GEORGE Miller is hoping to get the chance to fire City into the FA Cup third round – even if it means he can’t play in it.

Miller’s lively display at Plymouth was the perfect response to a pep talk from David Hopkin.

The striker, starting for the first time in seven games, scored one and had a hand in the other two in the 3-3 draw.

Miller was praised afterwards by his manager, who is likely to stick with him for tonight’s Valley Parade replay against Peterborough.

Victory will earn a January crack at Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough – Miller’s parent club.

But while that would rule him out of featuring, the on-loan frontman is buzzing again after netting his first goal for nearly three months.

Miller said: “I went to the gaffer during last week and asked him what I needed to sharpen up and improve on. He gave me the chance and hopefully I repaid him with a goal and a decent performance.

“He’s really good like that. He’s very open and tells you straight whether you are doing well or not.

“You can’t ask for any more than that as a player and it has helped me.”

Hopkin went with two up front for the relegation showdown at the weekend, pairing Miller with Eoin Doyle.

And the youngster felt City carried far more of a threat going forward.

“It was a lot more offensive and I thought we were very good attacking-wise,” he added. “I enjoyed playing like that.

“I was delighted to get my third goal of the season and hopefully I can push on to get to double figures by the end of it.

“If I can keep chipping away, then I think I can achieve that.”

Miller’s composure has let him down with one-on-ones on occasions but his finish to put City 3-2 up showed the confidence is coming back.

“I needed to score – it’s about time. But I always felt I was going to put it away.

“I could have had a couple more. I had another one when the keeper made a good save when I hit it low and hard.

“I probably should have gone for the roof of the net but that’s a hard technique. They make it look easy in the Prem (Premier League) but that’s why they are there.

“Then I had the one at the end but the defender just came out of nowhere and blocked.

“In hindsight, if I’d stopped dead he’d have gone past me. But it was a spur of the moment thing and I tried to toe-poke it but he got a good block on.”

Miller echoed Hopkin’s post-match moan of frustration at dropping two points from a winning position. But as City look to take that out on the Posh, his own spirits are back up again.

“There’s no better feeling than scoring a goal,” he said.

“When you’re in a drought, you’re in a bad place. You take it out on your girlfriend and everyone around you!

“But keep doing what comes naturally to you and eventually it will click and you’ll score.”