BORO made the long trip to Lincoln in the hope that the 'Club of the Month' would be lifted - and it was!.

The Radcliffe club won the accolade for their performances in January, which then saw them turn in a winless February.

Hosts United were February's recipients and the curse was to prove well and truly alive and now residing in Lincolnshire.

Boro gave debuts to new signings Royle and Carty and it didn't take the latter long to make his mark.

Carty controlled Sampson's inswinging corner before volleying on the turn from 12 yards past United goalkeeper Nick Conroy to fire his new club into a 12th minute lead.

Boro continued to push forward and could have been awarded a penalty on 25 minutes, but the referee turned their appeals away.

Lincoln then had an opportunity to even things up on 33 minutes, but fortunately for Boro wasted the chance.

As if to emphasise that miss the league's leading scorer, Steve Foster, celebrated signing a two-year extension to his contract by extending Boro's lead on 37 minutes, heading home Battersby's cross.

But the visitors were not having it all their own way and goalkeeper Danny Hurst pulled off a superb double save just before the half time whistle.

The second half was no less exciting than the first and Lincoln squandered an early chance before tempers flared on 55 minutes, resulting in two players being sent off

Lincoln defender Mark Hone and Boro's Richard Battersby both seeing red in more ways than one.

Fortunately the game settled down again and Sampson fired wide for Boro after being put through on goal.

With 20 minutes to go Lincoln pulled a goal back through Gary Walters, and the Boro defence had to be on top form for the remainder of the game, with Hurst pulling off yet another superb save on 75 minutes to deny Paul Miller.

Shortly afterwards Foster missed a golden opportunity to grab a second goal with just the keeper to beat and put the result beyond doubt.

Boro boss Kevin Glendon, intent on grabbing all three points, reacted by replacing Steven Spencer with Ciaran Kilheeney on 80 minutes.

The plan worked, for with just two minutes to go Foster made up for his earlier miss by sewing the game up when he hit his second and Boro's third to round off a competent and winning performance.

BORO: Hurst, Battersby, Kelly, McGuire, Royle, Carty, Wilson, Sampson, Spencer, Forrest, Foster. Subs: Massey, Kilheeney (for Spencer, 80)

l Having already persuaded Scott Wilson, Simon Kelly, Martyn Forrest and Steve Foster to sign two-year extensions to their contracts, Boro boss Kevin Glendon has now added defender Paul McGuire to that list. The 24-year-old former Morecambe, Northwich and Leigh R.M.I defender signed for Boro in October 2004; like the others he has now agreed a deal for next season (2005-2006) with an option for the following season (2006-2007).

JOHN KNOTT