Lincoln City had started the City exceedingly well. It was the best start in the club's history and the Imps were right on Walsall's tale of the top of the League. We were the best footballing team in the division at that point and were ripping teams apart. Rochdale were the next in line and they primed to be a very difficult task for the Imps having won 5-0 away at Darlington a few weeks before hand. Ironically, City's last league result was a 5-0 away win at Barnet.

City kicked off the match but it was the opponents who started the brighter with some neat passing moves failing to get past the Imps’ defence. The pitch had been heavily watered before hand and doing that almost gifted Rochdale a goal as Beevers chased a loose ball back but slipped, allowing 6ft 8 striker Morike Sako through on goal but Beevers recovered just intime to stop him shooting and City won a goalkick.

Doolan, making his 500^th appearance for Rochdale, was then lucky not to go into the book following several poor challenges on Mayo. With a few minutes and City had a free kick, Eaden played the ball to Stallard, he inturn played it to Amoo who tapped it into the path of Jamie Forrester and he was free on goal, the keeper didn’t come out and Forrester smashed it to his left and into the net for his 5th goal in the space of 15 days.

It was City who were well on top at this point and it wasn’t long before it was 2-0. A long ball forward looked to be about to be cleared by City’s summer trialist, Lee Crooks but out of nowhere, Lee Frecklington took the ball off him and crossed across the box where Stallard shot from a narrow angle and it entered the net, going past a bewildered Gilks on the way.

It should have been 3 within 2 minutes when Frecklington again crossed the ball to Stallard but he could only shoot just over the bar as City looked to extend their lead. Mayo fouled Stanton on the right wing and despite appearing to win the ball easily, the referee decided to award a free kick. Lee Crooks stepped up and swung the ball in, City couldn’t get the ball clear and Alan Goodall appeared out of no-where and volleyed the ball past Marriott and into the net.

All of a sudden, like so many other times, City’s defence suddenly started to panic and Nat Brown was the next to slip on the pitch as Sako again pounced on it. He ran towards Marriott with Goodall also running with him but Sako was greedy and shot himself but it was easily claimed by Marriott who barely broke a sweat trying to get to the ball. Just like the Rochdale teams of the past, they tried anything to get an advantage and Dagnall fell over in the area with Brown nearby and claimed a penalty, luckily the ref was having none of it.

Having been on the back foot for around 10 minutes, City finally managed to come back into the game when Ryan Amoo’s shot was blocked by Gilks, however, the ball popped up and was heading into the net before James Sharp headed it off the line. Chris Dagnall was booked for kicking the ball away.

With City fans getting extremely nervous, the ball was hoofed up the field by Stallard and Jamie Forrester ran with a defender but the goalkeeper came running out and appeared set to get it. Forrester put his foot forward and tapped it past Gilks who collided with his defender and Forrester had the simple task of tapping into an empty net to make it 3-1 just before half time.

Rochdale produced the game’s final chance when they again broke through 1-on-1 with Marriott but again, they could only hit the ball straight into Marriott’s hands again and the half came to an end.

Surprisingly Sako, the one Rochdale player who had looked threatening in the first half, was substituted and was replaced by Keith Barker just as the second half was about to start. Eaden gave away a free kick but Crooks’ cross was easily cleared by City and within 4 minutes, Stallard picked up the ball on the right and with City through 4 on 2, he assessed he options before squaring the ball to Forrester who had another simple tap it for yet another hat-trick but credit goes to Stallard for not being selfish and supplying Forrester with the ball.

Frecklington sent a shot wide with 56 minutes goal before an unexpected source gave the Imps a 5^th of the day. Eaden played the ball to Forrester and the man, in search of his second 4 goal haul of the season played the ball into the path of Hughes who in turn, sent a right footed thunderbolt into the net for his 2^nd of the season.

Mayo could have scored his first of the season but he sent his close range shot over the bar. Rochdale made a substitution as yet another player who almost joined City in the summer, joined the action as Darrell Clark came on for James Sharp. For the third time that season, the referee had to go off as he wandered off to the changing rooms, to be replaced by his 4^th official and a steward had to take over in his role.

Within 2 minutes, Eaden was again involved as he played the ball to Ryan Amoo, the midfield ran to the edge of the box before passing it to Stallard who hooked the ball into the net and it was 6-1 to the Imps in what would easily turn out to be our most comfortable performance of the season. Chris Dagnall was replaced by Clive Moyo-Modise for the visitors. Within 30 seconds and Forrester hit the bar.

It turned into a very comfortable afternoon for the Imps and it wasn’t long before it became 7-1 as Stallard’s cross was met by Hughes for his 2^nd as he easily beat Gilks. Frecklington was denied a shot on goal as Goodall got in the way.

Forrester’s number was then held up as he was replaced by Leon Mettam, leaving the field to a standing ovation from all fans in the ground, including the Rochdale fans. In added on time, Frecklington was replaced by Gritton who almost instantaneously provided Mettam with a chance to score but he couldn’t keep his first touch in play.

The game ended at 7-1 but it could have so easily been much more for the Imps. Despite the fact we went top the following week, City wouldn't score more than two in a game again for 7 months, it's just a pity it came in a 5-3 defeat to Bristol Rovers in the Playoffs.

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