Derby County's EFL Trophy campaign got off to a winning starts thanks to a 2-0 victory over Lincoln City on Tuesday night.
Tom Barkhuizen and Louie Sibley both scored on their return to the starting eleven to ensure the Rams cemented a well deserved victory in Northern Section - Group G.
Midfielder Korey Smith forced the first save of the game when his long-range strike was fumbled by goalkeeper Jordan Wright but fortunately for the stopper there was no Rams player running in to poke home the rebound.
Kane Wilson had started dangerously and he whipped a low cross to the edge of the six-yard box that James Collins was inches away from connecting with.
Captain on the night Sonny Bradley headed over from a Embleton corner as Derby continued to create all the chances in the opening half.
The Rams could and probably should have taken the lead with the last kick of the first 45. Wilson again did brilliantly down the right working his way into the box before laying the ball back for Sibley who blazed over from a good position.
Derby started the second-half well on top once more and Tom Barkhuizen fired a neat cut-back from Wilson over the bar from just inside the box.
It took until the 50th minute for Lincoln to notch their first shot of the game and it nearly found the net. Jay Benn got down the right and pulled it back for Jovon Makama who was denied by the legs of Joe Wildsmith.
The Rams took a well deserved lead on 51 minutes and it was that man Barkhuizen who had just missed a good opportunity a few minutes prior. Wilson played in Collins on the edge of the box and the striker provided a lovely flick around the corner that Barkhuizen latched on to before firing into the top left corner.
Chances kept coming for the home side and Sibley fired a powerful shot just over from the edge of the box as Derby went in search of a second.
The second did eventually come and it did so in superb fashion. Substitute Conor Washington started the move off with a lovely ball into Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. Mendez-Laing's first-time ball then set Sibley through on goal and the midfielder made no mistake, firing brilliantly into the top corner.
Mendez-Laing forced Jordan Wright into an excellent stop in stoppage time as the Rams looked to add a little gloss on the score-line but 2-0 is how it finished.
The Imps offered very little throughout the evening and It was a comfortable night in the end for Paul Warne's side who move onto three points in Northern Section - Group G.
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Wilson, Bradley (C) (79' Radcliffe), Cashin, Barkhuizen (76' Washington), Collins, Sibley, Smith, Embleton (59' Mendez-Laing), Elder (59' Forsyth), Fornah.
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Robinson, Brown.
Lincoln City: Wright (GK), Brown, Smith (78' Hamilton), Burroughs, Duffy (62' Bishop), Benn, Adelakun (62' Sorensen), Eyoma (C), Mitchell, Gallagher (78' Erhahon), Makama.
Substitutes not used: Jensen (GK), O'Connor, Roughan.
It's a return to Sky Bet League One action for the Rams this Saturday and it's a long trip to Cumbria as we take on Carlisle (3pm kick-off).
