Ten-man Grimsby Town fell to a narrow defeat as Chesterfield took all three points away from Blundell Park.
On a frustrating afternoon in Cleethorpes, a Harvey Rodgers own-goal ultimately proved to be the difference between the two teams.
The game went ahead on what remained an excellent playing surface despite the recent heavy rain and Town dominated long spells of the first half but were unable to take any of their chances as the score remained goalless at half-time.
A turning point then came eight minutes after the break when Christy Pym was sent off for bringing striker Lee Bonis down as he got to a short back-pass first.
And although the Mariners continued to attack, Chesterfield eventually made their numerical advantage count when Dilan Markanday’s cross was diverted past substitute goalkeeper Charlie Casper by the unfortunate Rodgers for the only goal of the game.
Three changes were made to the Grimsby XI following last week’s draw at Barrow, with George McEachran, Jamie Walker and Reece Staunton all coming into the team. They replaced Jason Svanthorsson, Evan Khouri and Geza Turi.
Pym started in goal, with Rodgers, Tyrell Warren, Cameron McJannet and Staunton forming the defence. McEachran sat behind Kieran Green, Walker and Charles Vernam in midfield, as Danny Rose and Jaze Kabia were again paired in attack.
Khouri was named on the bench alongside Casper, Neo Eccleston, Justin Amaluzor, Darragh Burns, Zak Gilsenan and Clarke Oduor.
Chesterfield made the journey from north Derbyshire looking for a win which could lift them from 10th in the Sky Bet League Two table to the fringes of the automatic promotion places, depending on other results.
Paul Cook’s men began the day four places but only one point behind the Mariners, who in turn sat just two points away from the top three at kick-off.
FIRST HALF
Rose got back to make a good challenge on Tom Naylor after Chesterfield launched the first attack of the game, then McEachran headed behind to give the visitors the first corner. James Berry’s delivery from the right was headed away.
McJannet got the better of Bonis on six minutes and turned defence into attack with a pass to Walker in midfield. He then found Vernam on the left and the winger cut inside but sent his 25-yard shot over the bar.
Warren’s deep cross from the right dropped wide of the far post, before an intelligent flick-on by Kabia gave Rose space to attack down the right. He looked up and found Walker but defender Devan Tanton got back to shepherd the ball through to goalkeeper Zach Hemming.
A foul by Kyle McFadzean gave Town a free kick inside the Chesterfield half but Bonis got ahead of Kabia to clear Staunton’s ball for a throw-in.
Rodgers headed a McFadzean free kick behind for a corner but the visitors were unable to make it count, with Naylor eventually heading onto the roof of the net from a narrow angle at the far post.
Neither goalkeeper had been tested as the 20-minute mark approached but Hemming became the first to be called into action when Kabia met a low cross from Rodgers to fire a first-time shot towards goal. The Chesterfield stopper was equal to it, showing quick reactions to push the ball over the bar for a corner.
Rose did well to win another corner on 23 minutes after a driving run from the left and the pressure continued with two more corners until Markanday eventually cleared.
Vernam created an opening for Green seconds later but the midfielder’s low ball across the six-yard line was cleared.
Town were now on top but Rodgers had to concede a corner after Markanday sent a dangerous-looking cross over from the away right.
Ronan Darcy then had Chesterfield’s first good chance on 28 minutes when a cross from Markanday was not fully dealt with. The ball dropped for the midfielder inside the penalty area but his low shot rolled wide of the far post.
Warren saw the first yellow card of the afternoon for pulling Berry down but John Fleck’s free kick from the away left was well-defended.
Chey Dunkley followed Warren into the referee’s notebook after bringing Rose down on the halfway line, then a deflection on a shot by Walker brought another corner on the Town left after a spell of possession. This time, McJannet headed Vernam’s delivery wide.
Another chance came on 39 minutes as Green picked Kabia out with a great cross from the left, although the striker could only head wide of the far post.
McEachran let fly from 25 yards soon afterwards when a corner broke for him, although the midfielder’s strike was blocked and Kabia’s follow-up was saved by Hemming.
Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with no further chances coming for either side, it remained goalless at the break.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart and Kabia won an early corner as Town began the second half on the front foot. Vernam’s ball from the flag broke for Walker and when his initial strike was blocked, the midfielder hit a follow-up effort which was saved by Hemming.
Vernam called the keeper into action again to block a low drive after an excellent cross-field pass from Rodgers, then Walker won yet another corner after showing good skill to work his way into the box and cross from the right. Berry headed Staunton’s delivery away at the near post.
Chesterfield were yet to threaten since the interval as Town dominated but a potential turning point came eight minutes in, as Bonis got on the end of a short back-pass from Vernam. And when Pym brought him down just outside his box, the referee had little option but to show the red card to the Mariners keeper.
Vernam made way for Casper before the resulting free kick, which Fleck lifted over the bar.
Kabia saw two penalty appeals turned down in quick succession as Town were quickly back on the attack, with the volume going up around Blundell Park as the home crowd got behind the 10 men.
Warren got to a Markanday cross first to head the ball away as Chesterfield looked for a breakthrough, before Amaluzor replaced Kabia in Town’s second change on 66 minutes.
Staunton then made a great block to deny Bonis and Casper pushed a far-post volley from Darcy behind for a corner when the ball was sent back into the box from the away right.
But the deadlock was broken soon afterwards, as Markanday beat Staunton on the right before making his way into the box and sending over a cross which was diverted past Casper by Rodgers for an own-goal.
Janoi Donacien replaced Dunkley after the goal in Chesterfield’s first substitution and Casper got a strong hand to a drive from Fleck soon afterwards but the offside flag brought an end to the attack.
Oduor, Khouri and Gilsenan came on for McEachran, Walker and Rose in Town’s final changes on 77 minutes, before Darcy was booked for delaying a Grimsby free kick for a foul by Fleck on Green.
Town were looking for an equaliser as the clock ticked down and good vision by Gilsenan saw him find Green on the right, although Hemming got to his low cross ahead of Amaluzor.
Casper got down to stop a low cross from Naylor at the other end, then Dylan Duffy and Liam Mandeville replaced Darcy and Berry for the visitors with four minutes to go.
Markanday fired over the bar after Naylor dispossessed Gilsenan in midfield, then Casper claimed a Chesterfield corner from the left as the game moved into at least eight minutes of added time.
The away side looked to see out the remainder of the contest, although Khouri forced a Grimsby corner in the last of the added minutes. But with Casper up to join the attack, Staunton’s flag-kick was dealt with and it proved to be the final action of the afternoon as Town were left to reflect on a single-goal defeat.
The Mariners are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to Swindon Town.
Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Staunton, McEachran (Oduor, 77), Green, Walker (Khouri, 77), Vernam (Casper, 53), Rose (Gilsenan, 77), Kabia (Amaluzor, 66)
Subs not used: Eccleston, Burns
Today’s official attendance, brought to you by the Kingsway Hotel Cleethorpes, was 7,407, including 1184 visitors.
UTM
