The Mariners hit a magnificent seven goals to overpower nine-man Cheltenham Town in a relentless performance at Blundell Park.

The visitors came into the game sitting bottom of the Sky Bet League Two table, although they started brightly and took the lead through Isaac Hutchinson.

But two wonder goals from Jamie Walker in the space of two minutes turned the game around and Cheltenham were then reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time as midfielder Harry Pell saw a second yellow card.

Striker Lee Angol was also sent off five minutes after the break and the game was over as a contest when Jaze Kabia made it 3-1 on 53 minutes.

Town were not about to drop the tempo as they looked to add to their lead and Jayden Sweeney scored twice, either side of a Charles Vernam strike.

And substitute Evan Khouri rounded off the scoring as the hosts registered seven goals in a league game for the first time since a 7-0 National League victory over FC Halifax Town in October 2015.

Clarke Oduor made his first league start and there were returns for Sweeney and Kieran Green as Grimsby head coach David Artell made three changes to his starting XI following last week’s defeat at Barnet.  Reece Staunton, Justin Amaluzor and Khouri all moved to the bench.

Christy Pym started in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Tyrell Warren, Cameron McJannet and Sweeney forming the defence.  George McEachran sat behind Oduor, Green, Walker and Vernam in midfield, while Kabia led the attack.

Jason Svanthorsson made a welcome return to the matchday squad for the first time this season as he was named among the substitutes, along with Staunton, Amaluzor, Khouri, Charlie Casper, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Danny Rose.

Cheltenham were playing their first game since the departure of manager Michael Flynn, who was sacked after last week’s home defeat by Oldham Athletic.

Assistant boss Aaron Downes and first team coach Ashley Vincent were handed the reins for the trip north and they would look to the likes of experienced striker Angol to help turn the club’s fortunes around as they aimed for only a second win of the season.

FIRST HALF

Cheltenham started on the front foot and after an early free kick was dealt with, Hutchinson made his way into the penalty area but was crowded out.

Vernam and Sweeney worked an opening on the left as Town responded but keeper Joe Day got to the winger’s cross at the second attempt.

McEachran cleared after Ethon Archer played the ball into the box from the away left, then Sweeney picked up a loose ball in midfield and launched an attack which led to Day making a good double-save from Walker at the near post.

Defender James Wilson cleared off the line from Vernam as Town went forward again, before Cheltenham’s Liam Kinsella saw the first yellow card of the afternoon for delaying a home free kick.

Hutchinson looked for Angol with a low free kick into the box but the striker could not make the most of it, then a foul on Warren stopped the visitors’ momentum.

Rodgers dealt with another free kick but the next time the visitors attacked, they took the lead.  A long kick from keeper Day found Archer on the left and he cut inside before playing a low ball across the six-yard line which HUTCHINSON tapped into the net.

Town looked to respond from a free kick on the left but Vernam’s delivery to the far post was caught by Day.

The hosts were dominating possession as they looked for an equaliser but Cheltenham had an opportunity on the counter-attack when Hutchinson made an interception to break over the halfway line, although he was unable to find a team-mate.

The Mariners were inches away from a leveller just before the half-hour as Vernam cut inside from the left and let fly with a curling strike from the edge of the box, only to see it bounce back off the crossbar.

McJannet hit the side-netting after a neat move from the left as Town went close again on 33 minutes, then Rodgers won a corner on the right but Day caught Oduor’s delivery.

The hosts were not to be denied for much longer, though, as they levelled the scores in spectacular style.  A loose ball in midfield fell for WALKER and he took a touch before arrowing a stunning strike past Day from 30 yards.

And just two minutes later, the turnaround was complete as the Mariners took the lead with another fantastic goal.  Town kept possession from a free kick and when Vernam touched the ball back to WALKER on the left, he worked the space to curl a perfectly-placed strike into the far corner of the net from 20 yards.

The situation was to get worse for Cheltenham as the half moved into two minutes of added time, as Pell, who had been shown the yellow card between Walker’s two goals, received a second booking after a strong challenge on Vernam and left his side with 10 men for the remainder of the game.

Warren needed treatment after going down with an injury and Angol became the latest to be booked after a foul but with no further chances for either side, Town went in with the advantage at the break.

SECOND HALF

Luke Young replaced Arkell Jude-Boyd for Cheltenham before the restart and a push on Walker gave Grimsby an early free kick in a promising position on the left but they could not create a chance in front of goal from it.

Five minutes in, Cheltenham’s task became even tougher as they were reduced to nine men.  This time, Angol was given his marching orders as he was shown a second yellow card for pulling McJannet down.

Day saved from Sweeney and McEachran saw a shot blocked by Kinsella as Town looked to make their numerical advantage count with a third goal.

And with 53 minutes on the clock, that goal arrived for the Mariners as after a spell of possession around the edge of the box, McJannet pulled the ball back for KABIA and he arrowed a 25-yard drive past Day.

Jake Bickerstaff replaced Kinsella in the away side’s second change, then Hutchinson became the latest to be booked for a push on Walker.

Town were looking to add to their lead as they sensed the possibility of a big scoreline and their fourth goal of the afternoon duly arrived just before the hour.  Day pushed a strike from Vernam away from goal but the hosts kept possession and after Rodgers sent the ball back into the box, it eventually broke for SWEENEY and he made no mistake from eight yards to make it 4-1.

Number five followed soon afterwards, as an Oduor cross from the right broke for VERNAM at the far post and he fired it back across goal, past Day and into the net.

Rose and Soonsup-Bell replaced Vernam and Oduor in a Mariners double-substitution after the goal and three more changes came on 68 minutes, with Svanthorsson, Khouri and Staunton coming on for Walker, Green and Kabia.

Hutchinson shot tamely wide from a free kick after Cheltenham launched a rare attack, then Rodgers lifted a strike over the bar from distance at the other end as Town looked for more goals.

Darragh Power cleared off the line from Staunton after Svanthorsson pulled the ball back from the right, then a strike by Warren took a deflection for a corner.

George Harmon and Ryan Broom replaced Frederick Wilcox and Hutchinson as the visitors made more changes but the game was now being played almost entirely in the Cheltenham half, with Town continuing to put pressure on the away goal.

A Rose cross was headed behind for a corner as Khouri looked to pounce and although it was dealt with, the hosts kept up the pressure and they grabbed a sixth goal with 10 minutes remaining.  Staunton played a low ball into the box and SWEENEY steered it past Day for his second of the game.

And six goals became seven on 83 minutes as the Mariners kept attacking, with Soonsup-Bell working his way to the byline on the left side of the penalty area before pulling it back for KHOURI to find the net at the near post.

Town had the ball in the net again on 88 minutes as Svanthorsson beat Day with a low strike from 20 yards but this time, the offside flag meant the goal did not count.

Five minutes of added time passed without any further chances, as the hosts saw out the remainder of the game to collect the points.

The Mariners are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to Salford City.

Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Sweeney, McEachran, Oduor (Rose, 63), Green (Khouri, 68), Walker (Svanthorsson, 68), Vernam (Soonsup-Bell, 63), Kabia (Staunton, 68)

Subs not used: Casper, Amaluzor

The official match attendance, brought to you by the Kingsway Hotel Cleethorpes, was 6,315 including 88 visitors.

 

 

 

 

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