Table-topper John is one of Akinde

JOHN AKINDE was the Lincoln hero as the Imps retained their three-point lead at the top with a 2-1 win at Forest Green.

Reece Brown’s deflected seventh-minute free-kick gave play-off chasing Rovers an early lead.

But Akinde (below) levelled six minutes later and his 79th-minute penalty extended Lincoln’s unbeaten league run to 12.

Second-placed Bury eased past relegationthreatened Macclesfield

3-0 at Gigg Lane. Nicky Maynard’s

18th goal of the season put the Shakers ahead after

24 minutes before a Jay O’Shea penalty and a late Scott Wharton header.

Mansfield stay in third spot after edging a six-goal thriller 4-2 against Cheltenham.

CJ Hamilton scored twice in three minutes. Cheltenham levelled through Chris Hussey and Charlie Raglan but Will Atkinson struck 13 minutes from time and Alex MacDonald added another.

MK Dons claimed a fourth successive victory after beating Crawley 1-0 to stay two points behind Mansfield. Kieran Agard grabbed the winner.

Exeter stay fifth despite losing 1-0 at home to sixth-placed Tranmere. James Norwood scored a

31st-minute winner. Swindon beat Colchester 3-0 to register their best home win of the season.

Canice Carroll and Luke Woolfenden produced quickfire strikes just before the break and Kyle Bennett added a third midway through the second half. Newport kept their play-off hopes alive by beating Carlisle

2-0. Oldham saw their play-off ambitions suffer a blow as Stevenage drew 1-1 at Boundary Park. Northampton stretched their unbeaten run to five with Daniel Powell and John-Joe O’Toole on target in a 2-0 win at Crewe. Cambridge also won 2-0 at Grimsby.

Tristan Abrahams scored twice as Yeovil’s survival hopes were boosted with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Morecambe.

Port Vale claimed their first point under boss John Askey. Vale are four points above the drop zone after a 0-0 draw at Notts County, who remain bottom.