Cowley’s delight as Imps beat Shrimps

DANNY COWLEY saw his Lincoln side move back to the top with a classy 3-1 win over Morecambe at Sincil Bank.

The Red Imps capitalised on the postponement of MK Dons’ game at Newport to move a point clear of Paul Tisdale’s side.

The contest was effectively over before half-time thanks to goals from Harry Anderson, John Akinde and Jason Shackell. Kevin Ellison grabbed an 80th-minute consolation strike for the visitors.

Lincoln were the only team in the top eight to win on a day which saw third-placed Colchester crash to a shock 4-0 defeat at Carlisle.

Hallam Hope, Jerry Yates, Jamie Devitt and Danny Grainger all netted for the Cumbrians to secure their first league win in four games.

Chris O’Grady (above) fired a hat-trick as Oldham served up Bury’s first league defeat in six games with a 4-2 win. Sam Surridge also got on the scoresheet, while Caolan Lavery bagged twice for the visiting side.

But O’Grady was the star of the show as he completed his treble with a 62nd-minute header.

Sol Campbell marked his first home game in charge of Macclesfield by inspiring them to a 2-0 victory over Crawley.

Elliott Durrell struck in the first half before a late Harry Smith header sealed three precious points.

But they remain rooted to the bottom of the table due to a Jon Stead double which spurred Notts County to a 3-2 win over Tranmere.

Only one point separates Cambridge from the drop zone after they were held to a goalless draw at home to Yeovil.

Fellow strugglers Cheltenham were denied victory in a dramatic finish to their 2-2 draw at Port Vale.

Nigel Atangana’s

89th-minute effort looked to have stolen the points, but they were cruelly denied by Antony Kay’s leveller in stoppage time.

Ben Kennedy salvaged a

1-1 draw for Stevenage at Northampton, while Grimsby won 2-1 against Swindon thanks to a double from Wes Thomas.

Elsewhere, Forest Green’s game against Mansfield was abandoned following a goalless first half due to a waterlogged pitch.