Preview: Blackpool vs Lincoln City - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackpool will be hoping to build on an encouraging start to the new League One campaign when they welcome newly-promoted Championship side Lincoln City to Bloomfield Road in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

The Seasiders have taken four points from their opening two league matches and also defeated Grimsby Town 3-1 in the first round, while the Imps travel to Lancashire still searching for their first Championship point after back-to-back defeats.

Match preview

Following a 13th-placed finish in League One last season, Blackpool will be targeting a stronger campaign as they look to return to the Championship for the first time since 2023, sticking with manager Ian Evatt who is closing in on 50 games as manager of the Seasiders.

Their three seasons in the third tier have seen finishes of 8th, 9th and 13th, highlighting a gradual decline, but last season’s final position was somewhat misleading given they spent much of the campaign battling against relegation before a late run of form lifted them clear of the bottom four.

Blackpool have made a far more positive start this time around, earning four points from their opening two league games after it took them six matches to reach that tally last season.

They began with a 1-1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers before securing an impressive 2-1 victory away to promotion hopefuls Stockport County, following a 3-1 EFL Cup win at Grimsby Town in their first competitive game of the season.

After achieving what Manchester United famously could not last season by winning at Grimsby's Blundell Park in the League Cup, Evatt's side will now turn their attention to a second-round clash with the hope of earning a potential tie against Premier League opposition in the next round.

As for Lincoln City, they are adjusting to life back in the second tier after securing promotion from League One last season, ending a 65-year wait to return to the Championship following a remarkable campaign.

The Imps collected a club-record 103 points from 46 league matches and ended the campaign on a 29-game unbeaten run, securing promotion under Michael Skubala.

Skubala has since departed for Bristol City, however, with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw taking joint charge, but the pair have endured a difficult start to life in the second tier.

While Cohen and Shaw began their tenure with a positive 2-1 EFL Cup victory over Derby County, the Imps have since suffered consecutive Championship defeats, losing 2-1 to Middlesbrough before falling to a 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth.

The opening-day defeat to promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough will have been particularly frustrating, with the Imps taking an early lead through Adam Reach and still holding the advantage at the hour mark before a Will Lankshear brace condemned them to their first league defeat since November 2025.

Their first home game of the season attracted Lincoln's biggest crowd for more than 40 years, but they were unable to reward the bumper attendance as they fell 2-0 behind inside the opening 15 minutes before eventually losing 3-1 to a Portsmouth side that narrowly avoided relegation to League One last season.

Despite their difficult start to life in the Championship, Lincoln can take confidence from their record against Blackpool last season, with the Imps winning one and drawing the other while scoring six goals and conceding just two.

Blackpool EFL Cup form:

Blackpool form (all competitions):

Lincoln City EFL Cup form:

Lincoln City form (all competitions):

Team News

Blackpool could name a similar side to the one that started their impressive victory over Stockport as they look to maintain their unbeaten start and progress to the third round.

While the Tangerines will be without last season's leading scorer Ashley Fletcher following his summer move to Huddersfield Town, Josh Bowler has already found the net twice and is likely to retain his place in the attack as he looks to continue his impressive start.

Northern Ireland international Dion Charles joined Blackpool on loan from Huddersfield over the summer, moving in the opposite direction to Fletcher, and could lead the line again on Tuesday night as he searches for his first goal at his new club.

Jordan Brown was forced off during the opening-day draw with Wycombe and was absent from the squad at the weekend, so Albie Morgan is expected to continue in midfield.

Lincoln City, meanwhile, could make changes with the Imps having a Championship trip to Bolton to prepare for at the weekend which remains the priority.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Mason Melia made his debut from the bench against Portsmouth and could be handed his first start, potentially replacing Ben House in the number 10 position.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Williams, Casey, Ashworth, Hamilton; Anderson, Morgan; Bowler, Bloxham, Honeyman; Charles

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Elerewe, Reach; McGrandles, Bayliss; Hackett, Melia, Street; Draper

We say: Blackpool 1-3 Lincoln City

Blackpool have made an encouraging start to the season, but Lincoln's status as a Championship side should give them the edge despite their winless start in the second tier.

The Imps are in a division above for a reason and thrashed the Seasiders 4-0 when these sides last met and should have enough to secure a comfortable victory at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.