By Nathan Jackson
January 5 2008

Lincoln maintained an unbeaten record in 2008 by recording a 2-0 victory at high-flying Rochdale, but I'd be lying if I said that overall we deserved the victory given to us by Freck and Forrester. Rochdale had a goal disallowed and overall City did seem to get favoured by the referee, but you'll find few complaining in Lincoln as the Imps recorded just their 6th win of the season.

City kicked off the action and Freck had City's first chance when his shot went into the gloves of Sam Russell. Dodds was the next to try unsuccessfully as he shot wide against his former side. The first half was slow though with neither side really making much of an impression and it took until the quarter of an hour mark before the next chance and it fell at the feet of Doolan, but he could only head over the bar.

Forrester just failed to meet a Wright cross before Russell struggled to gather a Frecklington effort. Rundle's corner was claimed by the returning Marriott before the Imps won a free kick. Ridley stepped up and swerved it neatly around the wall and only a good save from Russell prevented the Imps from taking the lead.

Glen Murray volleyed over just before half time but neither side could open the scoring in a quite uneventful first half.

City won another close range free kick but Frecklington hit it straight at Russell before Rochdale had a golden chance to take the lead. Miscommunication in the City box saw Murray with a seemingly open goal, but thankfully Paul Green managed to get into his body in the way and deflect it out for a corner. The hosts responded by bringing on Higginbotham for Le Fondre. Doolan wasted a chance as he hit a free kick straight at the City wall before Adam Smith replaced Wright for the hosts.

Freck tried to be clever with a corner and play it to Forrester, but the defence intercepted and produced an inevitably failed counter attacker. Ridley cleared another chance out for a corner, from the delivery Murray put the ball into the net but it was ruled out for a foul on Maririott. Murray was booked and was joined a minute later by Nat Brown.

McEvilly came on for Rochdale but just a few minutes later and City had the lead. Smith volleyed at Russell and the goalkeeper parried it straight into Forrester's path and the striker had an open goal to aim at and gave City a rather undeserved lead.

Just over a minute later and City doubled their lead when Frecklington ran through the midfield unchallenged and thundered a shot in from 25 yards and City were 2-0 up.

Neither side managed to create anymore chances and the Imps kept their first clean sheet in any competition since August 25th.