Doncaster Rovers v Lincoln City - Imps not top by accident, warns Darren Moore
Rovers enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, picking up 13 points from their opening six games, averaging just over two goals every 90 minutes.
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Hide AdHowever, it has been a frustrating week for Moore’s side who lost back-to-back games against Crewe Alexandra and Plymouth Argyle.
With their season just eight fixtures old, Doncaster are still well within touching distance of the top six.
They have never lost three league games in a row under Moore, who believes their recent defeats were down to a lack of focus. It leaves him with an easy fix as they face the Imps, who have won seven of their nine matches this term.
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Hide Ad“Up until the last couple of games, our season has been outstanding,” said Moore.
“It is not about throwing the toys out after two games, it is about continuing what we have done well.
“It has just been lapses of concentration that have cost us, dearly, at both ends of the pitch.”
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Hide AdHe continued: “There were parts to our game, in both matches, that made us feel like we did enough to come away with something.
“The fact of the matter is that we haven’t come out with anything so it is about working on the training ground to fix that.
“The performances have been there and we have performed to the level I have expected but it is about keeping mentally active now.”
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Hide AdLincoln’s only defeat of the campaign came against Bristol Rovers on October 10.
Since then, they have won three of their last four games and not conceded a goal for 360 minutes.
Doncaster won 2-1 when the sides met at the beginning of the curtailed 2019-20 season, with the reverse fixture never played after the EFL made the decision to end the last campaign early because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Hide AdThe Imps have conceded just five goals in nine games and Moore insists his team needs to be at their “absolute best” to get a positive result.
“The league table doesn’t lie, it is as simple as that, they are there because they deserve to be there,” said Moore.
“They have started the season very, very well and maintained that form, confidence is high for them.
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Hide Ad“They are playing at the top level of their game and they possess a huge threat. They are not at the table of the table by accident.
“There are always players looking to support the man with the ball. It is a great game for us, the league leaders coming into town.
“Games against Lincoln have always been good for the club, I expect the same on Saturday as well.
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Hide Ad“We know we are going to have to be at our absolute best to get anything from the game.”
He added: “They are a team very much in the ascendancy and know their jobs inside and out. They are on the real crest of a wave at the moment.
“They are playing some excellent football and keeping games tight.
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Hide Ad“It is a real stern test for us on Saturday. It is a really exciting league this season. If we want to get anything from the game we have got to be really, really good.”
The League One table is already starting to take shape and Moore feels the sides in and around Doncaster right now will be the ones challenging for a place in the play-offs.
Despite suffering back-to-back defeats, Rovers are just three points behind sixth-placed Charlton and have played one game fewer than the majority of teams above them.
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Hide Ad“You usually say that after 10 or 12 games you can surmise where teams are going to be at,” said Moore when assessing the early league table.
“At this point, teams are still usually finding their feet and settling down but this season it has come about quicker because of the fixture list, with the quick turnaround of matches.
“Maybe there are still one or two teams getting to grips with the demands of it.
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Hide Ad“We have had a fair share of injuries early doors and, looking at it, we have been relatively happy with the solid start we have had.
“The last couple of games have been quite mixed.
“I would like to give it a few more weeks but the table is starting to take shape but I never look at the league table because it is all about us at Doncaster Rovers and putting our energy into the next fixture.”
Moore is hopeful that midfield duo Madger Gomes and Taylor Richards will be in contention to face Lincoln today.
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Hide AdBoth players missed the trip to Plymouth on Tuesday night while Richards was also absent for the loss against Crewe. Neither player is thought to be seriously injured.
Imps manager Michael Appleton is likely to be without midfielder and captain Liam Bridcutt, who is struggling with a thigh injury. He was absent as Lincoln won 1-0 at Crewe on Tuesday night.
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