Charlie Elliott’s stoppage-time header earned our youth team a hard-fought home victory over Burton Albion on Saturday.

Blustery conditions made for a tough EFL Youth Alliance league battle at the Bradley Football Development Centre and, after taking an early lead through Elliot Smith, the Young Mariners were pegged back just before half-time when Jamal Williamson equalised from the penalty spot.

Clear chances were few and far between in the second half of the North East Division clash as the strong wind made it difficult for both teams, but Town eventually found a way to win, with Elliott scoring from a corner to secure the three points for Neil Woods’ table-topping side.

Grimsby came into the contest fresh from a 2-0 away victory against Chesterfield in midweek and two changes were made to the team as Kristian Catchpole and Ted Sharp came in for Josh Edwards and Lennon Peterson, who both moved to the bench.

The hosts started well and Sharp went close to an opening goal within the first minute but was brilliantly denied from close range by Burton goalkeeper Spencer Tootell. The ball was eventually scrambled away for a corner but Town were unable to profit from it.

Instead, the Young Mariners took the lead on six minutes, when Harvey Booth’s low cross was helped on by Sharp and Smith got the vital touch to take the ball into the net.

Robbie Meakin headed over the bar from a corner at the other end as Burton looked for an almost instant reply, then centre-back Elliott cleared a low cross from Henry Knowles.

Jack Willow saw a shot blocked for another away corner on 12 minutes but Smith was in place to head Willow’s delivery clear.

Smith then fired into the side-netting from a narrow angle after running onto a through-ball and taking it around Tootell, as Town looked for a second goal.

A Charlie Hatton cross was put behind for a corner soon afterwards and after Hatton played the ball from the flag back to Mamudu Jalloh, his low strike took a deflection for another corner, which turned into a third in quick succession.

Jalloh drove into the penalty area from the right to force yet another corner as the pressure continued to build, although this time Sharp’s header flew off-target.

Caden Gilbert cleared after Sharp had cut inside from the left and fired a powerful ball across the six-yard line, then a foul on Booth gave Town a free-kick in a central position. Fortune Onoh shot from it but his 25-yard attempt was comfortably stopped by Tootell.

Kian Hawley shot wide from 20 yards after getting the ball back following a run through the middle as Grimsby continued to create chances, before a Miles Henry cross at the other end was cut out by Alex Graham.

Town keeper Hayden Rogers was called into action for the first time on 27 minutes as he dived to push a low strike away from goal, before Smith was caught offside from the home side’s next attack.

Hatton lifted a 20-yard strike over the bar after the referee played a good advantage, before Jalloh won a free-kick in a promising position on the right with 41 minutes on the clock. Hatton’s delivery was met by Smith but his header dropped just wide of the far post.

Town had been on top but the visitors were given an opportunity to equalise in the final minute of the half when Williamson cut inside from the left and went down under a challenge inside the box. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Williamson stepped up to beat the dive of Rogers and make it 1-1.

One added minute was played but no further chances came and the teams went in level at the break.

No changes were made by either side before the restart and Burton were first to attack, although Kairo Piper’s right-wing cross proved too high for Williamson at the far post.

Meakin could not get enough power on the ball to take it into the net from close range after a Henry cross from the right dropped for him, as the visitors threatened again. They kept possession but the ball was eventually sent through to Rogers in the Town goal.

A foul on Onoh gave Town a free-kick inside the Burton half but Samuel Oyemade got to Hatton’s delivery first and Elliott’s follow-up ball into the box went over the bar.

Carlo Midwinter and Peterson replaced Booth and Sharp as the hosts made their first changes on 57 minutes.

A foul on Jalloh then brought a free-kick in a central position, 25 yards out, but Hatton’s low shot went wide of the target.

Piper could only shoot straight at Rogers after Onoh lost possession on the edge of his own penalty area, before Will Hetheridge came on for Oyemade in Burton’s first substitution on 69 minutes.

The wind was increasingly becoming a factor as both sides struggled to create chances, although Town won a corner on the left on 71 minutes. Hatton’s ball was headed back across goal by Elliott but the visitors cleared.

A foul by Catchpole gave Burton a free-kick on their right but Catchpole did well to get a touch to Willow’s low ball on its way to Henry, then ensure the winger could only send it off-target.

Hawley made way for Edwards in Town’s third change with 15 minutes to go and Peterson did well to draw a foul on the left soon afterwards. Hatton’s free-kick was flicked wide at the near post by Smith.

Both sides were still searching for what was now looking likely to be a winning goal and Piper beat two Grimsby defenders on a run from the left on 78 minutes but when he looked for Williamson, the pass had too much power on it and the ball rolled away for a goal-kick.

Rogers caught a header from Henry moments later after Piper chipped a cross to the far post, before Town won a corner at the other end but Hatton’s ball was cleared by Daniel Matthews.

Liam Everitt replaced Meakin for Burton on 83 minutes and Peterson won a corner for the Young Mariners two minutes later as they pushed for a late winner. Elliott’s header was blocked for another corner on the opposite, right flank and after it was headed back to Hatton, Tootell punched his return delivery away for a third consecutive flag-kick.

A lengthy stoppage followed as Tootell stayed down and, after receiving treatment, he was replaced by substitute goalkeeper Alfie Simcox before the corner was taken. Hatton’s ball hit the roof of the net on its way out for a goal-kick.

Smith sent a header wide as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, then a cross-shot from Edwards took a deflection for a corner after the game moved into added time. And this time, Town finally made their pressure count as Hatton’s delivery found Elliott at the far post and he powered a header back across goal and into the net.

Onoh saw a shot blocked from 20 yards as the Young Mariners aimed to seal the points with a third goal but there was still more defending to do at the other end as Burton pushed for a last-gasp equaliser, with a free-kick from just inside the Town half well dealt with.

That proved to be the visitors’ last opportunity as a Grimsby short corner brought the final action of the afternoon, with the hosts earning another victory to maintain their 14-point advantage at the top of the North East Division heading into the last month of the regular league season.

Next up for the Young Mariners is a home game against second-placed Mansfield Town on Saturday.

Town: Rogers, Hawley (Edwards, 75), Catchpole, Onoh, Elliott, Graham, Booth (Midwinter, 57), Jalloh, Smith, Hatton, Sharp (Peterson, 57)

Subs not used: Flynn Hedges, Charlie Carrick

UTM