BARNSLEY will look to collect their first points of the new League One season when they visit Lincoln City for a 3pm kick-off.
The Reds began their season with a 2-1 home loss to newly-promoted Mansfield Town on Friday then won on penalties at Wigan Athletic in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
They have not won in their last seven league games, including the end of last season in which they lost their final four on the road in the league having previously set club records for away wins and an 11-game unbeaten run.
Lincoln were the form side in the division from February, winning 12 of their last 17 games, and could have overtaken Barnsley in the last play-off place with a win on the final day but missed a penalty at 0-0 in a 2-0 home defeat to champions Portsmouth.
Michael Skubala has lost several of his key men from that run, but his side made a good start to the new season with a 3-2 win at Burton Albion on Saturday.
They lost 2-1 at home to League Two Harrogate in the EFL Cup on Tuesday with a changed team.
Clarke told the Chronicle: “They have got the flow from last year but this season is a different season. Both teams have changed since last season.
“We had a bad result against them last season. I look at that game like I look at everything but last season is last season.”
He added: “Michael is a good lad.
“He’s a done a fantastic job last year and just missed out on the play-offs.
“They are a very good team who I expect to be there or thereabouts.
“We concentrate on us and want to get that first win of the season in the league. It will be a different game to our first two.”
Lincoln have former Barnsley centre-back Adam Jackson – who played 44 games between 2016 and 2019 – and midfielder Ethan Erhahon who did not make a first team appearance on loan in 2020.
The clubs have met 75 times, with Barnsley winning 33 and losing 26.
But the only league meetings since 1976 have been in the last two seasons in which Lincoln are unbeaten.
They won twice at Oakwell, including a 5-1 thrashing of Neill Collins’ side in March, and drew twice at Sincil Bank including a 2-2 tie last November.
The Reds have not beaten Lincoln in ten league meetings since 1973, although they have not lost in four away games against them including two League Cup wins, since 1979.
If they play, defender Mael de Gevigney and midfielder Jon Russell will make their 50th appearances for the Reds.
Clarke said striker Fabio Jalo had seen a specialist about his shoulder injury but would give more of an update at the weekend once he had discussed with the player.
He added that Josh Benson was progressing well from his hamstring problem and that the midfielder was ‘not too far away’ from a return.
