A fantastic first-half performance saw the Mariners return to winning ways and secure a first-ever victory at Milton Keynes’ Dons’ Stadium MK.

After seeing their unbeaten start to the season end with last week’s Sky Bet League Two loss to Bristol Rovers, Town produced some scintillating football and clinical finishing to score three goals in the opening half-hour.

David Artell’s side soaked up some early pressure but Kieran Green’s close-range finish broke the deadlock on nine minutes, then Jaze Kabia pounced on a rebound to make it 2-0.

Charles Vernam created the first two goals and he went on to add a spectacular third with a curling strike from the edge of the box, before a red card for defender Jon Mellish on 36 minutes left the Dons with 10 men for the remainder of the game.

George McEachran’s own-goal two minutes after the break briefly gave the hosts hope but their momentum soon came to a halt as Town reclaimed control.

And despite substitute Connor Lemonheigh-Evans pulling another goal back in stoppage time to set up a nervy finish for the 1,188 travelling supporters in Buckinghamshire, the Mariners held on for maximum points in an impressive away win.

The Grimsby starting XI showed three changes from the team that started against Bristol Rovers, with Jayden Sweeney, McEachran and Darragh Burns coming in for Reece Staunton, Geza Turi and Justin Amaluzor.

Christy Pym started in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Tyrell Warren, Cameron McJannet and Sweeney forming the defence.  McEachran was behind the midfield of Burns, Green, Evan Khouri and Vernam, while Kabia continued as the striker.

Turi and Cameron Gardner both missed out due to being away on international duty with the Faroe Islands and Scotland U21 respectively, so Jude Soonsup-Bell and new signing Neo Eccleston came onto the substitutes’ bench.  They were joined by Seb Auton, Clarke Oduor, Amaluzor, Henry Brown and Danny Rose.

MK Dons started the day level on points with the Mariners in the league table, although Paul Warne’s side were a place higher in seventh on goal difference.

Warne gave a debut to right-back Kane Wilson after he joined the club from Derby County to become the Dons’ 10th summer signing, while striker Scott Hogan made his first league start of the campaign.

FIRST HALF

Khouri fired over the bar as Town created the first chance on two minutes, after Kabia had launched a counter-attack following an early spell of defending.

Pym comfortably gathered a low cross from Mellish at the other end, then Hogan’s glancing header took a deflection for a corner but Sweeney headed the flag-kick clear for a throw-in.

Sweeney blocked an attempt from Wilson as the home pressure continued, before Luke Offord saw the first yellow card of the afternoon for a foul on Vernam.

And from the resulting free kick, the Mariners opened the scoring.  The ball was worked down the left for Vernam and when he played a low cross towards the six-yard line, GREEN got to it first and beat goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray with a neat finish.

The Dons immediately looked to respond and after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy broke across the halfway line, Wilson looked for striker Callum Paterson but the ball deflected through to Pym.

Defender Marvin Ekpiteta headed a home corner through to Pym but the referee blew for a foul in Town’s favour, then MacGillivray stopped a low strike from Vernam at the end of a great move by the away side which Sweeney started from deep in his own half.

A foul by Green on Alex Gilbey gave the hosts a free kick inside the Town half on 20 minutes but Paterson could only head Liam Kelly’s delivery harmlessly wide of the far post.

The Mariners were playing some excellent football and MacGillivray came off his line to deny Kabia after Burns created a great chance to double the away advantage on 22 minutes.

But seconds later, the striker was given another opportunity and this time, he did make it 2-0.  Vernam cut inside from the left and when MacGillivray could not hold his shot, KABIA was on-hand to convert the rebound from close range.

Khouri and Burns both saw shots blocked in quick succession after more good attacking play by Sweeney and Vernam.

And before the clock had reached the half-hour mark, the visitors scored a third goal.  After creating both of the first two, VERNAM got his own name on the scoresheet as he was given the time and space to cut inside from the left and curl a superb strike into the top-right corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Aaron Nemane replaced Offord as the hosts made the game’s first substitution on 34 minutes, then Kelly missed the target from distance as they looked for a lifeline.

Soon afterwards, the home side’s task was made even tougher as they were reduced to 10 men when Mellish saw a straight red card for a high challenge on Kabia.  The resulting free kick eventually led to Green heading through to MacGillivray.

Kelly did well to get back and stop Kabia from making it 4-0 on 39 minutes as the Mariners produced another fantastic move.  Again, Vernam was involved as he crossed from the left and Green then chested the ball into the path of Kabia, who looked certain to score until the midfielder’s vital intervention.

Vernam won a corner after a long spell of possession and the ball from it was worked to McEachran, who stung the palms of MacGillivray with a 20-yard drive.

Town were in total control as half-time approached and they continued to dominate as the first half moved into at least four added minutes, with Green stretching but narrowly failing to get on the end of a through-ball into the box as the away side looked to increase their lead further.

Rodgers won a corner on the right in the third of the added minutes but Jack Sanders headed Vernam’s delivery clear.  Town retained possession and Khouri sent the ball back into the box, where Burns eventually saw a shot blocked for another corner.

That proved to be the last opportunity of a magnificent first half for the Mariners, who took a commanding three-goal advantage into the dressing rooms at the break.

SECOND HALF

Lemonheigh-Evans replaced Hogan as the hosts made a further change before the restart.

They won a corner when Ekpiteta’s header from an early free kick took a deflection but Green was first to the flag-kick to head clear.

The Dons were on the scoreboard moments later, however, as a move from a throw-in led to Ekpiteta chipping a cross from the right and the ball deflected onto the chest of the unfortunate McEachran and into the net for an own-goal.

Green had to make a vital interception to get a low Hepburn-Murphy cross away for a corner as the home side aimed to reduce their deficit to just one goal, although a spell of Town possession followed and allowed the visitors to settle into the second half.

The Mariners were back on top by the hour-mark after stopping the Dons’ early momentum and Kabia almost got to a low cross from Green, then Wilson headed behind for a corner after Burns chipped a great ball to the far post.

Ekpiteta was caught offside as he aimed to connect with a chipped cross from Wilson after a Dons free kick but Town were looking the more likely to score next and Burns saw a shot blocked after a low cross from Khouri on the left.

Ekpiteta cleared a low cross from Vernam as the visitors came forward again on 70 minutes, then Soonsup-Bell replaced the outstanding Vernam in Town’s first change on 72 minutes.  Wilson made way for Will Collar for the Dons at the same time.

Kelly was booked for bringing Kabia down and stopping a Town break, before Jonathan Leko and Dan Crowley replaced Hepburn-Murphy and Kelly as Dons boss Warne looked to his bench again.

Rose came on for Kabia on 84 minutes after Burns was penalised for a high boot and the free kick led to a home corner on the left, which was headed clear.  The Dons retained possession and Nemane’s ball to the far post was met by Sanders but he could only head straight at Pym.

McEachran saw the yellow card for a foul on Crowley, then a home penalty appeal was unsuccessful as the referee instead pointed for a corner and Town brought the ball clear from the flag-kick.

Eccleston was sent on for his Town debut as he replaced Burns with a minute to go but as the game moved into three minutes of stoppage time, the Mariners were given a reminder that the points were not secured yet as LEMONHEIGH-EVANS beat Pym with a shot on the turn to make it 3-2.

The hosts now sensed an unlikely comeback could be completed and they poured forward in search of an equaliser, with MacGillivray coming forward to join the attack from a free kick.

And they went close to snatching a draw as Sanders sent an acrobatic volley just over the bar but the referee blew the final whistle seconds later to ensure the Mariners would return to North East Lincolnshire with a deserved three points.

Town are next in action on Saturday, when they face Cambridge United at Blundell Park.

Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Sweeney, McEachran, Burns (Eccleston, 89), Green, Khouri, Vernam (Soonsup-Bell, 72), Kabia (Rose, 84)

Subs not used: Auton, Oduor, Amaluzor, Brown

UTM