Jamie Forrester became the first City player for over 75 years to score four goals in an away game as a 4-2 victory at Mansfield Town extended the Imps' unbeaten start to the season in style.

Forrester, without a goal this season going into the game against the Stags, opened his account in the 15th minute when he netted from the spot after Lee Frecklington was upended by Alex John-Baptiste and curled home a superb second midway through the first half after being set up by Ryan Amoo.

Number three arrived on the half-hour when Forrester followed up his own header which had been blocked on the line and City went into half-time full of confidence with Alan Marriott having saved Richard Barker's penalty just before the break.

Six minutes after the restart, Forrester added number four - following another penalty after Paul Mayo had been tripped up by John Mullins with the goal seeing him become the first City player since Tony Lormor in 1991 to net four in a game and the first since Henry Roberts in a 4-2 win at Carlisle United in March 1930 to net four times away from home in a Football League game.

Mansfield substitute Danny Reet pulled one back for the Stags in the 68th minute and Barker netted a stoppage time spot kick - the fourth awarded during the course of the game - but the day belonged to City, and Jamie Forrester, with the win ensuring the unbeaten start to the League season continued in style.

Jamie Forrester opens the scoring from the spot

match report by John Vickers at Field Mill:

Alan Marriott for Simon Rayner was the only change to the side that started Tuesday night's Carling Cup tie at Scunthorpe United as the Imps looked to extend their unbeaten League run to five games with a result against a Mansfield Town outfit who themselves went into the game having yet to taste defeat in the 2006/07 season.

The Stags, who recorded a fine 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town in their Carling Cup first roung tie, also made one change to their starting XI and, just like the Imps, it came in goal with Carl Muggleton coming in for Jason White.

Experienced official Richard Beeby was the man in charge as the hosts got the game underway attacking the end behind which sat the travelling City fans.

After a quiet opening five minutes, City pressed forward with Scott Kerr forcing the first corner of the game - Jeff Hughes' deep centre though was scrambled clear by the Stags' defence. At the other end, Alan Marriott did well to claim Richard Barker's low effort after the striker was picked out by former Grimsby man Michael Boulding.

A body check by Scott Kerr on Stephen Dawson earned the City midfielder a booking with just 12 minutes on the clock

Two minutes later, City were handed a great chance to open the scoring when a slick passing moved from the Imps opened up the Mansfield defence, culminating in Alex John-Baptiste making a reckless challenge on Lee Frecklington in the box. Referee Beeby was on the spot and quickly pointed to the spot.

With Paul Mayo missing the Imps' previous spot kick - away at Torquay - Jamie Forrester took the responsibility and planted a firm drive past Carl Muggleton to chalk up his first goal of the season.

Mansfield looked for an immediate reply with Marriott doing well to save from Boulding whilst Simon Brown warmed the Imps' keeper's hands from 25 yards shortly afterwards.

City stood firm though and constantly looked quick on the break and one such move - stemming from a clearance to Ryan Amoo on the right - that the Imps doubled their advantage.

Amoo showed great vision after receiving the ball to pick out Forrester and the City striker did the rest. With Stallard in support and creating a space for his team mate, Forrester held the ball up well before turning and curling a fine effort past the outstretched arms of Muggleton for his second in eight minutes.

Forrester, without a goal going into the game, was at it again on the half-hour mark when he became the first City player to notch a hat-trick since Simon Yeo did the business at Grimsby in January 2005.

The liveley Amoo was again the creator, this time finding space for himself before chipping the ball back across the face of goal. Forrester met it with his head, only for the ball to be cleared off the line, but the on-fire Imps' man was on hand to rifle the loose ball home, sending the travelling fans dancing with delight.

City, always looking dangerous on the break and playing some cracking stuff in the process, were on fire and Frecklington came close a couple of minute later after Forrester's third, fizzing a 25-yard drive a foot wide following a neat one-two with Mark Stallard.

Mansfield had a chance to grab one back in the 38th minute when Jeff Hughes was adjudged to have felled Simon Brown near the edge of the box but Alan Marriott easily claimed Matthew Hamshaw's goalbound effort from the free-kick.

The Stags were on the attack again three minutes before the break with Marriott producing a fine double save from Brown. As the ball ran free though, a stray leg from from Beevers caught Boulding - penalty to Town.

Experienced front man Richard Barker was the man given responsibility from 12 yards but Marriott was more than up to the task, flinging himself to his left before brilliant palming away. The loose ball was subsequently hooked clear, much to the delight of the Imps' fans behind the goal.

HT: MANSFIELD 0 IMPS 3

Neither side made any changes during the break so it was as you were with the Imps getting the second half underway three goals to the good.

As was the case in the opening period, the half started quietly but things soon warmed up when the Imps atttacked - and again they did so with some style. This time Paul Mayo brought the ball forward, picked up a flick from Jamie Forrester, and was subsequently upended by John Mullins.

A second penalty award to the Imps resulted in the same outcome - Jamie Forrester blasting the ball past Muggleton, although Mayo seemed to take the spot kick himself before handing the ball to his colleague. Mayo was one of the first to congratulate Forrester though as he rattled home his, and City's fourth of the match.

The goal saw Forrester become the first City player since Tony Lormor in 1991 to net four in a game and the first since Henry Roberts in a 4-2 win at Carlisle United in March 1930 to net four times away from home in a Football League game.

With the home fans starting to leave already, the Stags had a half-chance but Paul Morgan put in a brilliant challenge to deny Simon Brown a shot at goal. In the 59th minute a second Mansfield corner came to nothing.

Danny Reet replaced Matthew Hamshaw for the shell-shocked hosts in the 62nd minute and the substitute was quicky in the action, heading well wide from a Simon Brown centre.

Marriott then saved from Brown but was helpess in the 68th minute when Reet grabbed one back for the hosts. The number 31, looking suspiciously offside, escaped the flag after latching on to a nod forward before drilling the ball under the body of Marriott.

City replied with Amoo winning a corner but Hughes' delivery to the near post was intercepted and cleared. Amoo then saw yellow for a late lunge on Boulding.

A foul by Frecklington on Jelleyman then gave the Stags a chance from a set-piece near the edge of the box but Mullins headed well wide. Before the goal kick could be taken, referee Beeby pulled Stallard and John-Baptiste aside following an altercation in the middle, brandishing each of them a yellow card.

Paul Morgan then headed a Boulding header off his own line as the Stags looked for a second - Mansfield's tails we up now and City had to be on their guard as they were constantly being pressured when in possession.

Marriott saved again, this time from Dawson but it was becoming increasingly apparent that this was going to be Lincoln's day with the loose ball on a number of occasions running to a man in black and red rather than a man in yellow and blue.

At the other end Hughes won City's third corner of the game but Frecklington's fizzing centre was cleared at the near post. Mansfield then won their third and fourth with the latter being held well by Marriott.

With a couple of minutes remaining, Martin Gritton replaced Mark Stallard, who had put in a tremendous amount of work alongside goal hero Forrester. Forrester then received a standing ovation as he was brought off for Ollie Ryan.

Mansfield's fifth corner came along in the first of two added minutes and this ended up with referee Beeby awarding his fourth penalty with Paul Morgan ruled to have handled as the ball came into the box.

Richard Barker this time gave Marriott no chance, blasting the ball into the back of the net rather than placing it as he had done first time around. This was virtually the last kick of the game with Forrester's four-goal haul ensuring City made it three wins out of three on their travels in the League this season.

FT: MANSFIELD 2 IMPS 4

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Lee BEEVERS
4 Adie MOSES
5 Paul MORGAN
3 Paul MAYO
14 Ryan AMOO
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
24 Jeff HUGHES
9 Mark STALLARD
22 Jamie FORRESTER

subs
15 Martin GRITTON (for STALLARD 88)
18 Ollie RYAN (for FORRESTER 89)
16 Ryan SEMPLE
17 Colin CRYAN
13 Simon RAYNER

GOALS: FORRESTER (15 pen, 23, 30, 51 pen)

BOOKINGS: KERR (12), AMOO (72), STALLARD (75)

MANSFIELD TOWN
19 Carl MUGGLETON
2 John MULLINS
3 Gareth JELLEYMAN
4 Jonathan D'LARYEA
6 Alex JOHN-BAPTISTE
12 Jake BUXTON
7 Matthew HAMSHAW
8 Stephen DAWSON
9 Richard BARKER
10 Simon BROWN
11 Michael BOULDING

subs
31 Danny REET (for HAMSHAW 62)
22 Callum LLOYD (for D'LARYEA 69)
14 Chris BEARDSLEY
26 Adam BIRCHALL
1 Jason WHITE

GOALS: REET (68), BARKER (90+2 pen)

BOOKING: JOHN-BAPTISTE (75)

REFEREE: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
ASSISTANTS: M Brown & E Evans
FOURTH OFFICIAL: D Naylor

ATTENDANCE: 4,596 (902 City supporters)