City moved back into the Play-Off positions on Saturday with an emphatic 5-0 demolition of local rivals Grimsby Town at Sincil Bank.

Whitewash. Hammering. Humiliation. Call it what you like, this was City at their ruthless best. A 5-0 victory in the Lincolnshire derby against Grimsby are what dreams are made of.

Grimsby boss Russell Slade labeled his side's performance as the worst he has ever seen from his side. But he can take nothing away from City's five-star performance.

The damage was done by half-time as City went in at the break 4-0 up after a devastating first-half display. Furious Grimsby boss Slade was that disgusted by his players' performance, he dragged his players to the center-circle at half-time for a dressing down, complete with flip chart board!

The demolition began in the 13th minute when Luke Foster flicked the ball home from a long throw-in by Paul Mayo. Two minutes later, City supporters went wild again when debutant Jamie Forrester netted a superb goal with an exquisite lob over 'keeper Mildenhall.

City made it three on 37 minutes when Marvin Robinson was tripped by the hand of Mildenhall inside the area. Referee Steve Bennett had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Paul Mayo slammed home the penalty in emphatic style to put the home fans in dream land.

Just as Imps fans thought 'surely, it can't get any better', it did. On 43 minutes, the scoreline read Lincoln City 4 Grimsby Town 0 as the Mariners crumbled again. The superb and intelligent Forrester - full of confidence after his goal and up for it against his former club - played in a cracking cross into the six-yard box and Marvin Robinson had the easy task of sidefooting the ball home.

The wishes of City fans for a fifth goal to cap a magnificent display were answered when Lee Beevers made it 5-0 in the 83rd minute.

Marvin Robinson slides home to make it 4-0

report by Jonny Hall at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Imps boss Keith Alexander made three changes to the side that suffered a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Boston United last Saturday.

In came the versatile Luke Foster, striker Marvin Robinson and new loan signing Jamie Forrester. Striker Gary Birch and midfield man Steve Robinson dropped to the bench. The Imps were without the injured Simon Yeo, who is sidelined for four to six weeks with knee ligament damage sustained at Boston last weekend.

Experienced striker Forrester (31), made his Imps debut after signing a one-month loan deal from Bristol Rovers on Thursday. City's other new signing, Jamie Sherlock (signed from Gainsborough Trinity until the end of the season), did not feature in the squad having only met up with his new team mates today.

Grimsby kicked off with City attacking the IMPS stand. The Mariners, roared on by a 2,200-plus following, won the game's first corner after just 60 seconds. Jamie McCombe headed the set piece away to safety. It was a frenetic opening five minutes with both sides coming out with all guns blazing.

The visitors mustered the first shot on goal when City 'keeper Alan Marriott punched the ball clear, but only as far as Paul Bolland whose powerful drive from 15 yards was saved well by Marriott. A comfortable stop. On seven minutes, midfielder Ciaran Toner struck a long-range effort over the crossbar, which untroubled Marriott.

This Lincolnshire derby clash looked set to be a full-blooded battle as the two teams scrapped for possession. It was hard to concentrate on matters on the pitch as stewards ejected a member of the crowd from the Co-op Stand. Turning attentions back to on-field action, the Imps carved open their first chance in the 10th minute.

Scott Kerr found space out on the left-hand side, he sent over a pin point flighted cross, and Jamie Forrester met it with a lovely, glancing header which dipped a couple of inches wide of the far post. The high tempo opening continued unabated.

And, to really get the crowd going, Lincoln opened the scoring in the 13th minute. A long throw-in by Paul Mayo from the left saw the ball bounce once before Luke Foster stooped to stab a header past 'keeper Mildenhall and into the net. Foster and his team mates were overjoyed as Imps fans went wild in the stands.

Two minutes later, City supporters were in ecstasy as their battling troops raced into a 2-0 lead on 15 minutes. And what a goal it was. A long ball forward by City found Jamie Forrester on the left, he let the ball bounce once, before lifting an exquisite lob with the outside of his boot over the head of a stranded Mildenhall, the ball nestling in the corner of the net.

It was a finish of sheer quality and, perhaps, a contender for goal of the season. Especially in a game like this. Forrester wheeled away in delight - what a way to begin his Imps debut. The two-goal flurry in the space of two minutes silenced the Grimsby fans.

On 21 minutes, Grimsby responded with a corner after Alan Marriott punched the ball behind. Premiership referee Steve Bennett had words with Mariners striker Michael Reddy, before giving Ben Futcher and Nat Brown a ticking off as the two teams jostled in the box. Woodhouse eventually whipped the corner in, and Lee Beevers headed the ball clear.

Referee Bennett dished out his first yellow card after 24 minutes when City's Marvin Robinson entered the notebook for a late tackle on Jones. Woodhouse swung the free-kick into the City box and excellent goalkeeping from Alan Marriott saw him punch the ball wide to safety.

On the half-hour mark, patient link-up play between Scott Kerr, Francis Green and Paul Mayo down the left saw Mayo lift a clever ball into Green's path. Green looked up and sent a curling ball into the box, but Whittle got there before Forrester to hack the ball out for a throw-in.

The action came to a standstill two minutes later when Paul Mayo required treatment after a challenge by Cohen. Imps physio Keith Oakes initially signaled to the bench that Mayo was not fit to continue, but after a couple of minutes of Oakes' magic sponge, Mayo trudged back into the action.

His first job was to defend a Grimsby corner which Woodhouse swung in, Colin Cryan headed away before the move came to a halt as Ben Futcher was ruled offside. City hit back with a corner of their own in the 35th minute but 'keeper Mildenhall easily claimed Scott Kerr's inswinger.

The game burst into life yet again on 37 minutes when referee Steve Bennett had a major decision to make. A great cross by Jamie Forrester on the left found the feet of Marvin Robinson. He squeezed his way between two defenders, and his first touch took him of 'keeper Mildenhall. And as Robinson went round the goalkeeper, he was tripped by the hand of Mildenhall. Bennett had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

It looked like a clear-cut penalty and Mildenhall was lucky to escape without a caution - although the goalkeeper didn't appear to be the last man. Paul Mayo was tasked with firing home the penalty. Mayo stepped up and hammered an absolute bullet of a shot straight past a stunned Mildenhall, who fell to his knees in despair. 3-0 to City.

The Imps were on fire. It was no understatement. They were tearing Grimsby apart. And within five minutes, the home side hit the crossbar. Francis Green spread play to Jamie Forrester, who had been outstanding all half, in acres of space on the right-hand side. And Forrester sent in a teasing cross, Green nipped in between two defenders and, off balance, he hooked the ball towards goal but the ball cannoned off the underside of the woodwork and away. It was very hard lines. City won a free-kick following this, as Grimsby threatened to buckle under the pressure again. Scott Kerr's free-kick was comfortably claimed by Mildenhall.

Just as Imps fans thought 'surely, it can't get any better', it did. On 43 minutes, the scoreline read Lincoln City 4 Grimsby Town 0 as Grimsby crumbled again. The superb and intelligent Forrester - full of confidence after his goal and up for it against his former club - played in a cracking cross into the six-yard box and Marvin Robinson had the easy task of sidefooting the ball home.

City fans had not experienced this delight since last season when the Imps sealed an aggregate semi-final win against Macclesfield Town to claim a Play-Off Final appearance. Grimsby did their best to reduce the deficit and restore some pride as Toner blasted a long-range effort high and wide of the target.

Following two minutes of added time, the Imps left the field to a huge applause from ecstatic home fans. It was a ruthless first-half performance from City. Ironically, Grimsby never left the field at half-time as they received a public dressing-down from an irate boss Russell Slade. The Grimsby players were dragged to the center-circle and forced to watch Slade bring out the flip chart to hammer home his opinions on what was a humiliating 45 minutes.

Never known a first half quite like it!

HT: IMPS 4 GRIMSBY TOWN 0

The Imps kicked off attacking the Stacey West end. Surely the second half couldn't better that. Grimsby drew first blood by winning a corner but Woodhouse's inswinger was sent clear acrobatically by Francis Green. Grimsby fans remained in stunned silence in the Co-op Stand.

Grimsby had made a double substitution at the interval as Slade sought to turn his side around. City continued to battle as the second half took shape. Marvin Robinson, for his efforts in winning the ball from Newey, picked up a facial injury and was okay to continue after treatment from physio Keith Oakes.

Francis Green looked particularly lively for the Imps down the right hand side as he looked to take the game to Grimsby at every opportunity. Green was involved again in the 55th minute when his clever flick sent Marvin Robinson chasing a loose ball, but the linesman flagged for a foul to penalize Robinson as he scrapped for the ball.

City looked strong in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Although Grimsby hit back with a corner on 58 minutes after Luke Foster headed behind. But City cleared their lines to keep their four-goal lead intact.

And the Imps almost extended their lead on the 60-minute mark when Francis Green's pace and persistence very nearly reaped its reward. Lee Beevers' lofted pass saw Green battle through two men, he held off Gary Jones and darted goalwards. Green, to his credit, got in a shot but it hit 'keeper Mildenhall on the chest and bounced away.

Mildenhall didn't know much about it. Green deserved a goal for his enormous work rate this afternoon. Green's work rate was highlighted again when he raced 50 yards to knock the ball out for a throw-in to prevent Grimsby having a goal kick.

As the 75-minute mark ticked by, the match had settled down after a consistently high tempo. The chant 'what a load of rubbish' could be heard from the Grimsby end. A beautiful deft flick by Jamie Forrester sent Marvin Robinson on the chase towards the Mariners goal. But Croft did well to hold off Robinson and clear his lines.

With just under 15 minutes to go, Imps boss Keith Alexander made his first change when he replaced goal-hero Marvin Robinson with Gary Birch in a straight swap up front. Robinson, who had an excellent game working tirelessly in attack, left the pitch to a standing ovation.

Crowd trouble surfaced in the corner between the IMPS and Co-op stands. Stewards and police did a fine job in quelling the trouble, which thankfully did not find its way on to the pitch, allowing play to continue. City kept pressing for more goals, as Scott Kerr's stinging drive from the edge of the box was sent wide for a corner. The Imps forced three corners in quick succession to keep the visitors penned in.

Next, City's Luke Foster tried his luck from distance, as he sent a low drive into the arms of 'keeper Mildenhall. With 12 minutes to go, Jamie Forrester left the field to a standing ovation after an outstanding debut performance. Forrester, who netted a superb goal to make it 2-0 to City, showed intelligence, experience and a great deal of hard work. The Forrester-Robinson-Green combination looks promising. Martin Gritton replaced Forrester to lock horns with his former team mates.

The wishes of City fans for a fifth goal to cap a magnificent display were answered when Lee Beevers made it 5-0 in the 83rd minute. A ball forward from Gary Birch found Beevers on the left. He used his strength to hold off his man before cutting inside from the left and firing a powerful right-foot shot under the body of Mildenhall.

To eat up the remaining minutes, Keith Alexander made his third and final change when youngster Lee Frecklington replaced the ever-reliable Scott Kerr. Kerr's understanding with Foster in the middle of midfield was excellent and the work rate the two put in was phenomenal. By this time, the Grimsby end had virtually halved as many of their followers had seen enough.

When the final whistle blew, City's eleven heroes received a huge ovation

FT: IMPS 5 GRIMSBY TOWN 0

TEAM SHEET

LINCOLN CITY
Alan MARRIOTT
Colin CRYAN
Paul MAYO
Nat BROWN
Jamie McCOMBE
Scott KERR
Luke FOSTER
Lee BEEVERS
Francis GREEN
Jamie FORRESTER
Marvin ROBINSON

Subs:
Gary BIRCH (for M ROBINSON 72)
Martin GRITTON (for FORRESTER 79)
Lee FRECKLINGTON (for KERR 85)
Jude STIRLING
Steve ROBINSON

Goals: FOSTER (13), FORRESTER (15), MAYO (38 pen), M ROBINSON (44), BEEVERS (84)

Booking: M ROBINSON (24)

GRIMSBY TOWN
Steve MILDENHALL
Gary CROFT
Tom NEWEY
Justin WHITTLE
Ben FUTCHER
Curtis WOODHOUSE
Gary COHEN
Paul BOLLAND
Michael REDDY
Gary JONES
Ciaran TONER

Subs:
JPK KALALA (for TONER h/t)
Rob JONES (for WHITTLE h/t)
Marc GOODFELLOW (for CROFT 85)
Andy PARKINSON
Junior MENDES

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)
Assistants: Jim Devine & Barry Sygmuta
Fourth Official: Paul Varley

Attendance: 7,182 (2,225 visiting supporters)

50/50 HALF-TIME DRAW

£250 - # 00018 - claimed
£109 - # 00003 - claimed