The Mariners were beaten with a goal from the last kick of the game as their Jersey Mike’s Trophy campaign started with a 2-1 defeat by Notts County at Meadow Lane.
The Sky Bet League One hosts were on top for much of the first half of the opening Northern Group F fixture but went in at the break just one goal to the good after Cal Roberts broke the deadlock on 32 minutes.
Town, with several first team squad members making welcome returns from injury, defended well after half-time and got their reward with 11 minutes to go as substitute Jayden Sweeney levelled the scores.
But with a penalty shootout looming, the hosts snatched all three points when Ollie Cooper struck from close range after a Matt Palmer free kick was initially kept out by substitute goalkeeper Seb Auton.
Harvey Cartwright, Doug Tharme and Reece Staunton all made their comebacks from injury to go into a Grimsby starting XI showing 10 changes following Saturday’s League Two victory over Crawley. Finlay Cartwright was the only man to start both games, while Justin Amaluzor was also back in the matchday squad as one of the substitutes.
Harvey Cartwright started in goal, with Tharme, Edon Pruti and Alex Graham forming a three-man defence. Joe Foulkes and Reece Staunton operated as wing-backs, while Henry Brown, Jamie Walker and Cian Doyle made up a central midfield trio as Finlay Cartwright supported Sonny Finch in attack.
Youth team players Ted Sharp, Darius Neagu and Curtis Manyika joined Seb Auton, Maldini Kacurri, Jayden Sweeney and Amaluzor on the bench.
Notts head coach Martin Paterson changed his entire XI from their 2-0 league defeat at Reading on Saturday but nevertheless named a strong team, with Conor Grant and Roberts among those looking to cause problems for the Town defence.
FIRST HALF
Graham stepped in to stop a run down the right from Rosaire Longelo as the hosts attacked first, before decisive goalkeeping from Cartwright saw him beat striker Luka Smyth to a ball through the middle.
Foulkes headed a Roberts cross away, then a foul on Finch near the right touchline earned Notts defender Rod McDonald the first yellow card of the evening on 10 minutes. Tharme was first to Staunton’s resulting free kick but the loose ball was cleared.
The offside flag went up against Smyth to bring the home side’s next attack to an end, before Maz Kouhyar made his way into the box from the left and pulled the ball back for Grant but Finlay Cartwright made a good challenge. Notts kept possession until Grant sent a weak shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Longelo saw a shot blocked on 18 minutes as the home pressure continued, before Luke Browne’s attempt from distance cleared the bar.
Keeper Cartwright got down to stop a ball into the box from Longelo after Smyth had won a free kick against Pruti, then Finch set off on a run from the right but could not create an opening in front of goal.
Pruti cleared a ball into the box from Roberts after a home free kick was not fully dealt with as Notts continued to make the running, with Longelo the next to go close when his deflected strike hit the side-netting.
Another opportunity came when Roberts found Grant inside the box but after turning, he was unable to generate enough power on his strike to beat Cartwright.
Town were yet to test Harry Griffiths in the home goal as the half-hour mark passed but the keeper was called into action for the first time soon afterwards to catch a 20-yard strike from Finch.
Moments later, however, the Mariners were behind as the home pressure was finally converted into an opening goal. A long ball over the top from Palmer found former Scunthorpe United midfielder ROBERTS and he took a touch before lifting it over the advancing Cartwright.
Staunton beat Longelo to make progress down the left as Town looked for a quick response, although his cross was headed away by Ishe Samuels-Smith.
Brown won the visitors’ first corner after a great pass from Walker but they could not make it count as the flag-kick was caught by Griffiths.
Finch found Walker inside the box as Town continued to come into the game as an attacking force but the midfielder was stopped by Samuels-Smith, then a shot from the edge of the box by Kouhyar at the other end proved comfortable for Cartwright.
Staunton missed the target from 25 yards, before Finch was caught offside as he looked to run onto a loose ball through the middle.
Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and a foul by Walker on Palmer gave Notts an opportunity to create danger with a free kick in a central position. It was worked to the left for Samuels-Smith but his chipped cross proved too high for Longelo and Graham cleared.
No further chances came before the half-time whistle, leaving the Mariners with a one-goal deficit at the break.
SECOND HALF
Auton replaced Cartwright in goal for Town ahead of the restart and it was a low-key opening to the second half, with neither side able to threaten in the opening 10 minutes.
Smyth was caught offside, then a clever ball from Palmer proved just too far ahead of Longelo on the home right.
Roberts spotted Auton off his line and tried his luck with an ambitious attempt from well inside his own half but the keeper was able to watch it go harmlessly wide.
Tharme deflected a Longelo cross back to Auton, then good defending by Tharme saw him stop Grant on the edge of the box.
Longelo fired straight at the keeper from 25 yards as Notts kept looking for a second goal, before Kacurri replaced Tharme in the Mariners’ second change just after the hour.
The hosts missed a big chance to go 2-0 up on 65 minutes when a neat move down the left saw Kouhyar find Samuels-Smith. He picked Smyth out with a cross but the striker was unable to steer a free header towards goal.
At the other end, a 25-yard strike by Walker flew straight at Griffiths, then the keeper came off his line to punch clear from a free kick.
Cooper and Jack Evans came on for Longelo and Smyth in Notts’ first changes on 68 minutes, while Sweeney and Amaluzor replaced Staunton and Finch for Town five minutes later.
Cartwright volleyed over the bar from the away side’s best chance of the second half so far after Brown linked up with Foulkes on the right, then Jacob Bedeau became the latest to be introduced for the hosts as he replaced Samuels-Smith.
Soon afterwards, Town were level as SWEENEY ran onto a ball over the top from Walker and kept his composure to roll it past the advancing Griffiths and make it 1-1 with 11 minutes left to play.
Auton made a save from Browne’s curling strike as Notts immediately aimed to reclaim the advantage, then Neagu was sent on for his senior debut in place of Walker with six minutes remaining.
A great challenge by the impressive Kacurri denied Evans just as he was about to shoot from 12 yards, then Palmer became the latest to see the yellow card after a foul on Kacurri.
Town won a corner as the game moved into at least five added minutes and as Notts were unable to clear their lines, Amaluzor twice sent the ball across the six-yard line before Doyle eventually fired over the bar.
Another away corner was headed away, then good defending by Foulkes stopped a dangerous-looking break as Notts aimed to snatch all three points.
As the clock ticked down and a penalty shootout with an extra point on the line for the winners looked more and more likely, Cooper looped a header just wide.
And with seconds remaining, Amaluzor was booked for bringing Roberts down in a central position on the edge of the box. That gave Palmer an opportunity to step up and win the game but Auton dived to keep his shot out. The keeper could not push the ball away from goal though and COOPER reacted the quickest to tap into the net from close range and give Notts the victory with the last kick of the game.
Town’s other group matches will see them face Burton Albion and Nottingham Forest U21 at Blundell Park.
The focus now switches back to the league programme, however, with an away trip to Newport County next up on Saturday.
Town: H Cartwright (Auton, 46), Tharme (Kacurri, 62), Pruti, Graham. Foulkes, Brown, Walker (Neagu, 84), Doyle, Staunton (Sweeney, 73), F Cartwright, Finch (Amaluzor, 73)
Subs not used: Sharp, Manyika
UTM
