Justin Amaluzor came off the bench to score the goal that got the Mariners back to winning ways as they beat Shrewsbury Town in their final game of 2025.

Town were on top for much of the Monday night contest at Blundell Park and created several chances as they looked to end a run of nine Sky Bet League Two games without a victory.

And their pressure finally paid off seven minutes from time as Amaluzor struck to break the visitors’ resistance and grab the only goal to earn all three points.

Jude Soonsup-Bell was given his first league start for the club as one of three changes to the Grimsby XI folowing the Boxing Day draw with Oldham Athletic.  Jamie Walker and Evan Khouri were the others to come in, as George McEachran, Kieran Green and Jaze Kabia all moved to the bench.

Jackson Smith continued in goal after extending his emergency loan from Barnsley for a further seven days, while Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney made up an unchanged defence.  Geza Turi started behind Darragh Burns, Walker, Khouri and Charles Vernam in midfield, as Soonsup-Bell led the attack.

McEachran, Green and Kabia were joined among the substitutes by Charlie Casper, Amaluzor, Reece Staunton and Tyrell Warren.

Shrewsbury formed familiar opposition for the Mariners, as the teams were meeting for the third time this season and the second in the space of three weeks.  Town came out on top in the Carabao Cup first round clash in August, while the teams could not be split in a 1-1 league draw in Shropshire on December 9.

Since the meeting at the Croud Meadow, Michael Appleton’s Shrews had lost two and drawn one of their three games, the latest of which was a 3-1 defeat by Cheltenham Town on Boxing Day.

FIRST HALF

An early cross from Burns was too high for Soonsup-Bell at the far post as the Mariners were the first to attack, then Shrewsbury’s Ismeal Kabia was caught offside when they went forward for the first time.

Away goalkeeper Will Brook got down to stop a low shot from Vernam on three minutes, before good defending by McJannet saw him stop Kabia from reaching a ball down the left by Tom Sang.

Burns and Walker linked up well on the right to create a chance for the winger, although he could not generate enough power on his shot to beat Brook from inside the penalty area.

Town were controlling possession by the 10-minute mark and striker John Marquis was penalised for bringing Turi down in the centre-circle after the midfielder turned and ran into space.

Burns cut inside and fired over the bar from 20 yards on 19 minutes, then Walker saw a shot blocked after good play by Khouri.

Sweeney was crowded out on the edge of the box as the hosts continued to push for an opening goal, before a stoppage came for Marquis to receive treatment.

Smith dived to prevent a corner at the other end when Sang hit a deflected shot after a Sam Clucas free kick from the left was not fully dealt with.

Soonsup-Bell then got a touch to a low shot from Vernam but could only deflect it wide of the target, before Tharme headed clear when Sang beat Sweeney and crossed from the visitors’ right.

Sang won a corner on 35 minutes but could not find a team-mate from it as the ball bounced away for a throw-in, then McJannet stepped in again to beat Shrewsbury’s Kabia to a ball down the right and get it safely back to Smith.

Walker’s flicked header gave Burns an opening on the right on 38 minutes but Rodgers was blocked when the winger found him inside the box.

A foul on Khouri by Tom Anderson gave Town a free kick in a promising position on the left but when Vernam played it low to Khouri on the edge of the box, his shot was blocked.

Luca Hoole brought the ball clear after nobody in black and white could get to a low pull-back from Rodgers following an intelligent, quickly-taken throw-in as the Mariners continued to search for a breakthrough.

But the visitors had an opportunity to open the scoring themselves two minutes before the interval, as Taylor Perry ran through the middle and hit a shot which ricocheted into the path of Sang.  He could not make the most of the chance though, lifting the ball over the bar from 12 yards.

A deflected shot from Walker went inches past the post for a corner as the first half moved into at least two added minutes, with Tharme heading through to keeper Brook from the flag-kick.

A Shrewsbury corner was dealt with at the other end and with no further chances coming for either side, the game remained goalless at the break.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and Khouri headed a Vernam cross just wide as Town created the first chance of the second half.

Tharme was booked for bringing Kabia down as the visitors broke after a Mariners penalty claim was waved away by the referee.

But the hosts were on the front foot and a drive from distance by Vernam was blocked, before a great tackle from Turi stopped Kabia to bring a Shrewsbury break to an end.

Ex-Town loanee George Lloyd replaced Anthony Scully as the away side made the first substitution on 55 minutes.

Soon afterwards, a low cross from Burns was cut out for a corner but Vernam’s delivery led to an offside decision.

The flag then went up at the other end after a cross from Josh Ruffels, as both goalkeepers remained untroubled since half-time.

Green replaced Walker in Town’s first change two minutes after the hour but a chance for Shrewsbury came soon afterwards, with Marquis meeting a cross from the right.  Smith got a strong hand to his header, however, and gathered the ball at the second attempt.

Khouri saw the yellow card for a foul on Marquis with 68 minutes on the clock and the resulting free kick was worked to Sang, who struck the post with a low, deflected shot from 25 yards.  Marquis was caught offside as he aimed to pounce on the rebound.

Marquis became the latest to be booked after a foul on McJannet, with the free kick eventually leading to Vernam curling a shot wide from outside the box.

Town made a triple-substitution on 73 minutes, with Amaluzor, Kabia and McEachran coming on as Burns, Soonsup-Bell and Turi made way.

A corner followed on the home left but Rodgers headed it wide, then Kabia fired at Brook after a determined run and cross from Green on the right.

Green won a further corner on 78 minutes and it turned into another one but again, Town were unable to make it count.

An Amaluzor cross was cut out for another corner as the pressure continued but this time, Vernam’s delivery from the flag beat everybody and a return ball into the box from Sweeney was cleared.

But the next time the Mariners went forward, that pressure finally told as they took the lead with seven minutes to go.  Green linked up with Khouri and he pulled the ball back for AMALUZOR to beat Brook and find the net in front of the Pontoon Stand.

Tommy McDermott replaced Shrewsbury’s Kabia after the goal and a further change for the visitors saw Chuks Aneke come on for Sang with a minute left to play.

Sweeney blocked a fierce strike by Perry as the game moved into a minimum of five added minutes.

But that proved to be Shrewsbury’s final opportunity to grab a share of the spoils, as the Mariners saw out the remaining time to seal a long-awaited win.

Town are next in action on New Year’s Day, when they travel to Fleetwood Town.

Town: Smith, Rodgers, Tharme, McJannet, Sweeney, Turi (McEachran, 73), Burns (Amaluzor, 73), Walker (Green, 62), Khouri, Vernam, Soonsup-Bell (Kabia, 73)

Subs not used: Casper, Staunton, Warren

UTM