Day 60

Tomorrow's match against part-timers Tamworth could well have the feel of a training game, with a measly thousand people expected to attend.

We appear to be firm favourites, but if our last outing taught me anything it's that having the bookies on our side counts for nought. The gap in quality and experience is huge, but this is football. Anything can happen, and nothing is a sure-thing.

John Ward, the current Colchester manager and a former Lincoln favourite (before I was born), told the press that we should be weary of Tamworth right-back Paul Green. The lad spent the past five seasons in a Lincoln shirt, signing for Tamworth after the former regime got us relegated, so he'll probably have a point to prove. (That he should be re-signed, I suspect—with only the slightest trace of arrogance.)

Scout Mark Bradshaw still thinks Irish full-back Neal Horgan would be a good signing. I'll wait for him to watch a couple more matches before I make a decision, but the lad is absolutely killing it at Cork City. After 20 appearances, he's got an average rating of 7.91 along with six goals and six assists. It is a lower standard league that he's playing in, but that's still bloody impressive.

Before retiring for the night, I turned my attention to tomorrow's match. Kanouté's off on international duty, so he can't play. I don't want Park starting in central defence, though, so Gowling will probably return to the side. Nutter had a shocker last time out, but it's too soon to drop him on bad form, which means Park will sit on the bench.

Further up the pitch, I'm considering throwing Atkinson in for his first start. Power is struggling to command a presence in the midfield, and looks to still be recovering from the last match, so he'd be the one to make way.

Olembé's a fitness concern—the veteran Cameroonian can't handle back-to-back matches in the same week so well these days. If he needs to drop to the bench, my choices are Nicolau, Platt, Russell, or a change to the formation (with either wing backs or no left-sided midfielder).

And finally, I'm not sure about a Koroma/Barnes-Homer pairing in attack—after their anaemic display last time out. If I drop Koroma to the bench, Shuker will most likely push forward. But then I've gotta worry about the right wing. Robson's injured and Kanouté's on international duty, so Bore can't step up from right back. And Russell may be required on the left side if Olembé's not fit enough to start.

Lots of things to ponder for tomorrow.