Jason Shackell nets late winner for League Two leaders Lincoln

Lincoln made hard work of it but maintained top spot in League Two thanks to a narrow 2-1 win at Macclesfield.

The Imps had had an alarmingly-easy afternoon at the Moss Rose but looked to have thrown two points away when Jamie Grimes scrambled in an equaliser five minutes from time, cancelling out Tom Pett’s first-half goal.

But centre-back Jason Shackell fired in through a crowd of players to increase the misery for second-bottom Macclesfield and keep Lincoln riding high.

In truth the struggling Silkmen had been overrun in a one-sided game, only the heroics of Manchester United loan goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara seemingly earning a reward after impressively denying John Akinde, Pett and Harry Anderson.

O’Hara had performed heroics with his side barely able to lay a glove on their high-flying guests as Macclesfield’s torment continued late into the game.

That was until Grimes pounced during a goalmouth scramble but, while Lincoln were not at their best, Shackle’s goal moments later was enough for a sixth win.