Danny Hone's first Football League goal saw the Imps make it three wins on the spin thanks to a 2-1 win over away-day specialists Rochdale at Sincil Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After Jamie Forrester's opener, which came in first half stoppage time when he fired home after Rochdale 'keeper Sam Russell failed to hold a Lee Frecklington free-kick, was cancelled out 12 minutes into the second half by Rene Howe, up popped Hone to hammer home the winner after a long 81st minute Nat Brown throw landed at his feet.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Manager Peter Jackson made three changes to the starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Rochdale at Sincil Bank Stadium. With Paul Green ruled out through suspension, back came Nat Brown at right-back, whilst fit-again Lee Frecklington replaced Jamie Hand in midfield. The third change saw Dany N'Guessan come in for Ben Wright up front.

The sun was shining as the teams made their way out on to the pitch and it was Rochdale, unbeaten in 14 away League games, who got things underway attacking the IMPS Stand.

The visitors shaded the opening exchanges, although Alan Marriott wasn't threatened between the sticks, and when City were able to get their foot on the ball, Dany N'Guessan forced the game's first corner with five minutes on the clock. A cleverly-worked flag-kick ended with Jamie Forrester flicking on for N'Guessan who was denied a shot at goal by Nathan Stanton who got in a timely block.

A push on N'Guessan by Stanton then gave City a chance from a set-piece just outside the box. Louis Dodds, who played for Rochdale on loan from Leicester last season, set his sights but his deft right-footed curler crashed against the upright before going out for a goal kick.

A cagey opening continued with play mainly centered in the middle third and on the quarter hour mark a City move was halted when Rochdale defender Rory McArdle took a knock to his head; referee Andy Woolmer blowing up to allow treatment as Forrester was preparing to cross from the left.

McArdle returned, complete with a numberless shirt, after two minutes' treatment and after an N'Guessan centre failed to find a man in red and white but his afternoon came to an end in the 21st minute when he was replaced by Marcus Holness.

The visitors were almost gifted a goal a couple of minutes later when hesitation from Nat Brown saw him robbed of possession, allowing Rene Howe a clear run on goal. Alan Marriott stood firm though and produced a fine save to deny the big striker.

The resultant corner was cleared by City, who promptly went on the attack and forced a flag-kick of their own. Shortly after this was cleared, a long ball forward from Marriott saw Mark Stallard pulled back by Holness, giving City a free-kick which was blasted into the wall by Dodds.

City pushed forward again on the half-hour mark with Forrester denied by a combination of Russell and Stanton after he got on the end of a great centre from N'Guessan. At the other end Howe blasted an effort straight at Marriott.

Referee Andy Woolmer earned himself a chorus of boos after he halted a City attack to allow treatment to be administered to Simon Ramsden - it was the third time in the opening period that the Northamptonshire official restarted play with a bounce-up.

Just before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of two minutes were to be added, Stallard was upended as he barged his way forward. The resultant free-kick led to the opening goal of the game.

The free-kick was played short to Lee Frecklington who fired in a rasping drive which Russell was unable to hold. There showing a great poacher's instinct was JAMIE FORRESTER and his quick reaction saw him stab the ball past Russell for his ninth of the season.

HT: IMPS 1 ROCHDALE 0

Both teams emerged unchanged for the second half and, as was the case at the start of the first period, the visitors were the first to press but without coming up with that decisive final touch.

Clever play at the other end from Stallard saw him draw a foul out of Holness with the resultant free-kick leading to a corner. Dodds sent in a great delivery from the quadrant but the onrushing Beevers could only direct his header wide of the target.

N'Guessan then blazed a left-footed shot over the bar but at the other end City were caught out when a ball over the top saw RENE HOWE find himself one-on-one with Marriott. The big striker showed a good touch and a cool head to finish past Marriott, and although the City 'keeper got a glove to his final effort, the Rochdale man was off and celebrating as the ball nestled in the corner of the net for the equaliser.

Rochdale were soon pressing for a second with Rundle winning a corner which was caught by Marriott whilst it took a great block from skipper Scott Kerr to deny Gary Jones a shot on goal. Howe headed the resultant corner on to the roof of the net but it was all Rochdale now with the goal having given Keith Hill's men a boost.

Dale were first to the ball as City were struggling to get a foothold on proceedings, although a corner to the Imps saw them come close to getting back in front; Dodds' delivery being headed on by Beevers only for the ball to evade Forrester's outstretched leg at the back post.

Kallum Higginbotham replaced Adam Le Fondre for the visitors in the 72nd minute and shortly afterwards a break in play took place as referee Woolmer instructed Club officials to stop the digital clock at the Stacey West Stand!

Marriott then saved well from Howe, who again found himself through on goal, before referee Woolmer was at the centre of things again as the game entered its final 15 minutes when Higginbotham went in late on Beevers.

Both players tangled and when Scott Kerr dragged Higginbotham away from the situation, the Rochdale substitute threw a punch at the City skipper. Once things had calmed down, all he produced was a yellow card, much to the annoyance of the City faithful.

With 11 minutes on the clock, Ben Wright was brought on for Mark Stallard but it was defender DANNY HONE who fired City back in front two minutes later. The teenager's first ever Football League goal came when a long Nat Brown throw saw the ball bounce free and there was Hone to stick out his long leg with the ball going past a static Russell in the Dale goal.

City were clearly buoyed by this goal and deliberate block on Dodds by Nathan Stanton saw the former Scunthorpe defender see yellow. A minute later ex-Imp Lee Thorpe replaced Adam Rundle.

Dany N'Guessan's final touch saw him hit the roof of the stand rather than the roof of the net as he was replaced by Ollie Ryan with three minutes remaining and, once again, it was nerve-jangling stuff as the seconds started to tick rather slowly.

As the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on, Louis Dodds was cautioned after going in on Doolan - the yellow card being his fifth of the season and so ruling him out of the Macclesfield Town game in seven days time.

A couple of throw-ins gave Lee Ridley the chance to take his time and eat some seconds up. There was still time for Howe to take out Hone with a late challenge which referee Woolmer failed to spot but as the City man got back to his feet, the full-time whistle went, much to the relief of the Imps' faithful.

Three wins on the spin then and Rochdale's 14-match unbeaten away run ended all on another enthralling Saturday afternoon at Sincil Bank.

FT: IMPS 2 ROCHDALE

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
6 Nat BROWN
5 Lee BEEVERS
27 Daniel HONE
30 Lee RIDLEY
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
8 Jamie FORRESTER
19 Louis DODDS
9 Mark STALLARD
17 Dany N'GUESSAN

subs
15 Ben WRIGHT (for STALLARD 79)
18 Ollie RYAN (for N'GUESSAN 87)
4 Adie MOSES
26 Jamie HAND
13 Ayden DUFFY

GOALS: FORRESTER (45+1), HONE (81)

BOOKING: DODDS (90+1)

ROCHDALE
21 Sam RUSSELL
2 Simon RAMSDEN
3 Tom KENNEDY
23 Rory McARDLE
4 Nathan STANTON
11 Adam RUNDLE
8 Gary JONES
5 John DOOLAN
16 David PERKINS
24 Rene HOWE
10 Adam LE FONDRE

subs
31 Marcus HOLNESS (for McARDLE 21)
18 Kallum HIGGINBOTHAM (for LE FONDRE 72)
19 Lee THORPE (for RUNDLE 83)
17 Chris BASHAM
1 James SPENCER

GOAL: HOWE (57)

BOOKINGS: HIGGINBOTHAM (78), STANTON (82)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)
ASSISTANTS: Glyn Mellor & Jock Waugh
FOURTH OFFICIAL: James Adcock

ATTENDANCE: 3,955 (468 visiting supporters)