Ideal Holmes

A hat-trick by striker, Derek Holmes, gave the Millers their sixth away victory of the season and pushed them into second place this afternoon at Sincil Bank.

The game started at a furious pace and was certainly end to end with both teams having scoring chances in the first few minutes when Louis Dodd fired over for the home team and Mark Hudson's shot hit the post for the visitors followed by Ben Wright lifting the ball over Millers 'keeper, Andy Warrington, only to see his shot hit the post. Jamie Forrester then dragged his shot wide for The Imps and the Millers Ryan Taylor got the ball past Alan Marriot in Lincoln's goal only to see Nat Brown clear it off the line. Then, Chris O'Grady got the better of Brown, crossed the ball across goal and Derek Holmes put the Millers in the lead with a tap-in. City got a free kick and there was a scramble in the box but the visitors were able to clear while at the other end Lee Ridley mis-hit a ball that lobbed his own 'keeper and hit his own crossbar before Marriot was able to punch away with O'Grady closing in.

Early in the second half, Ryan Taylor missed another chance for the Millers curling the ball just wide and the visitors were made to pay for that when City were gifted an equaliser on fifty-five minutes. Graham Coughlan headed past the advancing Warrington and Jamie Forrester was on hand to fire in from an acute angle. But the home side's joy was short lived when two minutes later the Millers restored their lead when Pablo Mills pumped a ball into the middle and the static City defence let Holmes in to get his second of the afternoon. Just after Marc Joseph was let in but Marriot pulled off a good one handed save to deny him a goal but on the eighty-fourth minute a Mills ball across the box landed at Holmes feet for him to put his third into the back of the net. In the first minute of the four extra at the end of the ninety, Shane Clarke, who had replaced Lee Frecklington at half time, was shown a red card by referee Whitestone for going in hard on Mark Hudson and in the final minute Mills had a shot that went over but the travelling Millers fans went home happy with the three points.

Any neutral at the game today would have seen a good game of football which was a great advert for League Two.

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