The Mariners made it back-to-back home wins with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Crawley Town at Blundell Park.
A relentless first-half display by David Artell’s side in blustery conditions saw them create several chances and take a deserved two-goal lead into the dressing rooms at the break.
Charles Vernam saw an early penalty saved by goalkeeper Nicholas Michalski but when the hosts were awarded a second spot-kick on the half-hour, Iwan Morgan stepped up to break the deadlock and register his first goal for the club.
Kieran Green’s header doubled Town’s advantage on 42 minutes and that proved enough to seal the points as the Mariners managed the remainder of the game well to secure a second consecutive clean sheet and stretch their unbeaten start to the Sky Bet League Two season to seven games.
Christy Pym returned in goal as one of three changes to the Grimsby starting XI following last week’s victory over Bristol Rovers. Finlay Cartwright and Morgan were the others to come in, replacing David Harrington, Sonny Finch and Andy Cook.
Harvey Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney formed an unchanged defence, while Geza David Turi sat behind Cartwright, Green, Mark Shelton and Charles Vernam in midfield. Morgan led the attack.
Finch was named on the bench, where he was joined by Seb Auton, Jamie Walker, Cian Doyle, Ryley Reynolds, Joe Foulkes and Edon Pruti.
Crawley found themselves bottom of the league table at kick-off after Rochdale’s lunchtime derby victory over Oldham Athletic took them above the Sussex side.
Head coach Colin Kazim-Richards named former Town striker Danilo Orsi among his starting line-up, with strike-partner Dylan Morgan also aiming to cause a threat to the home defence.
FIRST HALF
An early free kick from Vernam on the right was headed away by Jude Arthurs but Town soon won the ball back and Green hit the side-netting with a low cross.
Dylan Morgan had the first shot on four minutes when he sent a low effort through to Pym, then the keeper got down to stop a low strike from Osman Kamara after a quick break by the visitors.
Town’s Morgan got his first opportunity to take a long throw on seven minutes and he found Green from it but the midfielder’s flicked header flew just over the bar.
Michalski got to a Rodgers cross ahead of Green as the hosts continued to look for an early goal, before Rodgers won the game’s first corner but Vernam’s delivery was cleared.
Another corner followed on the opposite, left flank as the home pressure continued to build and it led to a further flag-kick when Kacurri’s header was blocked. This time, Vernam and Morgan worked a short-corner routine but Cartwright’s first-time shot was blocked.
Town were on top and they were given the opportunity to make their early pressure count when Vernam was brought down inside the box by Ade Adeyemo. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Vernam stepped up but could not beat Michalski, who dived to his left to push the ball around his post for a corner.
Green was caught offside as Town looked to have created a further opening, then nobody was able to get on the end of a Vernam free kick from the right as it bounced away for a goal kick.
Crawley’s first corner came on 17 minutes but was comfortably dealt with, then a foul by Shelton on Kellan Gordon gave the away side another chance to create danger but they were not able to make the most of it as Turi cleared.
McJannet made a block from Orsi as Crawley continued to come into the game, then the defender was in place again to head a Gordon cross clear.
The visitors continued to attack and Dylan Morgan was narrowly wide with a low shot from 20 yards, before Vernam’s latest corner was headed behind for another one. This time, the ball was headed out for a throw-in but Morgan’s long throw was caught by the wind and Green could not keep it in play.
A foul on Vernam brought a free kick on the left on 27 minutes, although the winger’s driven delivery towards the far post was headed away and a follow-up ball from Sweeney led to a free kick for a foul on Michalski.
Town were given another chance to open the scoring on the half-hour though, when they were given their second penalty of the afternoon as Rodgers was brought down by Michalski, who was booked. This time, MORGAN stepped up to take it and he made no mistake from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way and hitting the top corner of the net.
The Mariners immediately went in search of a second goal and Cartwright almost created another opening for Morgan but his pass across the penalty area proved too far ahead of the striker.
Michalski pushed a 20-yard effort from Vernam away and Shelton’s rebound was blocked, then Cartwright curled a free kick just wide of the far post from the edge of the box.
Town were relentless in attack and Cartwright was inches away from connecting with a Green cross at the far post, then a great move saw Cartwright and Green link up to create a chance for Shelton, who was denied by Michalski.
Gordon saw the yellow card for a foul on Shelton but the Mariners could not make the resulting free kick count.
They would not have to wait much longer to finally double their advantage, however, as the second goal arrived three minutes before the break. Morgan’s chipped cross from the right picked out GREEN and the midfielder steered a header past Michalski into the far corner of the net.
Five added minutes were played at the end of the first half and a rare Crawley attack led to Pym confidently claiming a cross from Gordon.
Town’s Morgan saw a shot blocked at the other end, before the visitors won a corner on their right but were unable to test Pym from it. Crawley kept possession until Dylan Morgan fired wide from the edge of the box.
No further chances came before the half-time whistle, with Town taking a commanding lead into the dressing rooms after a dominant first 45 minutes.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made by either side ahead of the restart and McJannet dealt with an early cross from Gordon, before Rodgers beat Orsi to another cross from the away right to head behind for a corner. The flag-kick harmlessly hit the side-netting.
Kacurri was booked for a foul on Arthurs but Priestley Farquharson could not get on the end of Dylan Morgan’s free kick at the far post.
Shelton created an opening for Sweeney as Town threatened for the first time since the break, although the left-back shot at Michalski from a narrow angle.
The Mariners had the ball in the net for a third time on 51 minutes as Rodgers’ low cross was bundled in by Green but the offside flag meant the goal did not stand, then McJannet stung the palms of Michalski with a fierce drive from the right.
A stoppage came for Shelton to receive treatment after going down injured and it led to the game’s first substitution, with Walker taking the York City loanee’s place in midfield. Crawley also made a change seconds later, as Pemi Aderoju came on for Kamara.
Ademayo was booked after bringing Sweeney down near the halfway line, then Rodgers was denied from close range by the impressive Michalski and midfielder Johnny Russell beat Kacurri to the rebound to get the ball away for a corner.
Arthurs won a corner for Crawley as his cross was blocked by Kacurri but they were unable to create a chance in front of goal from it.
Sweeney became the latest to see the yellow card on 65 minutes for a trip on Arthurs, then a foul on Gordon gave the away side another free kick, this time wide on the right. Turi headed it clear.
Louie Watson and Dion Pereira replaced Ty Ewens-Findlay and Adeyemo in a double-substitution for Crawley on 68 minutes, before Orsi won a corner against Kacurri. Gordon met it at the far post but could only head wide.
Reynolds and Finch came on for Cartwright and Morgan as Town made a double-change with 20 minutes to go and Rodgers earned a corner soon afterwards. Vernam’s delivery was headed away as far as Walker on the edge of the box and the midfielder looked for the far corner of the net but Gordon headed clear again.
A free kick from Arthurs at the other end was tipped away by Pym, who then reacted quickest to deny Gordon and get the ball away for a corner, which did not find its target.
A foul by Kacurri gave Crawley another opportunity to put pressure on the Town goal with a free kick on the left but the centre-back was first to the ball from it to head clear.
Malcolm Ebiowei and Nathan Tinsdale replaced Orsi and Morgan in attack as the visitors made their final changes with five minutes to go.
Town responded with a double-substitution of their own, as Green and Vernam made way for Doyle and Foulkes.
Turi found Foulkes with a great pass to the right after the game moved into at least seven added minutes but the right-back was unable to find Finch with his ball into the box.
Soon afterwards, Finch had an opportunity to make it 3-0 when he ran onto a ball from Foulkes but he was denied by Michalski, who stood tall to make a smart block.
The keeper made another great save to deny Finch in the closing seconds and the rebound from Foulkes was blocked, with the Mariners ultimately forced to settle for two goals as they collected a fully deserved three points.
Next up for Town is a trip to Notts County on Tuesday to open up their EFL Trophy campaign, before the league programme continues when they travel to face Newport County on Saturday.
Town: Pym, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Sweeney, Turi, Cartwright (Reynolds, 70), Green (Doyle, 89), Shelton (Walker, 55), Vernam (Foulkes, 89), Morgan (Finch, 70)
Subs not used: Auton, Pruti
UTM
