Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs. Lincoln City - prediction, team news, lineups

League Two outfit Doncaster Rovers will host League One side Lincoln City in the first round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

Doncaster will enter the contest off the back of a 2-1 win over Sutton United in the league on Saturday, while Lincoln played out a goalless draw with Portsmouth on the same afternoon.

Match preview

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Doncaster were relegated from League One last season, finishing 22nd in the table, meaning that they are playing in League Two this term, and it has been a positive start for the club.

The Reds picked up a point in a goalless draw with Bradford City in their season opener on July 30 before recording a 2-1 victory over Sutton United on Saturday, with a total of four points leaving them 10th in the table.

Doncaster are playing in the fourth tier of English football for the first time since 2016-17, while they were a Championship outfit as recently as 2014, so it has been a difficult few years for the club.

Gary McSheffrey's side will not the EFL Cup as a priority competition, but they have an excellent recent record against Lincoln, remaining unbeaten against their opponents here since January 2004.

Last season, Doncaster took four points from their two games with Lincoln in League One, while they have been victorious in seven of the last eight meetings between the two sides, which should mean that their confidence is high heading into Tuesday's League Cup fixture.

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Lincoln, meanwhile, have started their 2022-23 League One campaign with back-to-back draws against Exeter City and Portsmouth, with a total of two points leaving them in 19th position in the table.

The Imps, who finished 17th in League One last term, have a new manager at the helm, with Mark Kennedy appointed on a four-year contract towards the start of May.

Lincoln famously managed to reach the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 FA Cup, but they have never been past the fourth round of the EFL Cup, so it would be a surprise to see them make a serious impression this season.

Kennedy's side have an important league match at home to Forest Green Rovers next weekend, but Tuesday's EFL Cup fixture will allow the manager the opportunity to give some squad players some valuable minutes.

Lincoln's last victory in this competition was a 5-0 success over Bradford City on September 20, but they have lost their last two matches in the League Cup against Liverpool and Shrewsbury Town.

Team News

Doncaster's starting side will be different to the one that took to the field for the first whistle against Sutton in the league on Saturday afternoon.

Liam Ravenhill, Kieran Agard, Tavonga Kuleya and Bobby Faulkner are among those likely to be handed opportunities to impress from the first whistle.

Lincoln, meanwhile, did not pick up any fresh injury issues in their league match with Portsmouth on Saturday, but there will be changes to the first XI here.

Chris Maguire is likely to come in for a start in the final third of the field, while Jordan Wright is expected to be given the nod between the sticks for the visitors.

The planned alterations are also likely to include starts for 18-year-old's Morgan Worsfold-Gregg and Jovon Makama in midfield and attack respectively.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Jones; Long, Williams, Olowu, Maxwell; Rowe, Ravenhill, Faulkner; Agard, Miller, Kuleya

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wright; Eyoma, O'Connor, Poole, Robson; Sanders, Sorensen, Worsfold-Gregg; Maguire, Hopper, Makama

We say: Doncaster Rovers 2-1 Lincoln City

Doncaster now operate in the league below Lincoln, but it is difficult to ignore their record against Tuesday's opponents when picking a winner here. Neither side will be at full strength, but we are backing Doncaster to emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins.

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