Lincoln City can hand Leyton Orient and Wycombe Wanderers a big promotion advantage | OneFootball

While Lincoln City’s season is destined for a mid-table finish, they could still have a major impact on the race for promotion.

While Lincoln City’s season is destined for a mid-table finish, they could still have a major impact on the race for promotion.

The Imps face four of the Sky Bet League One’s top sides before the end of the season, and could diminish or boost the odds of a number of sides reaching into the Championship.

Michael Skubala has already admitted that one eye is on building for next season, with selection beginning to focus on those who will be at the LNER Stadium after the summer.

And, even though they do not hold an outside chance of sneaking into the play-off themselves this year, like they did 12 months ago, Lincoln may still play a leading role in deciding who does.

Between now and the end of the season, Lincoln could be the kingmakers: either by taking points off the sides they play or failing to do so.

On Good Friday, the Imps travel to Reading. Despite their troubles off the field with ownership anxiety and an EFL deadline looming, the Royals have not lost pace with the play-off chasing pack.

They find themselves three points clear of Leyton Orient, occupying sixth spot in the table. However, with Richie Wellens’ men holding a superior goal difference, one slip up could see them drop out of the play-off places in favour of the London outfit.

Noel Hunt’s young side have been dominant on their own patch, with only top two, Birmingham City and Wrexham, retaining a better record, and they will need to rely on that for two of their final four games this term.

A defeat to Skubala’s men would open the door for Orient and others to swoop in.

One of those other teams is Bolton Wanderers, who are also just three points behind the top six, and visit Lincoln on Easter Monday. After consecutive defeats, Bolton have fallen from their prime position in the play-off race.

They would have to put that right, including against the Imps, to earn their way back into the play-off spots.

Lincoln’s games with Reading and Bolton have the power to influence the play-off race, either handing one of them prime position or leaving a wide open gap for Orient to surge into.

The battle for second between Wrexham and Wycombe

The Imps could influence things even higher up the table as well, with Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers continuing their battle for the second automatic promotion spot.

Runaway winners Birmingham City have already been crowned as champions, without even playing in the division last weekend, so now the battleground is to see who joins them.

On the final day of the regular season, Lincoln host Wrexham.

There is a single point between the Welsh side and Mike Dodds’ Chairboys, so the race will likely go down to the final game. If so, Lincoln again could have a major say in who joins Birmingham in the second tier.

Defeat at the LNER Stadium on the final day could see the Dragons seed their second spot to Wycombe, entering the lottery at the end of the campaign instead of securing automatic progression.

Before entertaining the Hollywood-backed Wrexham in May, Lincoln head to Stockport County for their final away game of the term. In itself, that could have consequences in the play-off chase, with Nathan Jones’ Charlton Athletic only one point behind the Cheshire outfit.

Stockport currently occupy fourth spot, and would secure the critical home second leg if they stay put. However, the Imps could again swing the chase one way or the other, with Charlton only narrowly behind County.

So, even though Lincoln have little to gain for themselves, they hold the keys to the castle for those battling for promotion.