Radcliffe Borough...4 Lincoln United...1

THERE won't be many easier victories than this for Radcliffe Borough.

Kevin Glendon's men didn't have to move out of second gear to overcome a Lincoln side that had very little to offer in terms of attacking ideas

The game was over as a contest from the moment Boro went 2-0 up in the 33rd minute and had it not been for the efforts of Lincoln's veteran goalkeeper Steve Cherry, they could have doubled their score.

As it was Boro went on to widen the gap with a third goal in the 52nd minute before Lincoln pulled a goal back in the 74th minute to add a little bit of interest, only for Boro to underline their superiority with a fourth and final goal in the second minute of stoppage time.

Leading goalscorer Jody Banim wasn't missed as he served out his one-match suspension -- and that speaks volumes for the quality of the opposition as Banim is usually Boro's main threat, whether he is scoring or not.

Neill Hardy took centre stage in Banim's absence, continuing his recent improvement in form with another industrious display.

He came close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute when his shot was tipped away by Cherry diving low to his right.

Eight minutes later he planted a header against the bar and it seemed only a matter of time before Boro opened their account.

That proved to be the case as Boro kept their fans waiting until the 21st minute before Hardy pounced on a rebound off the grounded Cherry to steer his side in front.

Twelve minutes later Richard Landon, partnering Hardy up front in place of Banim, kept his cool admirably as he raced clear and placed a neat shot past the advancing Cherry to make it 2-0.

Simon Carden, having a quiet, but effective home debut after his loan move from Accrington Stanley, found himself clean through in the 38th minute, but couldn't get enough power or direction into his shot, which was smothered easily by Cherry.

Lincoln made their first real breakthrough into the Boro penalty area two minutes later and Gareth Jones had an ideal opportunity to give his side a much-needed lift when he went to meet a cross in acres of space some 12 yards out.

Unfortunately, his finish didn't match the build-up as he lifted his shot high over the bar.

Boro increased their lead seven minutes into the second half when Landon applied a firm, downward header to a corner from the left to beat the Lincoln defence, and Cherry, all ends up.

Boro were coasting now and four minutes before Lincoln claimed their consolation goal Carden had a header saved by the hard-working Cherry.

Lincoln couldn't even claim full credit for that consolation effort as substitute Darren Smith's shot came off the far post and James Price, in trying to scoop the ball away from the line, only succeeded in steering it into the right-hand side of the unprotected goal.

If the sparse collection of Lincoln followers were anticiapting a comeback, they were to be sadly disappointed. They didn't even come close to a second and while Boro took their foot off the pedal, they did apply the finishing touch when Barrie Keeling fired home at the second attempt in stoppage time after Cherry blocked his first shot.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH: Hurst 6, Battersby 7, Whealing 7, Kelly 7, Bean 8, Keeling 6, Carden 6, Wilson 6, Hardy 8, Landon 7, Price 7. Substitutes: Elliott (for Landon 74 mins), Spencer (for Carden 82 mins). Not used: Farrelly.