By Nathan Jackson
January 23 2005

City won 4-2 at local rivals Grimsby Town on Saturday afternoon thanks to a hatrick from Simon Yeo and a Cairan Toner strike. Yeo became the first City league hatrick scorer in 6 and a half years to propel the Imps into the playoff positions.

The derby started quietly with only a Grimsby corner threatening to open the scoring in the first 10 minutes but it was wasted. On the 13th minute, Gritton was caught offside, Marriott throttled the ball forward which Sandwith touched on before Yeo whalloped the ball home from 6 yards to give the Imps a 1-0 lead. Within 2 minutes, it should have 2-0 when a Craig Westcarr couldn't connect properly with a shot and sent the ball wide from less than 6 yards out.

Lincoln came under pressure but Grimsby failed to produce anything from 2 corners before City gained one of their own midway through the half. Sandwith took the corner which GTF managed to control with a suspicion of handball before crossing the ball, after missing almost everyone, Yeo snook in at the back post and hit the ball in the net with another close range effort to make it 2-0 to City.

It was almost 3 just seconds later when GTF burst through on goal but his shot was blocked by Terrell Forbes after the defender managed to catch up. The ex-Imp, Terry Fleming fouled GTF just minutes later but the free kick was wasted by Westcarr who just sent it well over everyone and out for a goalkick.

Grimsby won a few more corners but still didn't create anything and Grimsby's first shot in the 37th minute was easily collected by Marriott. Martin Gritton then wasted a chance when he cleared the stand from 6 yards out.

Grimsby came out for the second half very determind and after a null start to the half, they made it 2-1 5 minutes into the half when Reddy managed to cross beyond the defence to the back post where Pinault was waiting and all of a sudden, there was a game on. It was all Grimsby and they quickly gained yet more corners but both were cleared easily. However, another scamble just seconds later saw Coldicott smash in the ball from outside of the box after Pinault's cross although Marriott should have done better. It was 2-2 with half an hour to go and you get a feeling it wasn't over then and the scores stayed level for all of 62 seconds. As Grimsby fans were still celebrating, GTF broke down the right before crossing for Yeo who's first time shot beat Williams and was the first hatrick by a City player in the league since 1997. I have read other reports of Grimsby fans celebrating, sitting down, looking up just to see the ball go in the net, classic.

Grimsby were deflated and you could tell, they just gave up, they weren't even running anymore. Then came a moment no-one was expecting, GTF or Yeo ran into the box but was stopped by 3 Grimsby defenders, one of them cleared it straight to Toner on the edge of the area and the midfielder, linked with a move to Kidderminster in midweek scored his first goal to City and made it 4-2 to the Imps.

The game calmed down and the remaining 20 minutes were only full of half chances and no hopers and City made it 3 well earned points and moved back into the playoff positions.