SAINTS boss Nathan Jones stressed his side would take “seriously” their Carabao Cup fourth round clash against Lincoln – his first home fixture in charge.

The St Mary’s side return to competitive action when they welcome Mark Kennedy’s Imps to the south coast tomorrow (7.45pm).

Saints have progressed past Cambridge United and Sheffield Wednesday to reach the last 16 and set up a tie with the League One outfit.

And while admitting he would have an eye on their Premier League home clash with Brighton on Boxing Day, Jones insisted he would respect the cup competition.

The former Luton boss said: “I’ve always as a manager and a person treated every competition I have been involved in with the greatest respect and we will do that here.

“Not to give anything away, it’s a game that players will want to win and it’s a chance to get into the quarter-finals, which is never to be sniffed at, at whatever club you’re at.

“We will take it seriously. That’s all I can say, is we will take the competition seriously.

“We will have one eye on Brighton in terms of four or five days’ time – a busy period but a lot of people who got minutes on the weekend.

“We are all going to have to get it – we want to win the game.”