Skubala keeps Lincoln City focused on the job as promotion picture sharpens

Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala says his attention is fixed on one thing ahead of Friday's meeting with AFC Wimbledon at Sincil Bank - taking three points. For supporters across Lincoln and the wider county, the occasion carries obvious significance. The Imps know a win could seal promotion from League One, provided Bolton do not win at Plymouth. It would mark a return to the second tier for the first time since 1961, a milestone that would resonate far beyond the ground itself.

Even so, Skubala has been keen to lower the temperature around the permutations and keep the focus on the immediate task. With seven matches still left to play, Lincoln sit 18 points clear of third-placed Bolton and head into the game on a remarkable 22-match unbeaten run in the league. That form has helped turn promotion from a distant ambition into a very real possibility, and there is no doubt the atmosphere in the city will reflect that on Friday. But Skubala's message has been one of discipline rather than celebration.

He has stressed that Wimbledon will provide a stern test and said Lincoln will prepare in the usual way, rather than getting carried away by what could happen elsewhere. His view is that the performance and result at Sincil Bank matter more than any outside calculation. That approach may strike a chord with many Lincolnshire football followers who have seen enough dramatic run-ins over the years to know that looking too far ahead can be dangerous. For Skubala, the priority is simple: do the job in front of you, then see where the wider picture lands.

He also suggested he does not expect to be monitoring events at Plymouth during the match, even if supporters inside the stadium may well keep track of developments. If Bolton were to slip up, the noise from the stands would no doubt tell its own story. For Lincoln City, this is another sign of how far the club have come. To be entering April with promotion to the Championship within touching distance is a powerful moment for the team and for a fanbase that has followed the club through many different eras.

Still, the tone from the dugout remains measured. Skubala has indicated that plenty would still need to fall into place for promotion to be confirmed on Friday, and he appears determined not to let the occasion distract from the standards that have carried Lincoln into this position. So while the county may be watching the table, the calculators and the other scorelines, Lincoln City's head coach wants his players concentrating on the basics. In a season built on consistency, that mindset may be exactly why the Imps are now so close to something special.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.