Harvey Cartwright saved three penalties as the Mariners squeezed past eighth-tier Stafford Rangers and into the second round of the FA Cup.
Town recovered from 2-0 down to force extra time against the lowest-ranked team left in the competition and had to come from behind again to secure a 3-3 draw at the Stan Robinson Stadium and take the tie to a penalty shoot-out.
An early strike by Darrhyl Mason got the sold-out home crowd believing a shock could be on the cards and Jack Birch went on to give the Northern Premier League West hosts a deserved two-goal advantage at half-time.
But two goals in the space of three second-half minutes hauled the visitors back into the contest as first Harvey Rodgers and then Maldini Kacurri headed home from Iwan Morgan free kicks to take the game to extra time.
Stafford regained the lead through Mason’s second goal of the game but Town hit back as Geza Turi made it 3-3 to force a shoot-out.
And as Cartwright made saves from Birch, Harvey Washington and Luca Navarro, Town went through 3-2 on penalties to secure their passage to the next round.
Head coach David Artell made four changes to his starting XI following last week’s 5-2 Sky Bet League Two victory over York City, with Harvey Cartwright, Mark Shelton, Fin Cartwright and Josh Andrews coming in for Christy Pym, Kieran Green, Jamie Walker and Andy Cook.
Harvey Cartwright began in goal, with Rodgers, Kacurri and Cameron McJannet forming a centre-back trio. Joe Foulkes, Shelton, Turi, Fin Cartwright and Charles Vernam were the midfielders, while Morgan joined Andrews in attack.
Pym, Walker and Cook were all named on the nine-man substitutes’ bench, alongside Jayden Sweeney, Cian Doyle, Henry Brown, Ryley Reynolds, Sonny Finch and Justin Amaluzor.
Stafford were playing their ninth game in this season’s competition, having started back in August with a 5-0 victory over Tividale in the extra preliminary round. Since then, Graham Deakin’s men had overcome Matlock Town, Northampton ON Chenecks, Hereford, Halesowen Town and Gateshead, the latter two after replays, to earn their place in the first round proper.
Striker Scott Bakkor was aiming to add to his 10 goals in all competitions so far this season, while new loan signing Luke Banks was named on the bench after completing a temporary switch from Derby County.
FIRST HALF
A foul by Foulkes gave Stafford an early free kick inside the Town half but the hosts were unable to turn it into a chance in front of goal.
Moments later though, they opened the scoring when Birch found MASON inside the box and he beat Harvey Cartwright at his near post with a powerful strike from the right.
Morgan turned a Foulkes free kick wide from close range as the Mariners looked for an instant response, then a foul on Fin Cartwright brought a free kick inside the home half. Vernam played it out to Morgan on the left and his cross was blocked for the first corner of the afternoon, which goalkeeper Russell Saunders punched clear.
A quick break brought a corner at the other end but as Stafford aimed to work a training-ground move, Vernam was alive to the danger and stepped in to make a good interception.
Kacurri did well to get the ball back to his keeper after Mason got in behind the Town defence again on nine minutes, then Morgan was narrowly beaten to a Vernam cross from the left.
Kacurri was called into action again to get the ball away for a corner following a quick break down the Stafford left, although it was brought clear from the flag and Morgan broke over the halfway line. When he looked for Vernam, however, the winger was caught offside.
Shelton saw a low shot blocked after good play by McJannet and Fin Cartwright, then Rodgers won a corner on the right as Town continued to look for a leveller. Vernam’s delivery from the flag was just beyond the outstretched boot of McJannet.
The Mariners went their closest yet to an equaliser on 20 minutes as Turi made progress through the middle before finding Morgan, whose low effort from 25 yards bounced off the outside of the post for a goal kick.
Andrews battled well for the ball on the edge of the post from the visitors’ next attack but Saunders came off his line to get to it ahead of Foulkes.
An offside decision against Bakkor provided a let-off for the away side after Kacurri aimed to let the ball run through to his keeper, then Shelton won a corner on the left but the referee spotted a foul as McJannet met Vernam’s delivery.
Foulkes called Saunders into action with a low strike across goal from the right but the keeper was equal to it, diving to get a strong hand on the ball and turn it away for a corner. This time, Vernam’s flag-kick beat everybody and a foul by Fin Cartwright conceded a free kick.
Town were starting to dominate possession but Stafford continued to look dangerous on the break, with Tom Tonks’ long throws also causing problems.
Kacurri blocked a long-range strike from Todd Ferrier, before Bebeto Gomes won a corner on the home right but it led only to a Town free kick for a foul.
A Morgan long throw at the other end was dealt with, then Rodgers found Foulkes to set up another attack but his low cross was eventually claimed by Saunders.
Tonks caused more danger with a free kick from the right as keeper Cartwright could not get to the ball from it but Town were saved by the offside flag.
Andrews had to head over his own bar for a corner from another Tonks long throw and after McJannet headed it out for a further throw, the hosts grabbed a second goal. Harvey Cartwright made a brilliant save from a heavily deflected strike by Gomes but BIRCH reacted the quickest to fire the rebound into the net at the near post and make it 2-0 with a minute to go before the break.
Two added minutes were played and Andrews headed the latest Tonks long throw clear, before McJannet saw the first yellow card of the game for a foul.
No further chances came before the interval, as Town were left with a two-goal deficit to overcome if they were to remain in the competition.
SECOND HALF
Walker and Amaluzor replaced Fin Cartwright and Vernam as the Mariners made changes ahead of the restart.
Tonks intercepted a low cross from Foulkes, before Gomes blocked a strike by Morgan with Town looking to get themselves back into the game.
Rodgers turned inside the box but could only find the gloves of Saunders from a narrow angle, then Andrews was unable to control a Foulkes cross after Morgan had found the former Kidderminster Harriers man on the left.
A free kick on the edge of the box for a foul on Amaluzor gave Town an opportunity on 55 minutes but they were unable to take it as Shelton fired over the bar.
Cartwright made another good save to stop Stafford from going 3-0 up as he dived to keep Birch out following a Mason cross at the end of a quick break down the right.
As the hour mark passed, Stafford were looking comfortable, with their two-goal advantage remaining intact as Town struggled for genuine threat.
Kyle Sambor replaced Remi Efunnuga in the hosts’ first change on 64 minutes, before Morgan saw a shot blocked and Andrews looped a header through to Saunders.
Another Tonks long throw led to Birch being denied by Cartwright, then Cook came on for Andrews as Town made a third substitution with 66 minutes on the clock.
McJannet did well to stop Gomes after a run down the home right, before Walker fired harmlessly off-target from 25 yards at the other end.
The Mariners finally hauled themselves back into the contest with 16 minutes to go as a Morgan free kick from the right found RODGERS at the far post and he headed home to make it 2-1.
Having grabbed a lifeline, Town immediately went in search of a second goal and a foul on Amaluzor gave them a free kick on the right. Incredibly, they were back on level terms from it as Morgan found KACURRI and his header beat Saunders for 2-2.
Ellis Horan replaced Bakkor in the Stafford attack after the goal, with the hosts now asked to come up with more heroics to get their lead back.
Saunders made a save from Morgan after a long throw broke back to the ex-Brentford attacker, although the resulting corner was cleared.
Rodgers missed the target from 25 yards, before a foul on Amaluzor brought another free kick close to the Stafford box. Morgan’s chip caused problems until the ball was headed behind for a corner but after Town initially kept possession from it, Amaluzor sent a cross out for a goal kick.
Saunders got down to stop a low strike from Morgan, then a corner came at the other end when a Tonks long throw was headed behind. From it, the referee spotted a foul in the Mariners’ favour and blew for a free kick.
The hosts were pushing forward in a bid to regain the advantage as the clock ticked down and a foul by Shelton gave them a free kick on the right edge of the Town box as the game moved into at least three added minutes. Sweeney replaced Foulkes before it was taken and after Birch’s ball was cleared, Cartwright had to be at his best to tip a fizzing effort by Horan over his bar for a corner.
Rodgers had an opportunity to win the game for Town moments later but could only head a chipped Morgan cross wide.
No further chances came before the final whistle, so an extra 30 minutes would be needed in a bid to separate the teams.
EXTRA TIME FIRST HALF
Finch came on for Morgan in Town’s latest change as the game restarted and a Tonks long throw gave Stafford the first opportunity to create danger. They took full advantage of it, as the Mariners failed to clear their lines and the hosts worked the ball back, with Gomes sending a low ball along the six-yard line for MASON to sweep into the net.
A foul on Sambor gave Stafford a free kick on their left as they aimed to re-establish a two-goal cushion but Cartwright punched it away from goal and a follow-up strike by Gomes from distance was blocked.
Cook headed the latest Tonks throw clear, before Wealth Da Silva came on in place of Mason for the home side.
Ferrier saw a volley blocked after Cartwright punched away from another throw, then Doyle came on for Shelton in Town’s final substitution.
A Rodgers header from Sweeney’s left-wing free kick bounced through to Saunders, before a powerful strike by Kacurri was blocked as the first half of extra time moved into three added minutes.
Two minutes into that added time, the Mariners got themselves level again, as TURI controlled the ball inside the box and flicked a neat finish past Saunders for 3-3.
EXTRA TIME SECOND HALF
Sweeney did well to win a free kick on the Grimsby left but it was eventually dealt with, before Cook and Finch worked an opening on the edge of the box but neither could profit from it.
Town were now on top and looking for a way to grab the lead for the first time in the game and they won a corner on the left with nine minutes to go. Walker took it but his delivery bounced out at the far post for a goal kick.
Sweeney had to concede a corner at the other end as Stafford continued to cause problems on the counter-attack, although the danger from it was dealt with.
Amaluzor was unable to get on the end of a ball into the box from Doyle after a good spell of Town possession, then Finch had an opportunity to win the game when he was played in by Turi but keeper Saunders dived to tip the shot around his post for a corner.
Walker was booked for a foul after the referee had played an advantage with Stafford in possession and the hosts made a further two changes with penalties in mind as the game moved into two added minutes, with Tonks and Ferrier making way for Navarro and Banks.
Town had a final opportunity to force a winner with a corner on the left but McJannet’s header from it flew over the bar and so the tie had to be decided from the penalty spot.
PENALTIES
Stafford elected to take the first penalty but Cartwright made a big save from Birch, although Walker hit the bar to ensure neither side had the early advantage.
Banks and Cook both converted, before Cartwright saved again from Washington and this time, Doyle stepped up to give the Mariners the lead for the first time in the game.
Sambor and Amaluzor both scored as Town remained ahead but Cartwright’s third save, this time from Navarro, proved decisive to send the Mariners through to Monday evening’s draw.
Next up for Town is the visit of Nottingham Forest U21 to Blundell Park in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy on Tuesday, before the league programme resumes with a trip to Swindon Town on Saturday.
Town: H Cartwright, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Foulkes (Sweeney, 89), Shelton (Doyle, 105), Turi, F Cartwright (Walker, 46), Vernam (Amaluzor, 46), Morgan (Finch, 91), Andrews (Cook, 66)
Subs not used: Pym, Brown, Reynolds
UTM
