Erik Ring scored his first goal in English football to snatch a late winner for Lincoln as they beat 10-man Northampton 2-1 in their League One match at the LNER Arena.
Tariqe Fosu had fired the visitors ahead in the second minute, before Tom Hamer levelled 16 minutes later.
Tyler Roberts saw red for Town after 75 minutes and Ring came up with the goods late on to lift the Imps into the play-off places.
The Cobblers were ahead inside 90 seconds, when Roberts outfoxed the City defence and raced down the left to square for Fosu, who drilled home a low shot.
City responded, with Ethan Hamilton’s effort saved by Lee Burge, before Fosu shot wide for the visitors.
Roberts nearly sliced a Reeco Hackett corner into his own net, but from the resulting delivery, Hackett’s cross found Hamer at the back post and he crashed the ball in to restore parity.
Ben House curled over, Sean Roughan brought a save out of Burge before Jack Baldwin cleared House’s effort off the line as City dominated.
On the stroke of half-time, home keeper George Wickens had to be alert to keep out Jon Guthrie’s header.
The second half struggled to ignite, following a lengthy stoppage due to an injury to substitute Tom Eaves, until the 75th minute when Roberts collected a second booking for Town after punching the ball away as City won a throw-in.
Then with only their second shot on goal in the second half, in the 88th minute, City won it.
Substitute Jovon Makama did well on the right to beat his man and drove a cross towards Ring and the Swede slammed the ball into the net.
