Lincoln City 5, Bristol Rovers 0

A first career hat-trick for Jovon Makama helped City cruise to a 5-0 win at home to Bristol Rovers in an impressive performance at the LNER Stadium. 

Head coach Michael Skubala made two changes from the side that took on Birmingham City, with Reeco Hackett and Tom Hamer returning to the XI in place of Ben House and Adam Jackson.

City got their noses in front on 31 minutes after a superb pass from O'Connor dissected the Rovers defence before Makama held off a challenge from Mola and powered his effort past the keeper to get his ninth goal of the season. 

James Collins kept testing the Rovers’ goalie, but City had to wait until after the break to see their lead double when, on 49 minutes, Tom Bayliss' corner from the left curled over everyone and bounced in off the inside of the post. 

James Collins finally got his goal on 53 minutes, after more strong work from Makama on the right allowed the striker time to place a beautiful left-footed curler into the top left corner.  

Makama was making the right wing his own and got another goal on 66 minutes held off yet another challenge before smashing the ball home at the near post. He collected his deserved hat-trick with ten minutes to play from a corner after finding Erik Ring’s delivery and making no mistake with his finish.

Head coach Michael Skubala was full of praise for Makama: "Jovon was unplayable. When I came into the building I said he had talent, but we might have to wait for it. His challenge now is to keep it up consistently, but you saw his quality, his power, his physicality, and his goals were magnificent. The crazy bit is he can still get better, he still has lots to learn and improve on." 

Skubala was pleased with the quality of performance across his squad: "From start to finish I thought we were electric. That's what we want to look like. Everyone was top. 

"Tactically we were brilliant and the structure was great. We were exciting when we went forward, we kept the threat going and had too much for them.”

The head coach added: "It was a great afternoon of football. When we get it right and connect, we look electric. I think we had 24 shots in their box, we could have scored more.

"We think about all the attacking moments but the defensive structure and build up play with the ball were really great, we moved the ball well, but we had to defend well too."