Cherries host Lincoln in League Cup for first meeting in 16 years - Preview

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0 Comments This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. THE Cherries head into their first cup game under Marco Rose against Lincoln on Tuesday knowing that they have bigger games to come – but wanting to book a spot in the next round of the League Cup.

The newly promoted Championship side will provide a stern test for Bournemouth as Rose will likely look to balance rotation with keeping players in form, ahead of a couple of big league games and a first Europa League match in the two weeks before the break.

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The Daily Echo previews Tuesday’s game.

There were no fresh injuries at the weekend as the full Cherries team made it through the Newcastle game unscathed.

That means Rose will have a full squad bar the four long-term absentees of Junior Kroupi, Amine Adli, Veljko Milosavljevic and Julian Araujo.

Carl Fletcher (Image: Corin Meser/Bournemouth Echo)

The boss may well be looking to rotate, so Cherries debuts could be handed to Michele Di Gregorio and Juanlu Sanchez.

Lincoln, meanwhile, are without captain Tendayi Darikwa through a cruciate injury as he is out for the season.

Ben House returned to the side vs Southampton at the weekend after he missed their draw with Blackburn, while Sonny Bradley returned from injury to captain the side against Saints.

Tom Hamer is a doubt but he was ‘not far away’ for the trip to Southampton, according to joint head coach Chris Cohen, so he may be back in the fold against the Cherries.

The two sides have met a total of 27 times across history, with the record equally balanced, ten wins for each side and seven draws.

They most recently met in the 08/09 and 09/10 League Two seasons, with the Imps winning the most recent meeting between the two teams back in April 2010, 2-1, after Bournemouth had won 3-1 at Dean Court.

Brett Pitman celebrates Sammy Igoe's goal with him (Image: Sally Adams)

Brett Pitman scored in both games for the Cherries, while Sammy Igoe netted a brace in the 3-1 win.

Perhaps the most famous meeting between the two in recent memory came in 2003, when the Cherries beat Lincoln 5-2 in the League Division Three playoff final at the Millenium Stadium.

Steve Fletcher, Carl Fletcher, Steve Purches, Garreth O’Conner and Carl Fletcher again scored the goals to earn Bournemouth promotion, while now-England U20 boss Ben Futcher and Mark Bailey were on target for Lincoln.

Rose’s Bournemouth have made a positive start to the season in terms of overall performances, but it has been frustrating in terms of results.

All three of their games have seen them enter the final ten minutes of their games against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle with a one-goal lead, and they have then gone on to lose that advantage.

Celebrating Steve Fletcher's goal. (Image: Corin Meser/Bournemouth Echo)

Against City, they were beaten 2-1, before 1-1 and 2-2 draws against the Toffees and the Magpies respectively.

Lincoln have made a solid start to life in the Championship after their promotion, with five points from their five games.

Those points have all come in the past three matches, where they picked up a victory over Bolton away from home, and draws against Blackburn and most recently Southampton.

A very direct side coached by Cohen and Tom Shaw, they thrive at set pieces, and new 6ft 8 striker Mikkel Ladefoged scored the late equaliser from a cross against Saints at the weekend.

They beat Blackpool 4-1 away from home to reach this stage of the cup.

AFC Bournemouth host Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, September 8, kick off at 7.45pm.