The Imps' poor run of form came to an end in style on Saturday afternoon with Darlington defeated 3-0 at Sincil Bank Stadium.

City got off to a dream start with Rene Howe sweeping home a Cian Hughton cross with less than two minutes played and shortly before the half-hour mark the big striker bagged his second when he prodded home a centre from the impressive Lenell John-Lewis.

Substitute Chris Fagan, on for the injured Paul Connor early on in the game, bagged the third 10 minutes after the break when he finished off a fine move down the left with a cross-shot past Darlington 'keeper David Knight.

City pushed for a fourth and only some last-ditch defending from the visitors kept the score to 3-0 and First Team Coach Simon Clark will have been delighted with the way the players performed on home soil.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Richard Butcher, Jamie Clarke, Lenell John-Lewis and Janos Kovacs all returned to the starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 match against bottom-placed Darlington at Sincil Bank Stadium as the Imps began life after Peter Jackson under the leadership of First Team Coach Simon Clark.

The quartet returned at the expense of Shane Clarke, Andy Hutchinson, Sam Clucas and Danny Hone. Whilst Clarke, Hutchinson and Clucas named on the bench, Hone was absent through sickness. Also amongst the substitutes were Chris Fagan, Nathan Adams, Kern Miller and goalkeeping coach Paul Musselwhite.

Darlington, meanwhile, who defeated the Imps 1-0 in midweek in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, made three changes to their starting XI with their match winner on Tuesday night, ex-Imp Lee Thorpe, was one of those missing.

It was the Quakers who kicked off attacking the Stacey West Stand but it was the Imps who started the brighter of the two teams and after the visiting defence was unable to clear a couple of crosses from Paul Connor, the ball was laid back to Cian Hughton by Rene Howe.

Hughton duly took on his man, looked up, picked out Howe and the Peterborough United loanee did the rest, sweeping a first time shot into the top corner of David Knight's net to give City a second minute lead.

It was just the start City needed and a couple of minutes later Lenell John-Lewis fired a powerful effort just over the bar after good work from Jamie Clarke down the right saw him get past Mark Bower before playing in his team mate.

Both sides then won a corner apiece as the 10 minute mark approached and when City won a 13th minute free-kick, Janos Kovacs saw his downward header somehow kept out by Knight.

A long-range John-Lewis effort had Knight sprawling to his right 30 seconds later, the ball slipping through the keeper's gloves and out for a corner. The Quakers stood firm, though, as Scott Kerr swung the ball into the mix and when David Dowson brought the ball forward he was penalised for a foul on Moses Swaibu.

Paul Connor required treatment after his stretch to block a clearance ended with him remaining on the deck. The striker looked to be in some discomfort as he returned to he fray a minute later.

In the 18th minute a great cross-field pass from Aaron Brown to the lively Jamie Clarke saw the latter take on Bower again, before going to ground under the full-back's challenge. The officials deemed the challenge to be fair though and a corner was the only outcome.

Before the flag-kick could be taken, the struggling Connor was replaced by Chris Fagan and when the flag-kick was taken, Brown's inswinging delivery crashed against the crossbar before Howe headed a Richard Butcher centre into the side netting.

At the other end an excellent saving tackle from Kovacs denied Dowson a shot on goal whilst a timely intervention from Brown midway through the half led to a third Darlington corner which ended wth Nathan Porritt firing well over.

Gary Smith then tested Rob Burch with a long-range effort as the Quakers enjoyed their best spell of the afternoon but City's response was clinical and shortly before the half-hour mark, doubled their advantage.

The goal stemmed from some great work by Brown who, after intercepting a forward ball from the Quakers, beat three men before playing in John-Lewis down the left. John-Lewis then played his part as, after he cut inside his marker, chipped the ball towards the six-yard box. There to make the most of some hesitation from Knight was Rene Howe who, after getting to the ball first, stabbed home from six yards for his second of the game.

With the crowd in full voice, City continued to look the more threatening and when Jordan Cook landed awkwardly on his arm after going for a ball with Kovacs, the Darlington man required treatment before he was replaced by Jeff Smith. A second Darlington change came a couple of minutes before the break with Josh Gray coming on for Nathan Porritt; this one apparently a tactical switch rather than an enforced one.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on and midway through these added stages, John-Lewis had a header from a Kerr free-kick claimed well by Knight whilst the last action of the opening period saw Knight hold a low Clarke effort.

HT: IMPS 2 DARLINGTON 0

With both sides having made changes in the first half, neither made any during the half-time interval. City got the second half underway attacking the Stacey West Stand.

Darlington were the first to press after the restart, winning a corner on their left which was headed clear by Kovacs and after a scrappy few minutes had elapsed Dowson had an effort ruled out for offside, much to the annoyance of the travelling Quakers fans.

The action quickly switched to the other end though and when some great link-up play down the left, John-Lewis turned provided for a second time when, after he showed good strength to get past his marker, he found Chris Fagan who took a touch before firing across Knight. The Irishman's low 55th minute effort hitting the inside of the post before nestling in the bottom corner of the net.

Darlington's response saw Matthew Plummer stab an effort goalwards after a free-kick landed at his feet but Burch was there to claim the ball under his bar. At the other end Butcher was unlucky not to release Fagan down the middle after the midfielder did well to gain possession before going on the offensive.

Butcher then came close to connecting with a Howe centre before a third and final Darlington change saw Curtis Main replace David Dowson in the 64th minute.

A couple of minutes later a City corner was claimed by Knight under pressure from Howe whilst at the other end an almighty goalmouth scramble ended with Kovacs cooly bringing the ball out of defence before Smith was penalised for handball.

The Imps, with the confidence starting to flow back, pressed forward in numbers again with Knight being forced to claim balls into the box by Howe and Brown before the busy Quakers' stopper denied Clarke after he had been set up by Butcher.

With eight minutes on the clock, a second City substitution saw Andy Hutchinson replace Jamie Clarke on the right whilst four minutes later Shane Clarke was given a run out with skipper Scott Kerr the man making way. This came shortly after a Hutchinson ball just evaded both Butcher and Fagan.

Fagan then had a shot blocked by Foster and Knight held a rasping Howe drive as the Imps pressed for a fourth. In the final minute of normal time Hutchinson picked up a deserved caution after leaving his foot in on Bower and in the first of two added minutes Fagan was again denied as the visiting defence got in a couple more blocks.

The last action of the game saw Howe miss out on a hat-trick as he spooned a Hughton ball well over Knight's crossbar and into the supporters in the Stacey West Stand.

FT: IMPS 3 DARLINGTON 0

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
25 Cian HUGHTON
4 Janos KOVACS
5 Moses SWAIBU
3 Aaron BROWN
8 Richard BUTCHER
11 Scott KERR
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
15 Jamie CLARKE
9 Paul CONNOR
18 Rene HOWE

subs
10 Chris FAGAN (for CONNOR 20)
26 Andy HUTCHINSON (for J CLARKE 82)
19 Shane CLARKE (for KERR 86)
17 Sam CLUCAS
24 Nathan ADAMS
29 Kern MILLER
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

GOALS: HOWE (2, 29), FAGAN (55)

BOOKING: HUTCHINSON (90)

DARLINGTON
1 David KNIGHT
3 Mark BOWER
5 Steve FOSTER
6 Ian MILLER
14 Gary SMITH
19 Jamie CHANDLER
22 Nathan PORRITT
23 Jordan COOK
20 David DOWSON
4 Matthew PLUMMER
24 Kevin GALL

subs
7 Jeff SMITH (for COOK 37)
12 Josh GRAY (for PORRITT 44)
15 Curtis MAIN (for DOWSON 64)
11 James BENNETT
18 Mark CONVERY
21 Rikki BAINS
13 Nick LIVERSEDGE

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Dean Whitestone
ASSISTANTS: David Plowright & Richard Wigglesworth
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Jason Whiteley

ATTENDANCE: 3,005 (248 visiting supporters)