Loan trio set to star again for Lincoln

Lincoln manager Michael Appleton will be looking for more contributions from his loan trio against Peterborough at Sincil Bank on New Year’s Day amid uncertainty over their long-term future.

Tyler Walker, Joe Morrell and Jake Hesketh, who are on loan from Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Southampton respectively, all played key roles as City ended 2019 with a stunning 5-3 win over Ipswich on Sunday.

Leading-scorer Walker netted twice, Wales international Morrell set up two goals and Hesketh provided the assist for Harry Anderson’s opener and netted the game-clinching fifth goal.

All three have been regulars under Appleton and are on season-long deals from their parent clubs but it is customary for the arrangements to be reviewed in January, meaning their futures remain unclear.

Peterborough go into the game on the back of a 4-0 thumping by Rotherham at the New York Stadium, a result manager Darren Ferguson conceded was concerning.

Ferguson was without forward Marcus Maddison because of a niggle and his problems worsened with the dismissal of centre-back Frankie Kent after picking up two yellow cards in five minutes.

Back-to-back defeats have not prevented United from selling out their allocation of 1,700 tickets for their first Football League visit to Sincil Bank since October 2007.