Forest Green Rovers 3 Lincoln City 1

FOREST Green's sensational start to the National League season continued with a fifth straight victory.

Goals from James Jennings, Aaron O'Connor and a sublime late strike from Keanu Marsh-Brown -subject to a Jon Parkin claim, served further notice of Rovers' title credentials as the table-toppers defeated a previously unbeaten Lincoln outfit in sweltering 27 degree heat.

The Imps got back into the match after O’Connor fluffed his second-half chance from the penalty spot, with sub Alex Simmons netting on 71 minutes to end Rovers’ and Jonny Maxted’s seven-hour goal shut-out.

Earlier, manager Ady Pennock welcomed back Parkin and named the burly striker on the bench in an unchanged team from the mid-week victory at Boreham Wood.

Marcus Kelly (calf) Darren Jones (calf) and Danny Coles (knee) all remained sidelined.

Meanwhile, Lincoln were without mid-week hat-trick hero Liam Hearn (virus).

With Rovers and the Imps boasting unbeaten starts it was nip and tuck in the opening exchanges.

Chris Brush fizzed in a low free-kick, which required a diving save from Jonny Maxted. Moments later Rovers’ Aaron O’Connor nodded over an Elliott Frear dart and cross.

On the back of four straight victories, Rovers were brimming full of confidence –Keanu Marsh-Brown showed his class to strike wide after taking the ball off the in-form Kurtis Guthrie.

Lincoln’s Callum Howe could count himself unlucky to see yellow after allegedly tripping the leggy Guthrie and his side gained solace with Rovers’ left-back James Jennings curling the subsequent free-kick high wide and not very handsome.

Seconds later Guthrie induced another free-kick. This time Frear’s ball fell for Jennings to get the final touch and his first goal in a Rovers shirt on 24 minutes.

An impromptu and welcome drinks break in 27 degrees heat, following treatment to Dale Bennett, refreshed Rovers.

Howe’s excellent block denied Marsh-Brown a 39th minute second from a Guthrie assist.

Rovers made it 2-0 on 40 minutes with O’Connor bagging his fourth of the season.

He had Guthrie to thank after going into a meaty challenge with Bush and the ball fell kindly to O’Connor who finished with aplomb beyond Paul Farman.

Rovers started the second half brightly and the late arriving Jennings came close to a second.

A sloppy O’Connor pass forced Jennings to see yellow for upending Conner Robinson.

Cards were becoming the order of the day with Rovers’ Sam-Yorke and Lincoln’s Jon Nolan picking up bookings.

Maxted preserved his seven-hour clean sheet record with a neat glove from a Robinson’s 62 minute header as Lincoln looked for a way back into the match.

Rovers should have made it a game over third on 66 minutes. Frear found Guthrie inside the box and Luke Waterwall took the leggy strikers legs, but Farman did well to block a tame O’Connor penalty.

Rovers’ proud no goals against record ended on 71 minutes as Maxted’s new biodegradable nets were breached by sub Alex Simmons following a goalmouth scramble.

Former Lincoln striker Delano Sam-Yorke was introduced in place of O’Connor with Marsh-Brown playing through the middle.

It was Marsh-Brown who settled any late nerves on 86 minutes. Muscular play from Sam-Yorke saw Marsh-Brown dink the ball over Farman with sub Parkin claiming the last touch on the line.

Forest Green: J Maxted, D Pipe (c), J Jennings, A Racine, D Bennett, S Wedgbury, R Sinclair, K Marsh-Brown, A O’Connor, K Guthrie, E Frear.