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When Nathan Jones agreed to depart Luton Town for Southampton, he was aware that he would face just one game in charge before a lengthy break in action due to the World Cup.
Nevertheless, the new Saints head coach may have been content to have a bedding-in period, allowing him to prepare for an important six-month period for the club.
Sitting two points adrift of safety, Jones’s target is to avoid relegation from the top flight, a division where Southampton have collected just five points from their last 10 outings.
Southampton even needed penalties to progress into the last 16 of this competition, edging out Sheffield Wednesday after being held to a 1-1 draw by the League One giants.
While Southampton have recently enjoyed a training break in Spain, they have participated in no friendly fixtures ahead of the resumption.
As far as Lincoln City are concerned, this competition provides them with a chance to make amends after losing in the FA Cup to non-league Chippenham Town.
Since that defeat, Mark Kennedy‘s team have suffered just one defeat in seven matches, a run which has included beating Bristol City in the EFL Cup and Everton Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
The postponement at the weekend has halted the Imps’ momentum to a certain degree, although Kennedy may have been content with an unexpected rest period ahead of the hectic schedule to come.
Having recovered from a thigh injury, Kyle Walker-Peters may come back into the Southampton XI for this contest.
Jones is likely to want to line up with his first-choice XI, potentially with a back three again like he used during his time with Luton.
Armel Bella-Kotchap and Mohammed Salisu, who were part of Germany’s and Ghana’s World Cup squads, should feature in the defence, while Romeo Lavia is fit again after a knee injury.
Despite the entertaining win over Everton Under-21s last time out, Kennedy’s starting lineup is expected to look more like the one which begun the goalless draw with Wycombe Wanderers on December 10.
Daniel Mandroiu is arguably most likely to come into the team after proving his fitness with two outings after a six-week absence.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bella-Kotchup, Caleta-Car, Salisu, Perraud; Ward-Prowse, Lavia, S.Armstrong; A.Armstrong, Adams
Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Rushworth; O’Connor, Jackson, Walsh; Poole, Virtue, Sanders, Robson; Vernam, House, Diamond
In the week that the Bulls lost their most famous ex-player, FA Cup legend Ronnie Radford – 50 years on from his iconic match-winning goal against Newcastle – it briefly looked like there might be some left-over magic in the air.
For seven minutes, the sixth-tier outfit led after Miles Storey’s goal against the team 81 places above them in the English football pyramid in League One.
But Pompey hit back, with Reeco Hackett quickly levelling before second-half goals from Colby Bishop and substitute Joe Pigott earned the twice FA Cup winners a safe passage to Monday’s second-round draw
Making their first trip to Edgar Street in 38 years, Pompey were given a good first-half workout by the fired-up hosts.
Although home keeper Dale Eve had to keep out Hackett’s left-foot curler bound for the top corner, Pompey had a first real scare when Bishop’s challenge on Hereford’s former million-pound marksman Tyrone Barnett in the visitors’ penalty box went unpunished.
And there was worse to follow for Pompey when Hereford took the lead on 26 minutes.
Sean Raggett played a loose pass inside to Hackett, who was immediately closed down and robbed by Storey – and the former Pompey player raced away down the inside-left channel before keeping his cool to nutmeg on-loan West Bromwich Albion keeper Josh Griffiths.
Fittingly, just two days on from the announcement of the sad passing of Hereford’s legendary number 11, their modern-day number 11 emulated his predecessor.
There had already been a minute’s silence, which cascaded into applause from the whole ground, followed by chants of ‘there’s only one Ronnie Radford’ when the clock showed 11 minutes.
But this goal was destined not to prove so famous.
Ronan Curtis headed down Connor Ogilvie’s far-post cross for Hackett to bring down and fire home coolly from six yards.
On 63 minutes, Portsmouth took the lead when, from Clark Robertson’s in-swinging right-foot corner from the left, Bishop timed his run to get there first and head his 10th goal of the season.
And Pigott wrapped up victory 10 minutes from time when, again from a corner by skipper Robertson, Bishop won the initial header before Pigott reacted sharpest to sidefoot home
Hereford FC boss Josh Gowling told BBC Sport:
“I’m really disappointed because we should have got something out of it, but goals change games – and the quality of the delivery they have changes games.
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“In the first half we were excellent. We were in the ascendancy and they looked nervous.
“We were on top and looked like we could go on and win, but we’ve made one mistake, it has cost us a goal and that’s the difference in levels.
“We’ve given them a leg up and a little lift and you could see their performance raise after that.”
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley told BBC Sport:
“I was so sad to hear the news about Ronnie Radford. He was such an iconic figure and he had that iconic moment. For a lot of people my age, his famous goal was their first memories of the FA Cup. But what a brilliant night to celebrate his life