Jamie Reid was the goalscoring hero again as his poacher’s finish gave Stevenage a 1-0 victory over Lincoln which lifted them up to fourth in League One.

It also ensured a losing start for new Imps head coach Michael Skubala, whose side lacked a cutting edge that was provided to the Boro by Reid’s 14th goal of the season.

In what was an open start to the game, Lincoln striker Jack Vale had a shot saved by Taye Ashby-Hammond before Stevenage’s Alex MacDonald sent a rising effort from outside the area just over.

The hosts were denied by a superb piece of last-ditch defending by TJ Eyoma five minutes into the second half which prevented Kane Hemmings from converting Finley Burns’ header across.

Hemmings then came even closer to breaking the deadlock with just over an hour played when his effort crashed off the inside of the near post.

The breakthrough finally came in the 68th minute when a scramble following Jake Forster-Caskey’s corner led to Reid bundling in from close range.