GRIMSBY Town's victory at Tamworth shows exactly what they're all about – according to Ian Miller.
With fellow centre-half Shaun Pearson serving a one-match ban, the 28-year-old was back in the Town defence for the clash at the Lamb Ground.
And the former Darlington defender linked up superbly with Nathan Pond to repel a physical Lambs attack, and give the Mariners yet another clean sheet this season.
After surviving a buffeting from the hosts' frontmen, Adam Cunnington and Tommy Wright, Miller was delighted with the three points.
"To come to places like Tamworth and grind out results as we have, shows what we're all about," he said.
"The conditions weren't ideal. The pitch had a slope, the sun was beaming into our eyes, but Tamworth are what they are.
"They're similar to a 'Stoke City' type of side that like to get the ball forward quickly to two big target men and look to play off of them.
"We were expecting that and we can't read too much into the way they play.
"In the second half they were throwing everything at us, as you would expect. All the big boys were coming up from the back and the ball was getting hurled forward."
Miller was involved in some of the game's key talking points – receiving a stray elbow in the face from former Mariner Wright, and having vociferous penalty appeals against him after a challenge on the hosts' Marcus Kelly.
"I've played with and alongside Tommy for many years and that's his game. It's just a bit disappointing that the referee doesn't pick up stuff like that," he added.
"It can be dangerous, but it's part of parcel of coming to places like Tamworth.
"The fella was clutching at straws a bit with the penalty appeal. They obviously had a man sent off and were maybe looking to get one over on us.
"But it was a clean tackle and, as a back four, in the second half we looked calm, composed and hard to break down."
The Mariners held firm at the Lamb Ground and got their rewards just after the hour mark when substitute Andy Cook netted.
Miller continued: "There were always going to be chances and we will get goals because we've got good quality up front.
"It's just a case of getting the rub of the green and putting those away, like we did on Saturday.
"It was great to see Cooky come on and get his goal because he hasn't been involved, so to get the winner will hopefully give him a bit of confidence.
"In patches we kept the ball reasonably well, but at other times we were either trying to force the ball forward too quickly or were quite happy not to make any ground. So we've got to find that happy medium.
"Hyde will be another tough test tomorrow. It's always difficult playing the teams that come up because they've got that winning mentality.
"They haven't started brilliantly but we approach the game in exactly the same manner and hopefully we can pick up another three points to keep ourselves in and around the top of the table."
