Is the idle speed normal or fast? If it's too fast it could affect getting it into gear.

Is it grating, or just 'blocking' when you pull the lever back? On some cars with B5/IB5 boxes sometimes you have to lift the clutch ever so slightly, then it will drop in gear.

Other thing to do is put a clutch pedal off a Escort 95> with manual adjuster on it.

If it goes in the forward gears ok, the gear linkage should be spot on.