Football on Monday night sees two promotion hopefuls meet as Lincoln welcome Mansfield. Tom Carnduff looks at the betting.
Recommended bets
1pt Jorge Grant to score anytime at 7/2
1pt Bruno Andrade to score anytime at 15/4
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Lincoln v Mansfield (1945 GMT, Sincil Bank, Sky Sports Football)
Step aside Premier League, we're being treated to a game between two promotion rivals in Sky Bet League Two.
Not only does the league table show why this is set to be an entertaining game, but so too is the recent home and away form of the teams involved.
Mansfield have won their last five in front of their own supporters, scoring three or more in three of those games, while Lincoln are unbeaten in six on the road.
Victory for the visitors, who are 9/5 outsiders, would move them eight points clear of second-place Bury, who saw their game postponed this weekend.
More significantly, it would move them 13 points clear of the play-off spots with 24 points left to play for. However, Mansfield can move into the automatic promotion spots with at least a point.
The hosts will be hopeful that Jorge Grant can continue his good form since joining the club in January from Nottingham Forest.
The attacking midfielder struggled for game time at Luton in Sky Bet League One, meaning a switch down a division where performances have been positive.
He also has had a direct impact in goals too. Four goals and two assists in ten games shows the role he has played and the contribution he has made to their current position.
Grant has played in a variety of attacking positions, but we could expect to see him in a more central advanced midfield role in this game.
Three of his four goals for Mansfield have come playing in that position, while he also demonstrated his goal-scoring ability when playing on the wing against Forest Green.
At a best price of 7/2, even with the general odds of 3/1, the value is there on backing Grant to hit the net anytime in this one.
On the flip side, the Stags will have to try and keep Bruno Andrade quiet. The Lincoln winger is having a wonderful season and won the Player of the Month award for February.
He's shown little issue in making the step-up following a summer switch from Boreham Wood, another player from non-league who has adapted to life in the EFL.
Andrade does have previous history with the likes of QPR and Stevenage, but his form for Boreham caught the eye and that's why Lincoln made a move.
It's a move that has worked out for both parties. He has nine goals and eight assists from the left-wing role, although he has been playing on the right in recent weeks.
He switched back to the left in the win over Oldham, with Harry Anderson often occupying the opposite side.
Andrade is the typical lively winger, but can strike from distance too. He will be one of a number of Lincoln players looking to capitalise on the fact that Matt Preston and Ryan Sweeney will likely be missing from the Stags back line.
With the attacking power of both sides there is a huge potential for goals, and with Betway offering 15/4 on a goal anytime for the Lincoln winger, it's worth a small play for him and Grant to shine.
Score prediction: Mansfield 2-2 Lincoln (Sky Bet odds: 12/1)
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Opta facts
- This will be the 60th Football League meeting between Mansfield Town and Lincoln City; the Stags are unbeaten in the last four (W2 D2).
- Lincoln haven’t lost any of their last six away games versus Mansfield in the Football League (W3 D3), last suffering defeat there in September 2001 (1-2).
- Mansfield have won each of their last five home league games, they haven’t won six in a row since February 1995.
- Lincoln are unbeaten in their last 14 league games (W7 D7), winning each of their last three.
- Bruno Andrade and John Akinde have scored each of Lincoln’s last six away goals in League Two (three each).
