HEREFORD United can take another step closer to npower League Two safety when they lock horns with Lincoln City at Edgar Street tomorrow (3pm).

The Bulls have risen to 20th on the back of successive victories over Torquay, Morecambe, Stockport and Aldershot — a run that has seen Jamie Pitman shortlisted for the division’s manager-of-the-month award.

His side are now three points off the Imps and victory can lift them to 18th depending on how Bradford fare at Macclesfield.

Hereford have already met Lincoln three times this season — losing 3-1 at Sincil Bank in November in the league but returning to win their FA Cup second round replay 4-3 last month after drawing 2-2 at home.

Pitman knows it will not be easy this time either — Steve Tilson’s side have won their last four games — but he is happy with progress and said: “We have seen a lot of Lincoln recently but they are likely to be quite different to before. They have brought in new players and are on a good run.

“But we are the same so it will be a tough battle. Our main target now is to finish at least 22nd and stay up, that would be a massive achievement.

“If we can look back at the end of the season and say we are still in the league, reached the FA Cup fourth round and sold a player for a six-figure fee then it would be a pretty good season considering the way it looked 10 games in.”

Left-back Joe Heath is back after serving his one-match ban in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Torquay but Rob Purdie could continue in the role, while defender Ryan Green has extended his contract until June 2012.

Midfielder Sam Gwynne has joined AFC Telford United on loan for the rest of the campaign.