Peterborough United stormed to the top of the Coca-Cola League 2 table on Saturday afternoon, thumping the Imps 4-0 at London Road.

United's leading marksman Aaron Mclean opened the scoring in the 18th minute when he volleyed home after Alan Marriott had palmed away a shot from George Boyd and shortly after the restart, and with Paul Green off the field and in some agony after taking a knock to the ribs, Mclean added a second when he converted a Scott Rendell centre from the right.

Rendell then got into the act himself, firing past Marriott at his near post to make it 3-0 in the 56th minute whilst number four came 12 minutes later when he was set free down the middle before slotting through Marriott's legs.

Chances were few and far between for the Imps with Peterborough 'keeper Joe Lewis rarely troubled between the sticks.

Match report by John Vickers at London Road:

With Scott Kerr ruled out through suspension, 17-year-old Martin Pembleton was handed his first Football League start in midfield for this Coca-Cola League 2 clash against title-chasing Peterborough United at London Road.

Further changes in the City side saw Gary Croft replace the injured Lee Ridley for his first start of 2008 whilst fit-again Lee Beevers, who missed the 2-1 home win over Hereford United, also returned to the fold.

A change in formation saw Jamie Forrester drop to the bench to allow Beevers to start just in front of the two centre-backs whilst Ben Wright was the lone striker in what looked to be a 4-1-4-1 line-up. Lee Frecklington, meanwhile, was back in the squad for the first time in six weeks being named amongst the substitutes.

A strong breeze and heavy drizzle greeted the players as they made their way out of the tunnel and after City kicked off, the Posh who were first to press with Charlie Lee winning a corner in the third minute but the Imps' defence stood firm as Dean Keates swung the ball in from the quadrant.

Shortly afterwards a through ball by George Boyd to Aaron Mclean saw the latter get the wrong side of Danny Hone before seeing his goalbound shot half-stopped by Alan Marriott before heading towards the target. It took a fine saving challenge from Nat Brown though to deny Mclean the opening goal; Brown stretching out his long leg to clear to safety.

Another Posh corner was cleared before Dany N'Guessan forced a flag-kick at the other end which also came to nothing whilst at the other end, good defending from Gary Croft, who had started at right-back with Green on the opposite side, saw him get a block in on Mclean who was preparing to pull the trigger at the edge of the box.

It was Green's turn in the 16th minute to get in the action, heading a dangerous Boyd centre clear after a quickly-taken free-kick saw the midfielder break down the left but two minutes later Boyd played his part in the move that saw Posh take the lead.

After the hosts were awarded a corner, despite the ball looking to have been headed behind by Scott Rendell, Boyd blasted two efforts goalwards which were both palmed clear by Marriott but when the second one bounced into space, there was AARON MCLEAN who fired an unstoppable volley into the top corner.

It was all Posh now with three corners for Darren Ferguson's side keeping the Imps firmly on the back foot whilst Marriott did well to tip a Mclean effort behind as the half ticked past its midway point.

On the half-hour mark Rendell was inches away from connecting with an Adam Newton centre after a poor ball in the middle third by Shane Clarke had given the Posh the chance to break forward.

A stray arm from Chris Whelpdale on Green then saw the City man require treatment to his face before returning to the fray and shortly afterwards a trip on Pembleton by Keates gave the Imps a chance to create something from a set-piece but when Croft swung the ball in, Craig Morgan rose well to head clear.

A push on Wright by Morgan gave City a free-kick two minutes before the break and when the ball was only half-cleared by Rendell, Wright's ball back into the area was fired over the bar by John-Lewis.

Shortly afterwards a foul on Mclean by Hone saw the City teenager pick up the game's first caution and when Keates swung the set-piece into the mix, an unmarked Mclean headed over.

In the first of two added minutes Newton blazed well wide from the edge of the box whilst a similar effort from Whelpdale also saw the ball go out for a goal-kick.

HT: POSH 1 IMPS 0

The hosts were out well in advance of the Imps ahead of the start of the second period and before play could restart, Louis Dodds replaced Lenny John-Lewis, who looked to have taken a knock towards the end of the first half.

Seconds after the restart, Green was grounded for a second time by Whelpdale as the pair went up for a high ball straight from the kick-off. The City defender remained on the deck for some considerable length of time before he got back to his feet before being helped off by physio Michael Wait, holding his ribs in the process.

The Posh made the most of Green's absence as, with the City player still off the pitch, they broke down the right through Rendell and he squared for MCLEAN to flick past Marriott for his second of the game.

With Lee Frecklington preparing to come of for Green, who was clearly in some pain, Boyd blazed over from the edge of the area, and when Frecklington did come on he was greeted with a chorus of jeers from the home fans, no doubt stemming from the Club's decision earlier in the season to turn down an offer from Posh for his services.

The enforced change saw Beevers drop to left-back but the Posh remained on top, forcing two corners in a bid to snatch a third. That third duly arrived in the 56th minute, when a long throw was allowed to bounce by Brown before RENDELL fired past Marriott at his near post.

Jamie Forrester replaced Martin Pembleton 60 seconds before the hour mark, with City switching to a 4-4-2 line-up. Before Forrester had chance to touch the ball, Marriott saved well from Mclean.

The Posh pressure remained relentless, with their 10th corner of the game coming in the 62nd minute. Six minute later, a Keates free-kick - which was taken with a moving ball - ended with a one-two setting RENDELL in behind the City defence and he neatly slotted the ball between Marriott's legs to make it 4-0

A rare City attack ended with Forrester volleying over after an N'Guessan cross forced the United central defensive pairing of Morgan and Westwood to clear the ball off each other. United's response was immediate with Mclean forcing a corner off Beevers and when the ball was swung in, Marriott did well to claim a downward Lee header.

At the other end, neat interchange play between Forrester and Dodds ended with the former having a shot deflected behind. Frecklington's corner ended with N'Guessan firing straight at Morgan.

A trip on Forrester by Westwood then gave the Imps a chance from a free-kick 20 yards out. Croft set his sights but fired straight at the wall whilst Dodds' follow-up effort was hacked clear by Morgan.

Again, United were quick to reply with only a fine block from Brown denying Whelpdale a goal whilst at the other end Forrester fired over after Clarke played a quick free-kick into his path.

A knock to Jamie Day saw another break in play before Wright hooked a shot wide of the target. Six minutes of added time was then indicated by the Fourth Official, the majority being awarded for Green's knock shortly into the second half.

Josh Low replaced George Boyd before a flicked header from N'Guessan flew wide from eight yards out for the only action of those added seconds.

FT: POSH 4 IMPS 0

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
5 Lee BEEVERS
6 Nat BROWN
27 Daniel HONE
3 Gary CROFT
23 Shane CLARKE
25 Martin PEMBLETON
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
15 Ben WRIGHT
17 Dany N'GUESSAN

subs
19 Louis DODDS (for JOHN-LEWIS h/t)
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON (for GREEN 51)
8 Jamie FORRESTER (for PEMBLETON 59)
9 Mark STALLARD
13 Ayden DUFFY

BOOKING: HONE (45)

PETERBOROUGH UNITED
32 Joe LEWIS
7 Adam NEWTON
4 Craig MORGAN
5 Chris WESTWOOD
17 Jamie DAY
6 Charlie LEE
10 George BOYD
11 Dean KEATES
18 Chris WHELPDALE
9 Aaron MCLEAN
15 Scott RENDELL

subs
2 Josh LOW (for BOYD 90+2)
8 Micah HYDE
26 Liam HATCH
29 Tom WILLIAMS
31 James McKEOWN

GOALS: MCLEAN (18, 49), RENDELL (56, 68)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear)
ASSISTANTS: Stephen Child & Stephen Ross
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Alan Parker

ATTENDANCE: 8,035 (1,007 City supporters)