Lincoln boss Michael Skubala hailed his side’s professionalism after a hard-fought 1-0 win over basement boys Port Vale.
Reeco Hackett scored the only goal of the game as the Imps made it three on the spin at Sincil Bank.
Skubala’s side fired themselves into fourth with their latest victory and are now only a point off top.
“I’m really impressed with our discipline,” reflected Skubala.
“It’s not easy. These games always look easy on paper and people have an expectation that you should just turn up and roll over Port Vale. But you see the scores today and good teams get beat again.
“It’s hard to get three points but we’ve done it. These are tough games at this level.
“I’m pleased with a real professional job. It’s a great job well done.
“These three points are worth no different than three points against a team at the top of the table.
“You need to keep churning it away.
“Everybody who is in the squad, out of the squad is fantastic at training.
“We’ve got a big squad, a deep squad, but we need it for now. We need it for this weather. We’re going to get injuries, suspensions, knocks.
“I keep saying it. Let’s just keep churning out points and let’s see where we are at the backend of January and hopefully we’re in the hunt.”
Darren Moore’s Port Vale have not won in the league since September, a run which stretched to eight games.
And he said: “The team is trying hard.
“I think if a neutral looks at both teams you wouldn’t notice the difference of where they are in the league and that’s credit to the boys.
“They’re working together, staying together and they’re trying really hard. You didn’t see a team throwing the towel in today that’s for sure.
“When you look at where the team are and the run of games we’ve been on, the team’s really trying.
“I said to them that they’re trying hard and the frustration of it is it’s one moment. It was a tight game.
“We didn’t lie down. To put in a performance here at Lincoln with where they are I’m proud of them.
“It’s not nice when you’re on the run of results we are, but all you can do is look to the next one.
“To come here and limit Lincoln to not many chances is a credit to the team, but the one chance they did get was a quality finish.
“We’re disappointed with that because we gave the ball away in transition and it decided the game.”
