The Mariners earned a huge three points on the road at Colchester United as goals from Kieran Green and Evan Khouri secured a tenth away win of the season. 

After a goalless first 45 minutes in Essex between two sides looking to finish the evening in the Sky Bet League Two play-off places, Town made a perfect start to the second half when Green put them ahead within 25 seconds.

Former Grimsby loanee Owura Edwards quickly restored parity for Colchester but Khouri had the final say on a special Friday night for Town and their 532 travelling fans.

His goal ensured the points would come back to North East Lincolnshire and the result means the Mariners will head into April in the division’s top seven.

Head coach David Artell named an unchanged Town starting XI after the home victory over Newport County last time out.

That meant goalkeeper Jordan Wright again lined up behind a defence of Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme and Tyrell Warren, with Jason Svanthorsson and Denver Hume in the wing-back roles.  George McEachran and Khouri were behind Green in central midfield, while Luca Barrington partnered Danny Rose in attack.

Cameron McJannet made a return to the matchday squad from injury as he was named on the bench, alongside Jake Eastwood, Curtis Thompson, Geza David Turi, Jordan Davies, Darragh Burns and Jayden Luker.

Colchester began the evening a point and a place behind the Mariners in the league table, with Danny Cowley’s side aiming for a win which would see them move back up into the play-off positions ahead of Saturday’s fixtures.

FIRST HALF

The home side looked to have created the first chance of the game on eight minutes when Edwards used his pace to beat Rodgers on the Colchester left.  His low cross was behind the run of striker Lyle Taylor though, and midfielder Harry Anderson could not turn it towards goal..

McEachran saw a 20-yard volley blocked from a Tharme long throw as Town attacked for the first time, before the hosts thought they had opened the scoring when centre-back Tom Flanagan headed Taylor’s left-wing free kick past Wright.  The celebrations were short-lived though, as the offside flag came to the Mariners’ rescue.

Svanthorsson was also caught offside to bring Town’s next attack to an end, then Green hit the side-netting after a run down the right.

The visitors were starting to settle by the quarter-hour and a good move led to a dangerous-looking cross from Green on the right bouncing past the far post.

A strike from Barrington on 20 minutes was blocked as Town continued to come forward, then Khouri fired wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Colchester were forced into the first substitution of the evening after Anderson went down with an injury on 26 minutes.  He was replaced by John-Kymani Gordon.

The first booking was issued soon afterwards as Green saw the yellow card for pulling Arthur Read down just inside the Grimsby half.

Edwards won a corner for the hosts when his 20-yard strike took a deflection off Hume and Tharme headed Jack Payne’s flag-kick behind for another one.  This time, the referee spotted a foul and blew for a Town free kick.

Barrington’s cross proved too high for Green at the end of a counter-attack, before Warren cleared a low ball into the box from Edwards at the other end.

The visitors appeared to be the better side as half-time loomed, with McEachran and Khouri picking up plenty of loose balls in midfield as Colchester were finding it tough to create danger.

A foul on McEachran gave the Mariners a free kick on the right but after Hume played it low to Svanthorsson, his deflected cross went through to keeper Matt Macey.

Green won a corner on the right just before the first half moved into at least four additional minutes, although Hume’s delivery from the flag was cleared by Jamie McDonnell.

Colchester then had the final opportunity of the half after Hume was penalised for a foul on Gordon on the home right but they were unable to make it count and as Warren cleared, the referee’s whistle blew and the teams went in level at the break.

SECOND HALF

No further changes were made before the restart and the Mariners had a dream opening to the second half as they took the lead within 25 seconds.  Khouri overlapped to meet a Hume ball into the box and when he pulled it back from the left, GREEN showed determination to get to it ahead of defender Rob Hunt and score from close range.

Tharme got to a McEachran chip at the far post but could only lift the ball over the bar as the away side immediately went in search of a second goal.

But their lead was to last just five minutes before Colchester drew level.  EDWARDS worked an opening on the left side of the penalty area and beat Wright with a low shot across goal.

The game was moving from end to end and Khouri was off-target after linking up with Green again, then a 25-yard effort from Hume took a deflection for a Mariners corner on the left.  Hunt headed it clear but a push by Edwards on McEachran ensured Town could keep the pressure up with a free kick from the right.  This time, Hume’s delivery was too strong and the ball went out for a goal kick.

A powerful volley from Svanthorsson was blocked by Hunt soon afterwards, although the offside flag had already gone up earlier in the move.

Wright reached up to tip a drive from Read over his bar for a corner at the other end on the hour but when the ball from the flag was played low to McDonnell on the edge of the box, he could only fire harmlessly wide.

Macey denied Rodgers from Town’s next attack after good play by Green, then Barrington saw a shot blocked as the Mariners kept pushing in a bid to reclaim the advantage.

Green created another opening with a run and cross from the right and it eventually led to a corner when Hume let fly with a deflected strike from 25 yards.  The flag-kick caused problems as the ball bounced around the Colchester box, with Barrington among those to see shots blocked before the hosts eventually cleared.

But the next time they had a sight of goal, the Mariners grabbed the lead back.  Flanagan gave the ball away deep inside his own half and Barrington pounced to take it forward before finding KHOURI, who steered a low shot past Macey to make it 2-1 with 14 minutes remaining.

Davies replaced Green in Town’s first change after the goal, then Khouri was booked for bringing Read down as the home side aimed to launch a counter-attack.

Rose drew a foul from Edwards as another Colchester attack came to an end, before another foul on the Grimsby captain, this time at the other end of the pitch, earned Hunt a booking.  Davies stepped up to shoot from the free kick but his 30-yard effort landed just wide.

Edwards became the latest to be booked on 83 minutes but before the free kick was taken, the hosts made a triple-substitution as Tyreece Simpson, Kane Vincent-Young and Oscar Thorn were all sent on.  Hunt, Fiacre Kelleher and Gordon made way.

Thompson and Luker replaced McEachran and Barrington with two minutes to go, with Colchester also making a further change as Anthony Scully came on for Read.

The fourth official signalled for at least six additional minutes and Town were forced to defend as their hosts pushed forward in search of a late equaliser.

Wright punched a corner away but the home pressure continued, although the Mariners held firm to secure a massive win.

Town are back in action on Tuesday, with an away trip to face Crewe Alexandra.

Town: Wright, Rodgers, Tharme, Warren, Svanthorsson, McEachran (Thompson, 88), Green (Davies, 77), Khouri, Hume, Rose, Barrington (Luker, 88)

Subs not used: Eastwood, McJannet, Turi, Burns