JOHN Akinde was the Lincoln hero as the Imps retained their three-point lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two with a 2-1 win at Forest Green.

Reece Brown's deflected seventh-minute free-kick gave play-off chasing Rovers an early lead at The New Lawn.

But Akinde levelled six minutes later, and his 79th-minute penalty extended Lincoln's unbeaten league run to 12 games.

Second-placed Bury eased past relegation-threatened 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 sealed victory.

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

The Stags were without suspended top scorer Tyler Walker, but CJ Hamilton scored twice in three minutes before half-time to move into double figures for the season.

Cheltenham levelled through Chris Hussey and Charlie Raglan, but Will Atkinson struck 13 minutes from time and Alex MacDonald added another in the dying seconds to give Mansfield a 4-2 victory.

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

Kieran Agard grabbed the winner after 41 minutes, his 15th league goal of the season.

Exeter stay fifth despite losing 1-0 at home to sixth-placed Tranmere, for whom 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 as Colchester fell out of the top seven.

Newport kept their play-off hopes alive by beating Carlisle 2-0 at Rodney Parade.

Ade Azeez's first Newport goal gave the Exiles a 14th-minute lead and Padraig Amond's 21st goal of the season midway through the second half settled matters.

Oldham's play-off ambitions suffered a blow as Stevenage drew 1-1 at Boundary Park.

Jose Baxter struck two minutes after the break to put the Latics ahead, but Kurtis Guthrie equalised in stoppage time to deprive Paul Scholes his second win as Oldham manager.

Northampton stretched their unbeaten run to five games with Daniel Powell and John-Joe O'Toole on target in a 2-0 win at Crewe.

Cambridge won by the same scoreline at Grimsby as George Taft and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy scored in the closing stages of either half.

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

Richard Bennett put Morecambe ahead and, after Abrahams' second-half double, Steven Old equalised for the Shrimps seven minutes from time.

But Ryan Seager curled a shot in off the crossbar three minutes from time to give Yeovil a second successive win and move them a point above Morecambe into 20th place.

Port Vale claimed their first point under manager John Askey at the fifth time of asking.

Vale are four points above the drop zone after a 0-0 draw at Notts County, who remain bottom and a point behind Sol Campbell's Macclesfield.