Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala has revealed he is unsure of the severity of the injury suffered by striker Freddie Draper earlier this month.
The 21-year-old is enjoying an excellent campaign having been tasked with leading the line as the Imps chase a startling promotion to the Championship. Having contributed four goals and two assists since the turn of the year, he suffered a blow when he limped off with a hamstring issue against Northampton Town 10 days ago.
The former Walsall loanee was absent for last weekend’s trip to Mansfield Town, which Lincoln won 2-0 to extend their League One unbeaten run to 16 games. Despite that, his physical presence was arguably missed up top.
Skubala Perplexed By Draper Injury
Lincoln are preparing to host Blackpool tomorrow afternoon in a game which could see them take another step towards ending their 65-year wait for second tier football. It appears as if they will once again be without the services of Draper, with Skubala admitting the attacker ‘might struggle’ to return in time. Speaking to the media, the head coach said:
“We’re going to have to just take it week by week. He might struggle for this weekend, then we’re going to have to see how it goes.
“That one is a bit odd at the minute. It’s something that we’re going to have to take week by week.
“It might be something more serious. Yeah, it’s a tricky one.”
Skubala’s words do raise concerns that the youngster could be set for an extended spell on the sidelines. However, Imps fans will be hoping the opposite, especially with their potential title decider against Cardiff City next weekend.
Street Stepping Up
Draper’s woes have opened up an opportunity for Rob Street to move into his more preferred central role. The 24-year-old has mainly operated on the left hand side of the attack this season, where he has received praise for his performances.
An excellent loan spell at Doncaster Rovers last season proved fruitful, where his 12 goals in 22 league appearances helped the Yorkshire-based side secure the League Two title. He came off the bench following his colleague’s withdrawal against Northampton to find the back of the net. This was then followed by his sixth league goal of the campaign at Mansfield last weekend.
The ex-Cheltenham Town forward is likely to retain that position tomorrow, although Ryan Oné is also pushing for a start. The Sheffield United loanee has netted twice in four appearances for the Imps since arriving from Bramall Lane in January.
