Chesterfield striker Jack Lester helped himself to a first half hat-trick as the Spireites extended City's winless run courtesy of a 4-2 success at Sincil Bank.

City were three down by the 42nd minute as Lester took centre stage. His first was an eighth minute volley from a Jamie Ward ball into the box, the second an unstoppable effort from a narrowing angle 10 minutes later and the third a cool finish after he found space on the left hand side.

Although Dany N'Guessan pulled one back a minute before the break, the Spireites regained their three-goal advantage when defender Janos Kovacs slid in at the far post to convert a quickly taken corner.

Within a couple of minutes Hamza Bencherif buried a header for his first goal in City colours but despite enjoying the better of things for the remainder of the game, the damage was done, with Lester's first half treble proving to be the difference.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

With Lee Beevers out with a dislocated shoulder suffered during the first half of Friday's match against Chester City, in came fit-again vice-captain Adie Moses at the heart of the Imps' defence for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against sixth-placed Chesterfield at Sincil Bank.

Whilst Moses, who had missed the last couple of games due to a neck strain, returned to the starting XI, striker Jamie Forrester was also back in the fray after shaking off a hamstring problem. He was named on the bench in place of Owain Warlow.

There was a distinct chill in the air as the two sides made their way out of the tunnel, with City searching for their first win in 12 games. Ray Lee from Essex was the man in the middle.

Chesterfield got things underway and were quickly on the attack with Felix Bastians winning a free-kick as he was sandwiched by Lee Frecklington and Paul Green. City half-cleared the set-piece before the ball bounced to Aaron Downes who promptly fired against Gary Croft with the ball going out for a corner. The Imps' back line stood firm as the ball came in again.

Jamie Ward then tested Alan Marriott with a fierce drive from a narrow angle whilst at the other end a weak back pass from Downes almost let in Louis Dodds but visiting 'keeper Barry Roche was able to clear his lines.

City's first shot on goal came courtesy of a Lee Frecklington drive which was easily claimed by Roche in the sixth minute but just a couple of minutes later, the Spireites opened the scoring.

The Imps were caught napping by a long throw down the Chesterfield left and when Ward pulled the ball back from the byline, there was in-form striker Jack Lester to pull the trigger, smashing a right foot volley past Marriott.

City looked for a quick response with Dany N'Guessan winning a corner two minutes after this early set-back and after Frecklington's delivery to Green found its was to Hamza Bencherif at the back post, he played the ball back into the mix only for N'Guessan to snatched at it and the visitors cleared to safety.

Chesterfield were certainly looking sharp on the break as they went in search of a second and that second duly arrived 10 minutes after the first. And again it was that man Lester who came up with the goods.

The Spireites second came after the former Grimsby and Forest man picked up the ball on the edge of the box, showed good strength to hold off a couple of challenged and smacked the ball into the roof of the net with Marriott having no chance between the sticks.

Only a great saving challenge by Green on Adam Rooney seconds later kept the score at 2-0 and the Imps just couldn't get their foot on the ball as the half reached its midway point.

A rare City attack in the 27th minute saw Frecklington flick an N'Guessan centre well wide whilst at the other end Chesterfield came close to adding a third when Ward fired a low drive against the post following a one-two with Lester before Bencherif cleared.

A brief spell of City pressure came and went without the end product whilst the impressive Ward came close to doing the spectacular after he latched on to a long ball forward before sending a looping volley onto the roof of the net from a good 35 yards out.

City looked to reply with Louis Dodds grounded by a late 38th minute challenge by Gregor Robertson and when Green whipped in a decent centre Bencherif got on the end of it but Roche somehow emerged with the ball in his grasp.

Seconds later Downes took Torpey out as advanced with the ball and the Spireites skipper had a Janos Kovacs to thank as had it not been for his covering, referee Lee would surely have produced a red card rather that the yellow that emerged from his pocket.

It wasn't long before play switched to the other end though and, after Jamie Hand was caught in possession, the ball was played forward to Lester and he did the rest, advancing forward before slotting neartly under the advancing Marriott to complete his hat-trick.

Within two minutes, and a minute before the break, City pulled one back with Dany N'Guesan picking up the ball before running at the visiting defence for the first time. After beating one man, the big Frenchman side-stepped another before firing goalwards, his right-footed effort taking a slight deflection before trickling past a wrong-footed Roche.

HT: IMPS 1 CHESTERFIELD 3

A double change at the break for City saw Jamie Forrester and Ben Wright replace Jamie Hand and Steve Torpey. Chesterfield remained unchanged.

Wright, partnering N'Guessan up front, was quickly into the action, volleying over from 20 yards after a hurried clearance from the visitors fell at his feet whilst at the other end Marriott palmed a deflected Rooney shot into the path of Lester who rattled the woodwork from a couple of feet out.

N'Guessan then drilled a left-footed effort low to Roche's right whilst at the opposite end Lester turned and shot straight at Marriott before volleying into the side netting from 25 yards a minute later. He was a striker certainly not lacking in confidence!

A deep centre from Bencherif after the ball was laid back to him by Forrester who was operating in a role on the right, saw Wright beat Roche to the ball before heading over whilst good play from Forrester saw him beat a couple of players but his through ball was just in front of N'Guessan.

Good link up play between Forrester and Green saw the latter denied by a sliding challenge by Derek Niven whilst Chesterfield's reply saw them win the first corner of the half and when the flag-kick was taken quickly the ball found its way to the back post where in slid Janos Kovacs to make it 4-1.

Almost immediately following the restart Jamie Ward saw yellow after he kicked the ball away after being flagged offside and when play restarted Frecklington saw a bobbling effort tipped behind by Roche.

Frecklington took the corner himself and when the ball was played back to him he chipped a peach of a centre to the far post where Hamza Bencherif rose majestically before powering a header into the back of the net for his first Imps' goal.

Green then tried his luck from long range with the ball flying a foot over before Phil Picken was cautioned for delaying a free-kick. After Frecklington was robbed of a corner after his effort at goal clearly took a deflection before bouncing behind. Before the goal kick could be taken, Kevin Gray and Steve Fletcher were brought on for Felix Bastians and Jamie Ward for the visitors.

Scott Kerr became the first City man to enter the book for a late 77th minute challenge on Niven but time was quickly running out for the Imps as they looked to salvage something from the game.

N'Guessan and Peter Leven were then involved in some afters after the pair tangled for possession and after referee Lee called them both across, he gave them both a yellow card.

Phil Picken made way for Alan O'Hare for the Spireites with four minutes on the clock and as time ticked on a cross from Wright saw the advancing Gary Croft fling himself at the ball only to send his diving header wide of the mark.

City were certainly looking to set up a grandstand finish but a Frecklington corner evaded a packed penalty area before Fourth Official Gary Sutton indicated than a minimum of four added minutes would be played.

In the third of these added minutes Forrester had a shot deflected into the side netting but again nothing was forthcoming from the corner. This proved to be the final action of note and it wasn't long before referee Lee brought an end to proceedings.

FT: IMPS 2 CHESTERFIELD 4

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
4 Adie MOSES
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
3 Gary CROFT
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
26 Jamie HAND
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
10 Steve TORPEY
19 Louis DODDS

subs
8 Jamie FORRESTER (for TORPEY h/t)
15 Ben WRIGHT (for HAND h/t)
14 Ryan AMOO
27 Danny HONE
13 Ayden DUFFY

GOALS: N'GUESSAN (44), BENCHERIF (67)

BOOKINGS: KERR (77), N'GUESSAN (83)

CHESTERFIELD
1 Barry ROCHE
5 Phil PICKEN
11 Gregor ROBERTSON
2 Janos KOVACS
15 Aaron DOWNES
20 Adam ROONEY
8 Derek NIVEN
19 Peter LEVEN
13 Felix BASTIANS
14 Jack LESTER
7 Jamie WARD

subs
6 Kevin GRAY (for BASTIANS 72)
10 Steve FLETCHER (for WARD 72)
18 Alan O'HARE (for PICKEN 86)
9 Adam SMITH
16 Jamie WINTER

GOALS: LESTER (8, 18 & 42), KOVACS (64)

BOOKINGS: DOWNES (39), WARD (66), PICKEN (71), LEVEN (83)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Ray Lee (Essex)
ASSISTANTS: Guy Stretton & David Webb
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Gary Sutton

ATTENDANCE: 3,893 (924 visiting supporters)