The Mariners bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup with their heads held high as Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers edged through to the fifth round with a 1-0 victory at Blundell Park.

With rain falling on an already heavy pitch in the lead-up to kick-off and Town up for the challenge of facing a top-division outfit in front of a sold-out crowd and the live TNT Sports television cameras, the ingredients were in place for an upset.

And the hosts gave as good as they got throughout a tough fourth round encounter in difficult conditions, with Charles Vernam going close to giving them an early lead before Wolves hit the bar through a Joao Gomes free kick as the first half finished goalless.

Town had spells of pressure after the break but were unable to find a way through the away defence and instead, Uruguayan international defender Santiago Bueno struck on the hour to grab what proved to be the winning goal for the men from Molineux.

Head coach David Artell made six changes to his Grimsby line-up following Wednesday’s Sky Bet League Two victory over Accrington Stanley, with Tyrell Warren, Jayden Sweeney, Geza Turi, Evan Khouri, Vernam and Jaze Kabia all coming into the team.  Maldini Kacurri, Reece Staunton, George McEachran, Kieran Green, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming and Andy Cook made way.

Jackson Smith started in goal, as Harvey Rodgers, Warren, Cameron McJannet and Sweeney formed the back four.  Turi sat behind Darragh Burns, Jamie Walker, Khouri and Vernam in midfield, with Kabia leading the attack.

Kacurri, Staunton, Green, Cook and Sellars-Fleming were all named on the bench, where they were joined by Seb Auton, Clarke Oduor, Justin Amaluzor and Jude Soonsup-Bell.

Wolves boss Rob Edwards made just four alterations to his team from Wednesday’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, with four-cap England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone among those to come in.

He was among nine full internationals in the starting XI, with the other two both representing their countries at youth level.

FIRST HALF

An early cross from Khouri was headed away, before Vernam cut inside from the left and let fly with a low strike which went just wide of the far post.

A foul by Walker gave the visitors their first chance to attack with a free kick midway inside the Town half, although Mateus Mane’s chip into the box went straight through to Smith.

Burns headed clear from a Yerson Mosquera long throw on six minutes and Town broke with a good move down the right, then McJannet slid in to stop striker Tolu Arokodare as Wolves attacked again.

Mane won the first corner on the away right on 14 minutes but Turi cleared the England U18 midfielder’s low delivery at the near post, before Smith got to a Mane free kick from the right to punch clear.  Jackson Tchatchoua sent the ball back into the penalty area but Arokodare lifted it over the bar.

David Moller-Wolfe stayed down after a good challenge by Warren but was able to continue, then Kabia linked up with Burns on the home right but the Wolves defence recovered to deal with the danger.

Town had started well and a free kick on the right brought a further opportunity to cause problems, although Vernam’s ball from it was headed away by Arokodare.

A Walker cross was sliced behind for a corner by Ladislav Krejci and it turned into another one on the opposite, left flank but this time, Vernam’s cross beat everybody and dropped out for a goal kick.

Mosquera was shown the first yellow card for pulling Warren down near the halfway line as he looked to break into the Wolves half and Sweeney’s free kick eventually dropped for Walker but his cross from the right landed on the roof of the net.

Burns was caught offside on the half-hour as the Mariners attacked again, before Walker did well to block a 25-yard strike by Brazilian wing-back Andre at the other end.

McJannet was booked for bringing Adam Armstrong down just outside the box on 34 minutes and Wolves went close to opening the scoring from the resulting free kick but Gomes’ strike bounced off the bar.

The yellow card was out again soon afterwards as Andre was booked for a foul on Vernam and Rodgers went on to win a corner on the right, although Burns’ delivery was cleared.

Town were enjoying a promising spell as half-time loomed, with rain once again falling on the Blundell Park pitch.

Walker won a free kick on the right but Arokodare was first to Vernam’s ball to head away and a shot from Walker was then blocked.

McJannet earned another corner on the right and this time, Vernam played the ball short for Burns to cross but Warren could only head wide at the far post.

One added minute was played at the end of the first half and a foul by Moller-Wolfe on Burns meant Town could see out the remaining time to ensure they reached the break with the score still goalless.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made ahead of the restart and Kabia was booked within 15 seconds for a foul on defender Bueno.  The free kick looked to have been dealt with as Rodgers passed the ball back to Smith but the keeper’s attempted clearance went straight to Armstrong.  The striker could not profit though, as his shot flew over the bar.

Walker volleyed over the bar at the other end from Town’s first chance of the second half after Khouri did well against Moquera on the left.

A foul on Sweeney by Gomes brought a free kick inside the Wolves half but Sweeney’s delivery to the edge of the box was headed clear.

Green and Cook replaced Walker and Kabia as Town made the first substitutions on 57 minutes but the hosts were now being forced to defend as Wolves increased the tempo, aided by a string of long throws into the penalty area.

And that pressure eventually told on the hour, as the Premier League side took the lead.  It came from a long throw which was not fully dealt with and after a shot from Andre was blocked, Gomes’ powerful cross was turned into the net by BUENO.

Town’s response was positive as Khouri won a throw-in on the left and the ball was worked to Vernam, who earned a corner.  Burns’ cross was not dealt with and Johnstone eventually took the ball over the line for another corner, this time on the right.  Burns’ delivery was headed away and cleared.

Arokodare was off-target from 16 yards as the visitors aimed to double their advantage, before Cook headed a cross away and Moller-Wolfe picked up the pieces to win a corner, which was cleared.

Vernam won a Town corner soon afterwards and the pressure continued with a throw-in on the left but Sweeney was caught offside after getting the ball back from Vernam.

A Gomes cross was dealt with by Rodgers, before Sellars-Fleming replaced Vernam and Staunton came on for Sweeney as the Mariners made further changes on 75 minutes.

Cook won a free kick against Mosquera on halfway and after Town retained possession from it, Turi saw a 25-yard shot blocked.

The game was increasingly being played in the Grimsby half as Wolves looked for a second goal and Rodgers had to turn a low Arokodare cross away before it could reach Armstrong at the far post.  The striker collected the loose ball and pulled it back for Mane but his shot went high over the bar.

Amaluzor replaced Burns in Town’s final substitution on 82 minutes and Staunton had the next opportunity but he could only fire over the bar from 25 yards.

Another shot by Mane was blocked at the edge of the box, before the Mariners put a lengthy spell of possession together as they searched for a way to unlock the Wolves defence.

Jean Ricner-Bellegarde replaced Andre in the away side’s first substitution, before Sellars-Fleming crossed for Cook at the far post but he could only head at keeper Johnstone.

Town were given a minimum of four added minutes to find an equaliser and take the game to extra time, as Gomes fired off-target from the visitors’ latest opportunity.

The Mariners’ chance looked to have come as the clock ticked down but Sellars-Fleming was denied by a great challenge from Bueno after Green had battled to win the ball on the edge of the Wolves box.

Amaluzor won a corner on the right to give the hosts one final opportunity to force a leveller but with Smith up to join the attack, Staunton’s ball was flicked clear.

That proved to be the last action of the game as the referee’s final whistle marked the end of Town’s cup run, as Wolves held on to secure their place in Monday’s fifth round draw.

The Mariners will now turn their attention back to the league programme, with Walsall set to visit Blundell Park on Wednesday.

Town: Smith, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Sweeney (Staunton, 75), Turi, Burns (Amaluzor, 82), Walker (Green, 57), Khouri, Vernam (Sellars-Fleming, 75), Kabia (Cook, 57)

Subs not used: Auton, Kacurri, Oduor, Soonsup-Bell

UTM