Automatic promotion chasing Wigan Athletic travel to Lincoln City

Top of the table Wigan Athletic travel to Lincoln City this weekend with eyes on remaining top of the League One table with the title run-in coming down to the last month of the season campaign.

The Latics will be on the road five times between now and the end of the season, starting with Lincoln, followed by tricky trips to Burton Albion, Ipswich Town, Portsmouth and Shrewsbury Town. Their two remaining home games at the DW Stadium are against Cambridge and automatic hopefuls Plymouth Argyle.

Wigan moved back to the top of League One on Tuesday evening, for the first time since January, as they comfortably beat Accrington Stanley 3-0. Joe Bennett opened the scoring with a superb free-kick before Josh Magennis headed home his third goal since joining from Hull City in January, just before the break. Will Keane’s tapped home his 20th of the season on 57 minutes to wrap up a convincing evening.

Unbeaten in eight games since a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Sunderland at the back end of February, Wigan have won five out of six games and have only conceded three goals. Having dislodged Rotherham from the top spot in midweek, The Latics are three points clear of The Millers and have two games in hand over second-placed MK Dons and fourth-placed Plymouth (six points adrift).

Goalkeeper Ben Amos, speaking to Wigan TV, is looking forward to the trip to Lincolnshire and is hoping his side can build on their convincing win over Accrington Stanley and maintain their position at the top of the table.

“We’re just looking for that momentum now, and we’ve said as a group that the next game is always the most important. We saw at home that they (Lincoln) have some good players, and we’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a tough game. Hopefully, we can get on the right side of the result.

“The manager has spoken about doing the same things and keeping the same habits that we have all season. Nothing changes for us, and we’ll go into every game looking to win. As long as we do that, hopefully, we can get on the right side of the result.

“Our away form has been great all season, so we can take confidence from that, and hopefully we can kick on from there on Saturday.”

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Following a disappointing campaign, Michael Appleton’s Lincoln City are all but safe from the drop and have picked up an encouraging four points on their travels during the past week. They followed up on their 2-1 win at Charlton Athletic last Saturday with a well-earned point at relegation-threatened Fleetwood. Lewis Fiorini grabbed an equalizer to cancel out Dan Batty’s long-range effort in the 1-1 draw by the west coast.

Having almost secured safety, Appleton is looking forward to their remaining five games of the season, starting with the visit of high-flying Wigan.

“We’re playing against a team who are top of the league and flying high – so let’s see where we’re at and put in a good performance against a top side.

“I hear they’re bringing a fair few as well which always helps. That ignites our fans a little bit and gets them going even more.

“We want to finish the season strongly. We were happy with bits of the past two games and if we can keep picking up points going into the Easter weekend then we can finish the season strongly.”

In team news, The Imps will most probably be without influential skipper Liam Bridcutt after he missed the long trip in midweek but expects to have better news regarding young Arsenal loanee Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

“He (Bridcutt) took a knock to the thigh on Saturday so we’re hoping it’s nothing too serious and will settle down quickly. As for Brooke, I’m hoping he will be back by the weekend.

“He played three games in a short space of time for England (Under-19s) and did well to get through 90 minutes against a tough opponent on the weekend. He’s in a really good place at the minute so if we can get him back fit then that will obviously be a bonus for us.”

With promotion-chasing Sunderland, the last side to come down to Sincil Bank with a bumper away following, The Imps will not be phased as The Latics are bringing similar numbers. Goalkeeper Jordan Wright was the star of the show in their 0-0 draw against The Black Cats, with the ex-Forest academy graduate making an incredible save to deny Ross Stewart a winning goal in the dying moments.

After West Brom loanee Josh Griffiths returned to the club following injury, Wright has his sights on claiming the number one spot under Appleton and is keen to fight fellow keeper Sam Long for next season. The keeper is enjoying his time at the club, initially brought in on a permanent deal to provide back up to Griffiths in January.

“I think I have settled in well. And I had to do that quite quickly as you do in football. I haven’t explored the city too much, but my girlfriend’s family live here so I’ve been to Lincoln a couple of times.

“Forest gave me a start into how you need to be as a footballer, growing through the academy they prepare you for that life as a young professional but then it was down to myself. I had to come in and adapt to being involved in the first team every week, working hard and doing the extra little things and then taking my chance.”

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