City's trip to the south coast on Saturday turned out to be a disappointing one with Bournemouth securing a 3-1 victory over the Imps at Dean Court.

Despite enjoying the better of the opening quarter of the game, City found themselves two down by the time 20 minutes had elapsed with Brett Pitman and Sammy Igoe both firing past Rob Burch.

A fine effort from Chris Fagan gave the Imps hope but Igoe's second of the game shortly after the hour mark wrapped things up for the home side and preserved their unbeaten home record.

Match report by John Vickers at Dean Court:

With Paul Connor ruled out with a knee ligament injury, Chris Fagan returned to the starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 game against AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court. Fagan, who replaced Connor early on before netting the third in the 3-0 win over Darlington last week, partnered Rene Howe, whose first half brace set the Imps on the way to the victory over the Quakers.

Bright south coast sunshine greeted the two teams as they were led out of the tunnel by referee James Linington and it was the hosts who got things underway.

Within 30 seconds of the start a challenge between Jamie Clarke and Warren Cummings saw the Cherries' full-back require treatment and in the third minute Rene Howe was spoken to after Lee Bradbury hit the deck following a challenge on the opposite flank.

The first effort at goal came in the sixth minute when Richard Butcher fizzed an shot just wide of the right hand upright but a minute later the play switched to the other end and when Lee Bradbury swung a free-kick into the area, Steve Fletcher rose well to nod the ball across and there to sweep the ball home was Brett Pitman who gave Rob Burch no chance with his well struck volley flying past him and into the back of the net.

The goal certainly came against the run of play with City having enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and the Imps were forced on the defensive again on the quarter hour mark with the first corner of the game being headed away to safety by Butcher on the six-yard line.

Bournemouth were certainly looking dangerous on the break but it was a long throw which led to them doubling their advantage in the 20th minute. The Cherries' second coming via the boot of Sammy Igoe who, in a similar fashion to Pitman earlier, volleyed into the bottom right corner of Burch's net from just inside the box.

City's response was clinical as six minutes later Chris Fagan produced a goal of pure quality. The source, as it was with Bournemouth's second effort, was a throw-in and when Cian Hughton's delivery was flicked on by Rene Howe, Fagan took a touch before firing a superb effort on the turn into the top corner of Shwan Jalal's net.

Fagan's effort silenced the home crowd and brought the travelling City contingent to their feet and in a bid to unlock the home defence for a second time Jamie Clarke and Lenell John-Lewis swapped flanks; the latter firing a shot wide of the mark in the 35th minute from City's next attack of note.

At the other end Pitman lifted a shot over the bar after another Fletcher knock-down created the chance for his strike partner and City's reply saw Howe force a corner which came to an abrupt halt as Janos Kovacs was penalised for a push on home stopper Jalal.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on at the end of the first half and the only chance of note during this added time saw John-Lewis blast a shot over the bar from just outside the box.

HT: BOURNEMOUTH 2 IMPS 1

Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and City were quick out of the traps with a deflected Jamie Clarke centre leading to a corner on the Imps' right. Aaron Brown swung the ball into the danger area and it was met by Lenell John-Lewis but his header went over the top. The City striker required treatment after clashing heads with his marker in the process of going up for the header.

City continued to press their hosts with Clarke skinning two Bournemouth defenders before firing straight at Jalal from a narrowing angle but a Cherries' counter-attack forced the Imps to defend a corner, which they did well.

A change for the home side in midfield saw Marvin Bartley replace Mark Molesley in the 56th minute and after a couple of appeals for hand ball were waved away by referee Linington, a foul on John-Lewis gave City the chance to create something from a set-piece. Brown's delivery, however, was easily dealt with by the home defence.

As was the case in the first half City were made to pay for their failure to make their pressure count as, shortly after the hour mark, a sweeping move down the home left saw Liam Feeney centre and there ghosting in at the far post was Sammy Igoe who volleyed home his second of the game.

City's response saw John-Lewis fire just wide from a Clarke's ball into area whilst at the other end Moses Swaibu got in a timely challenge to deny substitute Bartley before John-Lewis won an unproductive corner from the Imps' next foray forward.

With 16 minutes remaining, Burch did well to get down and tip a low Pitman drive behind and shortly after the corner was dealt with Andy Hutchinson replaced John-Lewis.

Time was quickly running out for the Imps, though, with a heavy Howe touch denying him a sight of goal before Liam Feeney was replaced by Danny Hollands for the home side. Hollands' first touch saw him test Burch with a left-footed drive at goal.

A second City change saw Nathan Adams came on for Chris Fagan in the 85th minute and his first impact saw him win a corner on the right. Jalal, however, easily claimed Brown's inswinging delivery.

With two minutes of normal time a trip on the overlapping Hughton gave the Imps a chance from a free-kick a foot outside the area. Brown set his sights but could only look on as his left-footed effort crashed against the underside of the crossbar before the ball was hacked clear by a relieved home defence.

In the first of three added minutes, Josh McQuoid replaced two-goal Sammy Igoe for the Cherries and with no further action of note referee James Linington brought things to a close.

FT: BOURNEMOUTH 3 IMPS 1

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
10 Chris FAGAN
18 Rene HOWE

subs
26 Andy HUTCHINSON (for JOHN-LEWIS 75)
24 Nathan ADAMS (for FAGAN 85)
6 Danny HONE
17 Sam CLUCAS
19 Shane CLARKE
30 Luca COLEMAN-CARR
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

GOAL: FAGAN (26)

AFC BOURNEMOUTH
1 Shwan JALAL
23 Lee BRADBURY
5 Jason PEARCE
28 Warren CUMMINGS
3 Ryan GARRY
20 Mark MOLESLEY
7 Sammy IGOE
11 Liam FEENEY
8 Anton ROBINSON
9 Brett PITMAN
33 Steve FLETCHER

subs
6 Marvin BARTLEY (for MOLESLEY 56)
14 Danny HOLLANDS (for FEENEY 82)
17 Josh McQUOID (for IGOE 90+2)
2 Scott GUYETT
10 Alan CONNELL
22 Joe PARTINGTON
30 Dan THOMAS

GOALS: PITMAN (7), IGOE (20, 61)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: James Linington
ASSISTANTS: Tony Mason & Michael Rowley
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Harry Lennard

ATTENDANCE: 5,385 (203 City supporters)