturday as Blues go in search of their fifth victory over Lincoln City in their own backyard. Blues first trip to Lincoln for a league game came in November 1961 that resulted in a 2-0 win for the home side. Lincoln found themselves relegated to Division Four that season and Blues would not travel to Sincil Bank again until the 1966/67 season, when Blues would join The Imps in the basement division. Blues earned a 2-2 draw that season in a match that kicked off at the unusual time of 6.15 on a Saturday evening. Both Blues goals came from Ray Smith. The following season, which kicked off at the more normal time of 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, saw a 4-2 home win for Lincoln. Season 1968/69 saw Blues travel to Lincoln on a Wednesday night and Blues would come home still searching for their first victory at Sincil Bank as the home side ran out 2-1 winners. That elusive victory at Sincil Bank still eluded Blues in season 1969/70, although an entertaining match saw the game drawn 3-3. However, Blues didn't have to wait long for that elusive victory as it came the following season - 1970/71 - when goals from Bill Garner and Billy Best gave Blues a 2-1 victory. Season 1971/72 saw both sides challenging for promotion and Blues hopes were helped with a 0-0 draw at Sincil Bank. Blues went on to achieve promotion that season although Lincoln just missed out by one point. Blues next trip to Sincil Bank came in the 1978/79 season where Blues gained a 1-1 draw with Blues goal coming from a Colin Morris penalty. Season 1980/81, back in the Fourth, saw the two sides battle neck and neck all season for the Fourth Division Championship. Blues travelled to Lincoln in November that season with Blues sitting on top of Division Three, three points ahead of Lincoln, although after the game Lincoln had reduced that deficit to one point (two points for a win in those days) with a 2-1 victory. When Blues travelled to Lincoln in the 1981/82 season it was in Division Three and thanks to a Steve Yates goal Blues earned a 1-1 draw. The following season, a Wednesday night in February, saw Blues take maximum points with a 1-0 win thanks to Steve Phillips goal six minutes from time. Easter Monday 1984 saw another Blues victory, this time 2-1. Goals from Steve Phillips for Blues and John Thomas for Imps saw the scores level at half-time and Billy Kellock would win it for Blues with a second-half strike. Once again the two clubs went their separate ways that season and would next meet up in Division Four in season 1986/87 where Blues would win their third consecutive match at Sincil Bank where goals from Richard Cadette, Derek Hall and Glenn Pennyfather with Tony Simmons scoring a consolation for Lincoln five minutes from time to give Blues a 3-1 win. Blues were promoted that season but found themselves back in Division Four in season 1989/90 and when Blues visited Sincil Bank on a Wednesday night in March that season Lincoln were second in the Fourth Division table with Blues two points behind in third. Although at the end of the evening Lincoln had consolidated second place winning 2-0 although it would be Blues who would go on to gain promotion with Lincoln, once again, just missing out. After that game it would be another ten seasons before Blues would travel to Lincoln again and this time in season 1999/2000, Blues last away game of the season that would result in a 1-0 loss. Last season Blues visited in September and despite outplaying their opponents would lose 3-0. 
