Andrew Lloyd Williams reports from Dean Court

The match started in a scrappy manner with fouls from both teams. Butcher flashed an early effort just to the left of Jalal's goal with five minutes gone.

Brett Pitman opened the scoring for the Cherries with 7 minutes gone after Steve Fletcher cleverly headed the ball across the box. Pitman, stood on the penalty spot, volleyed into the left hand side of the net with his left foot.

The home side nearly doubled their advantage after 15 minutes. Feeney ran onto a throw-in from the right hand side and found himself one-on-one against goalkeeper Burch. Due to his narrow angle he was forced to square the ball, which fizzed across the face of goal with nobody there to meet it. Seconds later, Robinson fed Mark Molesley from the left hand side, but Burch was out quickly to gather. The returning captain Jason Pearce did well to clear twice from danger on the 20 minute mark as the Imps looked to get back in the game.

The Cherries doubled their lead after 20 minutes after a ball was played across the edge of the box from right to left. Brett Pitman clevery dummied the ball to allow Sammy Igoe to place his shot into the left hand corner of the goal, leaving Burch without a hope. Lincoln were pinned in their own half on the 25 minute mark, with cherries full-backs Bradbury and Cummings dictating the play and Feeney pushing forward on the left flank.

Lincoln pulled a goal back after 26 minutes through Chris Fagan. After playing a one-two, Fagan, who recently signed for Lincoln after being given a chance by Glenn Hoddle's Spanish coaching academy, smashed a volley into the top left hand corner of the goal.

On several occasions, Fletcher knocked intelligent balls out to Feeney on the left hand side to dive new dimension to attacks. Ten minutes before half time, Bradbury crossed from the right hand side. Fletcher headed the ball goalwards and Pitman helped it on, but hit the ball just over the crossbar. Just before the break, Pearce headed the ball away for a corner under immense pressure. Shwan Jalal punched away from the corner. Cherries again went close just before half time when Lee Bradbury was met a Cummings cross on the right hand side of the goal. The veteran wiggled his way inside Brown and had a shot at goal which Burch palmed away from close range. John-Lewis' end product is a department he will want to be working on after he skied a shot high and wide of the goal on the stroke of half time.

Half-time

The Cherries made it three one on the hour mark after a quiet opening to the second half. Brilliant work from Bartley driving forward provided the opportunity for Liam Feeney to cross from the left hand side. Sammy Igoe smashed a volley into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area to restore the two-goal cushion.

The game entered a quiet spell as Lincoln tried to get back in the game but were denied time and time again by the central defensive partnership of Garry and Pearce. Anton Robinson went close on 70 minutes after he was put clear. His shot hit a defender and the goalkeeper and went just wide of the goal. Robinson had a shot blocked by a defender that seemed destined for the bottom corner. as the ball came out, Brett Pitman tried to replicate the shot and forced a good save from Burch.

With ten minutes to go, a long throw from Feeney on the left was flicked on by Fletcher but could not be met as the Cherries began to tire. Eddie Howe brought on Danny Hollands, returning from injury, just at the right time. Feeney recieved a standing ovation from the Dean Court faithful. Hollands could have scored with his first touch as he cannoned a shot at goal which was well held by the goalkeeper.

Lincoln were incredibly unlucky not to pull another goal back on 90 minutes when a Brown free kick from the right hand side of the penalty area thundered against the underside of Jalal's crossbar and away to safety. Bournemouth retaliated by charging up the other end and Pitman forced one last save from Lincoln's busy goalkeeper, as his shot was beaten away from danger.

As the final whistle was blown, AFC Bournemouth celebrated gaining their place at the top of League 2.

Here are today's stats: 

Goals:

 AFC Bournemouth: (7 minutes) Brett Pitman, (21 minutes) Sammy Igoe, (60 minutes) Sammy Igoe

Lincoln City: (26 minutes) Chris Fagan

Substitutes:

AFC Bournemouth: (55 minutes) 6 Bartley for 20 Molesley, (82 minutes), 14 Hollands for 11 Feeney, (90 minutes) 17 McQuoid for 7 Igoe.

Lincoln City: (75 minutes) 26 Hutchinson for 14 John-Lewis, (85 minutes) 24 Adams for 10 Fagan

Yellow cards:

AFC Bournemouth:

Lincoln City:

Line-ups:

AFC Bournemouth

1) Shwan Jalal

9) Brett Pitman

7) Sammy Igoe

28) Warren Cummings

8) Anton Robinson

11) Liam Feeney

33) Steve Fletcher

5) Jason Pearce (C)

23) Lee Bradbury

20) Mark Molesley

3) Ryan Garry

Substitutes: 30) Dan Thomas, 14) Danny Hollands, 2) Scott Guyett, 6) Marvin Bartley, 22) Joe Partington, 17) Josh McQuoid, 10) Alan Connell

Lincoln City

1) Rob Burch

3) Aaron Brown

4) Janos Kovacs

5) Moses Swaibu

8) Richard Butcher

10) Chris Fagan

11) Scott Kerr (C)

14) Lenell John-Lewis

15) Jamie Clarke

18) Rene Howe

25) Cian Hughton

Substitutes: 20) Paul Musslewhite, 6) Daniel Hone, 17) Samuel Clucas, 19) Shane Clarke, 24) Nathan Adams, 26) Andrew Hutchinson, 30) Luca Colman-Carr.