ON A landmark afternoon for Lincoln City, which saw them move joint top of League One, Doncaster Rovers supporters are probably worrying about matters towards the other end of the table.

A ninth league game without a league win has ensured that they hover just two places above the relegation zone.

A freakish 71st-minute own goal from substitute Robbie Gotts, shortly after fellow replacement Brandon Hanlan fired Rovers level with his second goal in a potentially breakthrough week saw their winless sequence extended.

In fairness, Rovers gave them all in an attempt to grab a leveller, and it was probably merited on the balance of play. But it was Lincoln, who prevailed to secure their first home victory over Doncaster since November 1997.

Lincoln City's Ben House (centre) scores their side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at the LNER Stadium, Lincoln. Picture: Nigel French/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Lincoln City's Ben House (centre) scores their side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at the LNER Stadium, Lincoln. Picture: Nigel French/PA Wire.

For Rovers and Grant McCann - who was booked late on - there was immense frustration.

His side did enough to draw, but lacked ruthlessness in front of goal. The one moment when they showed it was when Hanlan levelled; it was in isolation.

On a dank November day, proceedings were lit up from a home perspective by a quality opener just after the half-hour mark, while Rovers were left to rue events before.

That came when a big moment in the context of the game - and Rovers' recent form - saw a goalline clearance from Imps defender Sonny Bradley deny Billy Sharp.

Lincoln City's Francis Okoronkwo (second from right) scores their side's first goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at the LNER Stadium, Lincoln. Picture: Nigel French/PA Wire.

Bradley had initially erred with a misjudged pass. With keeper George Wickens stranded, the visitors were presented with a huge opportunity to strike first.

Owen Bailey found Sharp, who tried to manufacture the right angle, but when he got his shot off, Bradley had got back to atone for his initial error with a key block as Lincoln defenders frantically dashed back to protect their goal following the faux pas.

The importance of that moment was magnified by the Imps breakthrough when Frankie Okoronkwo drifted away from Conor O'Riordan and scored a fine header from Tendayi Darikwa's pinpoint right-wing cross.

Lincoln possessed clear danger in the air from crosses, with Okoronkwo having earlier fired a warning in guiding an attempt just wide, while ex-Rovers man Rob Street converted with an emphatic downward header, but saw it ruled out for a push on James Maxwell.

Rovers mustered some nice moves in transition. An early one ended in Jordan Gibson's shot gathered easily by Wickens. It was a tame finish to a stylish passage of play.

But it was Lincoln who had more threat in the final third and their opener emboldened them with confidence.

On the restart, the onus was on Rovers. A side with a strong home record and decent defensive numbers, Lincoln were happy to rely on their game management, mindful of the visitors’ difficulties in terms of goalscoring.

Doncaster needed something and it almost arrived when a fine drive from distance from Luke Molyneux forced Wickens into some key work.

After his splendid opener, Okoronkwo showed another side to his game with a dreadful miss.

Mercifully for Rovers, it kept them in the game.

The visitors’ offside trap failed from Wickens’ routine punt forward, with Bradley guiding the ball into the path of Okoronkwo. With Thimothee Lo-Tutala stranded out of goal, the net beckoned, but the loanee put his effort inexplicably wide.

Like Sharp’s miss in the first half, it proved fateful.

Not too long after, Molyneux, who looked the most likely for the visitors, sent Hanlan clear with a slideline pass and the substitutes’ low finish was confident and unerring.

Within a minute, there was another twist, a very unwanted one from a Rovers perspective when Lo-Tutala’s parry to deny Ben House ricocheted off Gotts into his own net.

Rovers pushed for a leveller, and Owen Bailey slid the ball just wide in stoppage time and Glenn Middleton fired over, but it was not to be. It’s just not going for them at the moment.

Lincoln City: Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Bradley, Reach; McGrandles, Bayliss; Street (Jefferies 79), Draper (Towler 75), Okoronkwo (Obikwu 68); Collins (House 68). Substitutes unused: Jeacock, Jackson, Ring.

Doncaster Rovers: Lo-Tutala; Sterry (Nixon 79), Pearson (McGrath 79), O’Riordan, Maxwell; Bailey, Broadbent; Molyneux, Clifton (Gotts 66), Gibson (Middleton 80); Sharp (Hanlan 58). Substitutes unused: Lawlor, Close.

Referee: D Rock (Herts).

Attendance: 9,812 (1,693 Doncaster supporters).