Lincoln City face a daunting task as they host Birmingham City in the Championship on Halloween 2026. The Imps have endured a nightmare start to their campaign, losing their sole league fixture, scoring just once and conceding twice. Their win rate stands at a concerning 0%, highlighting the uphill battle they face.
In stark contrast, Birmingham arrive in strong form, unbeaten in their last five outings with three wins and two draws. Despite a mixed overall season record of 17 wins, 13 draws, and 16 losses, their recent momentum is undeniable. With 57 goals scored and 56 conceded, Birmingham are a side capable of both attacking flair and defensive vulnerability. Historical head-to-head records also favor the Blues, having won all three recent encounters, including a 3-1 victory at Lincoln's home ground. The bookmakers reflect this disparity, assigning a 50% win probability to Birmingham and a 50% chance of a draw, with Lincoln's home win deemed a 0% possibility. Lincoln will need a monumental effort to defy the odds and kickstart their season.
1. G. Wickens, 4. A. Coubis, 25. D. Elerewe, 15. S. Bradley, 3. A. Reach, 26. Y. E. Konak, 14. C. McGrandles, 7. R. Hackett-Fairchild, 18. B. House, 16. D. Jefferies, 11. M. Ladefoged
1. J. Beadle, 26. B. Osayi-Samuel, 5. P. Neumann, 4. C. Klarer, 20. A. Cochrane, 24. T. Iwata, 14. J. E. Solis Romero, 7. C. Vicente, 28. J. Stansfield, 17. L. Millar, 32. L. Vazquez
Match events
16' Goal Normal Goal — August Priske (Birmingham)
25' Card Yellow Card — Mikkel Ladefoged (Lincoln)
27' Card Yellow Card — Liam Millar (Birmingham)
32' Card Yellow Card — Ethan Laird (Birmingham)
42' Card Yellow Card — Dom Jefferies (Lincoln)
45' subst Substitution 1 — James Beadle (Birmingham) (assists: Ryan Allsop)
59' subst Substitution 1 — Dom Jefferies (Lincoln) (assists: F. Draper)
59' subst Substitution 2 — Ivan Varfolomeev (Lincoln) (assists: Tom Bayliss)
60' Goal Normal Goal — August Priske (Birmingham) (assists: Christoph·Klarer)
63' Goal Normal Goal — Tom Bayliss (Lincoln) (assists: Mikkel Ladefoged)
66' subst Substitution 2 — August Priske (Birmingham) (assists: Max Bird)
73' Goal Normal Goal — Alex Cochrane (Birmingham) (assists: Ryan Allsop)
74' subst Substitution 3 — Reeco Hackett-Fairchild (Lincoln) (assists: Robert Nicholas Street)
74' subst Substitution 4 — Ben House (Lincoln) (assists: Chiedozie Ogbene)
75' subst Substitution 3 — Patrick Roberts (Birmingham) (assists: Demarai Gray)
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