After topping the table before the turn of the year, the Lincoln players will be disappointed they haven't managed to sustain their automatic promotion challenge this season. That said, the Imps are handily placed in fifth spot and one more win should guarantee their place in the play-offs. However, City fans will approach the play-offs with a degree of trepidation having previously failed to secure promotion despite finishing in the top seven in each of the last four campaigns. One of the shining lights for Lincoln this term has been 17-goal striker Jamie Forrester and givemefootball's Mark Shail caught up with the diminutive front man before this weekend's trip to his former club Bristol Rovers.
Q:IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER PLAY-OFF PLACE FOR THE CLUB THIS SEASON, DOESN'T IT?
A:Yes, we've struggled a little bit over the last few months because we haven't managed to turn draws into wins but out one more win from our last three games should cement our place in the play-offs. If you'd had offered us a play-off place at the start of the season I'm sure we would have taken it.
Q:HAS IT BEEN FRUSTRATING THAT YOU HAVEN'T MANAGED TO STAY IN THE RACE FOR AUTOMATIC PROMOTION?
A:WHAT HAPPNED IN LAST WEEKEND'S 3-0 HOME DEFEAT AGAINST WREXHAM?
Q:WOULD IT BE A WORRY THAT LINCOLN AREN'T QUITE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS AT THIS STAGE OF THE SEASON?
A:No I don't necessarily think so. People say that the team finishing seventh in the league have the momentum behind them going into the play-offs but last season Lincoln were knocked out by Grimsby and they had a sluggish end to their campaign. In the play-offs it is all about performing on the day and if we can still be in the tie going into the second leg then we'll have a great chance.
Q:WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AHEAD OF THE BRISTOL ROVERS GAME?
A:It's going to be an interesting game because they are still fighting for a play-off place as well so it's going to be tough. It's never an easy place to go but we will go there hoping to take three points and also to get last week's disappointing result against Wrexham out of our system.
Q:AND OF COURSE ROVERS ARE ONE OF YOUR FORMER CLUBS?
A:Yes, I left them nearly a year ago so a lot has happened since then but it will be nice to go back there. In fact we play Grimsby next week and I also played for them so at the moment it seems like I'm playing against one of my ex-clubs every week.
Q:YOU MUST BE PLEASED WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION THIS SEASON?
A:I've got 17 goals and would have liked to have reached 20 but you never know what's going to happen in the last three games. It's a strange situation here at Lincoln because the fans don't seem to get particularly excited about reaching the play-offs because they have been there so many times – but I'll be looking forward to them if we can manage to get there.
