GRIMSBY Town suffered a 3-1 derby defeat as Lincoln City did the double over their fierce county rivals.
After their 3-2 victory in September, the Imps ensured they made it six points from six against the Mariners this season thanks to goals from Charlee Adams, Alan Power and ex-Mariner Marcus Marshall.
It had looked promising for the hosts after Craig Disley had headed them into a 21st-minute lead, but two Lincoln goals in the final five minutes of the first-half changed the entire complexion of the derby.
Paul Hurst made three changes to the side that started the Boxing Day win at Macclesfield with Carl Magnay replacing the suspended Toto Nsiala.
Jack Mackreth – the match-winner at Moss Rose – dropped to the bench along with Scott Brown, with the Scouse duo being replaced by Scott Neilson and Craig Clay respectively.
After a well-observed silence in memory of former chairman Peter Furneaux, the game started at a frantic pace in front of a bumper crowd.
Lenell John-Lewis saw faint penalty appeals turned down before Marshall went on an early dart down the left with less than two minutes on the clock.
Two minutes later, and Paul Farman had to be quick off his line to head off Nathan Arnold after a clever pass saw him break into the box, but the visitors were giving as good as they got amid an end-to-end opening.
Hamza Bencherif was the first to test either keeper after a free-kick fell to him at the far post, but James McKeown provided the answer with a decent stop.
Neilson the hosts' first shot in anger seconds later, with a dipping volleyed effort from 25-yards that Farman watched bounce past his left-hand post.
With little over ten minutes on the clock, John-Lewis was bundled to the turf and Shaun Pearson headed Neilson's in-swinging set-piece from the left as the game began to settle down a touch, allowing fans and players a chance to catch their breath.
But it wasn't long before the home faithful were on their feet as Town made the break-through thanks to captain Disley.
Neilson was fouled on the edge of the box, but referee Rushton allowed play to go on and Danny Parslow slid in Jon-Paul Pittman, who turned and lifted in a fine ball which the skipper had timed his run perfectly to meet.
His header was a formality and Disley – a regular scorer in the fixture – duly nodded past a helpless Farman to light the touch paper once again.
In the aftermath of the goal, a flare was let-off in the Osmond End while Disley, with adrenaline coursing through his veins, bundled over Marshall and received the game's first booking.
Five minutes short of the half-hour, Neilson was finally forced off with the knock he picked up in the build-up to Town's opener and was replaced by Mackreth.
And the winger could have been the man to double Town's advantage minutes after his introduction.
Disley's superb tackle allowed his side to break down the left through Pittman, but his pull-back to an unmarked Mackreth was a couple of yards too high.
The pair were at it again ten minutes before the break with Pittman again the provider. This time, Mackreth climbed to meet the centre well, but lifted his header over, with Disley flagged offside minutes later as the hosts kept their foot on the gas.
Sean Newton forced McKeown into a magnificent, one-handed save to push away his fine first-time volley, but the Town stopper could do nothing about the strike that drew the Imps level just before the break.
From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Lincoln's Birmingham City loanee Adam, who produced a stunning long-range effort that arrowed into the Pontoon goal's top corner – sparking wild celebrations – and another flare – in the away end.
And after seeing their side under the cosh for much of the opening 45, they were on their feet again in the first minute of stoppage time.
Marshall ran at the Town defence once again and worked the overlap with Caprice, who whipped in a low cross to the back post that Alan Power slid in to meet and leave his side up at the break and the home faithful stunned.
Paul Bignot replaced Magnay at the break, with Town needing a quick response to the end of the first-half.
But it was Lincoln who had the ball in the net five minutes after the restart when, after McKeown's abysmal clearance, Marshall squared into the box for the unmarked Delano Sam-Yorke, who was flagged offside as he rifled home regardless from 15 yards.
Arnold drove straight at Farman before John-Lewis went on an encouraging burst before seeing his attempted ball to Pittman cut out.
Mackreth then skipped in from the left and had the Imps' stopper at full-stretch to tip over his pile-driver, with Arnold dropping the resulting corner onto his crossbar.
The visiting fans were enjoying their afternoon much more than their hosts as Town pressed for an equaliser without much joy as the hour was marked with Pittman being foiled by the legs of Farman after making room for himself in the box.
In fact, it was Lincoln who should have extended their lead when Tomlinson crashed a superb effort off the frame of McKeown's goal, with Marshall turning over the rebound.
But with 20 minutes to go, the energetic visitors did get a third when Town were robbed of possession on the left hand side and Sam-Yorke squared for Mashall who was first in the queue to bundle home.
That silenced and already quiet home crowd as the visiting fans behind the goal took delight in the misery around Blundell Park.
Danny Parslow had the chance to set-up a grand-stand finish but saw his scrambled effort inside the box kept out by Farman, who frustrated Pittman again minutes later afterhis dazzling run through the box.
As the game entered its final ten minutes, Pittman and then John- Lewis – twice – saw close-range efforts turned away as the disappointing hosts looked for an unlikely route back into the game.
Sam-Yorke had a chance to add extra gloss – and inflict more misery – after Lincoln broke from another disappointing corner from Town, but dragged his shot wide.
It mattered little in the end as Lincoln held on to do the double over their fierce rivals and leave Town fans with little festive cheer.
