City brought their 13-match losing League streak to an end at Sincil Bank on Saturday afternoon with man-of-the-match Lee Frecklington firing home a second half winner against Notts County.

The Imps dominated the opening half and took a deserved lead a minute before the interval when Ben Wright fired home from six yards after an Adie Moses free-kick landed at his feet but within five minutes of the restart, ex-Boston United man Gary Silk equalised with a fine 25-yard drive.

City's heads didn't drop though and with Frecklington pulling the strings in midfield, it was left to the Lincoln-born play maker to rifle home from just inside the box after he exchanged passes with Wright.

Although the nerves were tested late on, the Imps held firm with the Peter Jackson era eventually getting off and running at the fourth time of asking.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

With Ollie Ryan ruled out through suspension following his sending off at Wycombe Wanderers, in came fit-again Jamie Forrester for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Notts County at a very chilly Sincil Bank.

The switch was the only change to the side that started at Wycombe, although Dany N'Guessan was also back in the fold; the big Frenchman being named amongst the substitutes.

As mentioned, it was a very cold November afternoon in Lincoln as the teams made their way out of the tunnel and it was the visitors who got the game underway, with the Imps attacking the Stacey West Stand from the off.

City were quick to press with a Paul Green cross on the 60 second mark being headed a foot over by Ben Wright whilst a Jamie Forrester centre was inches away from connecting with the big striker who appeared to be held down as he went up for the ball.

It was certainly a bright start by the Imps with Louis Dodds testing Kevin Pilkington from the edge of the box whilst a Green effort from just inside the County half after Pilkington scuffed a clearance was hacked clear by Stephen Hunt.

Welsh winger Owain Warlow then fired a low shot a foot wide before Dodds had another effort held by Pilkington whilst County's first foray forward ended with Gary Silk seeing his cross cleared for a corner by Green.

Heavy rain was now sweeping around the ground as Green upended Myles Weston as be broke forward whilst the same County man then forced a second corner as the clock ticked into the 14th minute.

Five minutes later Danny Hone was unlucky to concede another corner under pressure from ex-Imp Lawrie Dudfield as the visitors continued to enjoy their best spell of the game and shortly after this, former Walsall striker Hector Sam dragged a low shot well wide after a Gary Croft clearance cannonned into his path.

Former City man Richard Butcher then tested Ben Smith with a right-footed drive whilst the Imps' response saw them force their first corner as the half reached its midway point. Warlow's decent delivery was punched clear by Pilkington before Butcher helped the ball on its way towards the half-way line.

Dodds then volleyed straight at Pilkington and Frecklington sent in a weak header whilst Adam Tann seemed to be keen to take Wright's shirt off his back as the pair went in to meet a Croft centre. Referee Paul Melin, however, was happy to let play carry on.

A push by Hunt on Wright was spotted by the Surrey-based official on the half-hour mark though and when Warlow was allowed to set his sights from the set-piece, he fizzed in a drive which flew inches the wrong side of the post.

Green then saw his shot blocked by Tann as good work from Frecklington saw him open the visiting defence up whilst Wright had a header held by Pilkington after a looping centre from Green was met by the big number 15.

County responded with Butcher forcing a corner off Croft; Lincoln-born Paul Mayo seeing his resultant flag-kick headed wide by his former City colleague but the Imps' reply was immediate as, a minute before the break, they gravved a deserved lead.

The goal came after a free-kick was floated in by Moses and there to pick up the loose ball as it bounced in the box was BEN WRIGHT whose effort had too much pace on it with Pilkington only able to help it into the net.

It was nothing more than City deserved and they could take plenty of positives into the interval with them following a more than encouraging opening 45 minutes.

HT: IMPS 1 NOTTS COUNTY 0

Neither side made any changes during the break and within 10 seconds of the restart City won a corner with Pilkington seeing his clearance crash into Lee Canoville before going behind. The flag-kick ended with Frecklington volleying well over.

Dodds then forced Pilkington into a good save after Frecklington opened up the County back line but the visitors replied with their first effort on target; former Boston United man Gary Silk letting fly from 25 yards with his right-footed effort flying past Smith's fingertips and into the top right hand corner for the equaliser.

Three minutes after this set-back, Moses upended Sam to give County a free-kick in a dangerous position 25 yards out; Neil Mackenzie firing just over from the dead ball situation.

At the other end a Green ball into the box was met by Wright only for his sliding effort to trickle a couple of feet wide of the target whilst Green dragged a shot wide after Frecklington gained possession in the middle third before laying the ball into the path of his team mate.

Great vision from Croft then saw him pick out Frecklington who was denied a shot on target by the backtracking Tann whilst at the other end Sam shot wide only for referee Melin to award a corner.

A change for City in the 70th minute saw Dany N'Guessan replace Owain Warlow and his first touch saw him flick a Forrester centre over the bar after the Imps broke at pace.

An Imps' corner four minutes later was wasted but there was nothing wrong with City's next attack as Lee Frecklington, head and shoulders better than anyone else on the pitch, exchanged passes with Wright before rifling a low drive past Pilkington to edge City back in front with a quarter of an hour on the clock.

A foul by Mayo on N'Guessan gave City the chance to add a third from a free-kick but when the ball came in at the second attempt by Green, N'Guessan took the ball off the head of Hone, nodding over in the process.

Former City man Spencer Weir-Daley was then introduced by County boss Ian McParland, another former Imp, for Hector Sam up front for the Magpies and as he trotted into the action a Green free-kick flew past a packed penalty area before clipping a visiting defender on its way out for a throw-in.

Imps' physio Michael Wait was called into action after Green took a knock to his head as he challenged for the ball with Mackenzie but the City right-back was able to carry on after treatment

With three minutes on the clock Adam Tann earned a deserved yellow for a lunge on N'Guessan and from the free-kick, clever play from Forrester saw him ear up some seconds by watching the ball go out for a throw-in.

Ben Wright then forced a corner as the game entered its final minute of normal time whilst in the first of three added minutes, experienced play from Moses saw him shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick under pressure from Tann.

A County free-kick saw everyone go back to defend but when Mayo lost possession, the Imps brought the ball forward with N'Guessan winning a corner.

At the other end, 30 seconds over the added time, County had a corner but Hone rose majestically to clear his lines and as the ball looped high into the air, referee Melin brought proceedings, and the nail-biting, to an end.

FT: IMPS 2 NOTTS COUNTY 1

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
28 Ben SMITH
2 Paul GREEN
4 Adie MOSES
27 Daniel HONE
3 Gary CROFT
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
8 Jamie FORRESTER
20 Owain WARLOW
15 Ben WRIGHT
19 Louis DODDS

subs
17 Dany N'GUESSAN (for WARLOW 70)
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
26 Jamie HAND
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
1 Alan MARRIOTT

GOALS: WRIGHT (44), FRECKLINGTON (75)

NOTTS COUNTY
1 Kevin PILKINGTON
2 Lee CANOVILLE
5 Adam TANN
8 Neil MACKENZIE
10 Lawrie DUDFIELD
12 Gary SILK
13 Hector SAM
15 Paul MAYO
18 Stephen HUNT
23 Richard BUTCHER
30 Myles WESTON

subs
21 Spencer WEIR-DALEY (for SAM 80)
6 Matthew SOMNER
24 Craig LINDFIELD
25 Krystian PEARCE
20 Tim SANDERCOMBE

GOAL: SILK (50)

BOOKING: TANN (87)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Paul Melin (Surrey)
ASSISTANTS: Glenn Hambling & Mathew McLaughlin
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Stephen Cooke

ATTENDANCE: 4,543 (1,060 visiting supporters)