The Mariners started 2025 with a defeat as Accrington Stanley twice came from behind to earn a 3-2 win at the Wham Stadium.
Town began the New Year’s Day clash in east Lancashire with a bang as Kieran Green’s header opened the scoring after just five minutes but they were pegged back soon afterwards when Ben Woods equalised.
The visitors played some excellent football in the first half and they had their lead back when Evan Khouri struck six minutes before the break.
But they were unable to add to their advantage and after a Shaun Whalley penalty levelled the scores once again, Woods had the final say when he grabbed the decisive goal eight minutes from time to snatch all three points for Accrington.
Three changes were made to the Grimsby team after Sunday’s home victory over Port Vale. Green, Rekeil Pyke and Jason Svanthorsson came in for Jordan Davies, Danny Rose and Callum Ainley, who all moved to the bench.
Jordan Wright started in goal, with Lewis Cass, Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Denver Hume again forming the defence. Green was alongside George McEachran and Khouri in midfield, with Jayden Luker and Svanthorsson supporting striker Pyke.
Seb Auton, Doug Tharme, Tyrell Warren and Luca Barrington joined Davies, Rose and Ainley among the substitutes.
Town were looking to complete a quickfire double over Accrington, having won 5-2 when the teams met at Blundell Park in early December. But they came up against a stronger Stanley side this time around, with front three Whalley, Tyler Walton and Ash Hunter all back in the XI.
Wright claimed an early cross from the home right, before the Mariners took the lead from their first chance of the afternoon. A Hume free kick from just inside the Accrington half picked GREEN out on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder steered a brilliant header past goalkeeper Billy Crellin and into the top corner of the net.
The home side’s response was not long in coming though, as they drew level four minutes later. A throw-in from the right was worked into the box and when Town were unable to clear, the ball broke for WOODS to rifle a strike past Wright from 15 yards.
A Grimsby corner led to another one when McJannet’s near-post flick was blocked and the centre-back also got on the end of the second flag-kick, this time heading wide at the far post.
Cass headed clear after Whalley had gone on a run through midfield and crossed from the right and the defender was in place to head away again when Donald Love sent a cross towards the far post soon afterwards.
A foul by Svanthorsson gave the hosts another opportunity to create danger from inside the Town half and the free kick caused problems until Khouri eventually brought the ball clear.
A further free kick was sent into the box from the Accrington right on 19 minutes and it was met by defender Zach Awe but he could not turn his header towards goal and Wright came off his line to get to the loose ball first.
Town won a corner at the other end after a Hume free kick was headed on by Rodgers for Cass to cross. The delivery from the flag broke for McEachran to hit a blocked shot from distance and the pressure continued until Crellin caught Svanthorsson’s left-wing cross.
A better chance came on 24 minutes when Svanthorsson made progress through the middle before threading a great pass into the box for Khouri. The midfielder was inches away from making it 2-1 but saw his shot bounce back off the post.
After a period where Accrington were on top, the Mariners were now looking the more dangerous of the two teams again and Luker worked an opening inside the box to pull the ball back across the six-yard line, although Svanthorsson was unable to get to it at the far post.
Luker won a corner on the right but Hume’s delivery from the flag proved just too high for Rodgers, before an injury to the home side’s Sonny Aljofree on the half-hour brought a chance for both managers to issue instructions. Aljofree was passed fit to play on after receiving treatment.
Love sent a first-time strike over the bar as Accrington attacked after play resumed, then a late challenge on Svanthorsson earned Love the first yellow card of the afternoon. Hume’s free kick was headed out for a corner but Town were unable to create a chance from it.
But the next time they went forward, the visitors restored their advantage with six minutes to go before the break. Starting with Wright, the Mariners worked the ball superbly from back to front in three passes and after Crellin denied Green, KHOURI was on-hand to slot the rebound into the net.
Wright caught a looping Whalley header as Accrington aimed to hit back once again, then a foul on Khouri gave Town a free kick in a dangerous, central position and earned midfielder Liam Coyle a booking. Hume’s shot hit the Accrington wall and the ball broke back to the left-back but his follow-up cross was just too far ahead of the run of McJannet.
Three added minutes were played at the end of what had been an entertaining first half and with no further chances coming for either side, the Mariners went in with the lead.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart following a half-time downpour but after a quiet opening to the second half, the hosts looked to their bench nine minutes in. Josh Woods and Nelson Khumbeni replaced Coyle and Dan Martin.
McJannet headed a Hunter cross clear and Town broke, with Khouri looking up from the left to find Green on the edge of the box. He in turn looked for Pyke but the striker could not hit the target.
Hume was narrowly off-target with a curling strike from 25 yards, before Accrington were given an opportunity to equalise on the hour when McJannet brought Josh Woods down inside the box. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and WHALLEY stepped up to send Wright the wrong way and make it 2-2.
Rodgers got a vital header to a Love cross to turn the ball away for a corner but when it was worked low to Ben Woods, his shot took a deflection for a goal kick.
Rose and Davies replaced Pyke and Green in Town’s first two changes on 64 minutes, before defender Farrend Rawson headed a Hume free kick clear.
The away side went close to taking the lead for the third time moments later when a pin-point Rose cross from the right picked Svanthorsson out but he could not beat Crellin with a header from 12 yards.
Alex Henderson replaced Aljofree as the hosts added an extra attacker for the remaining 22 minutes but it was Town who were pressing for a third goal as they won a corner on the right. Rawson headed Hume’s delivery away for a throw-in and the pressure continued with another one, which was cleared.
Barrington and Ainley came on for Luker and Svanthorsson on 73 minutes, then Khouri became the first Town player to see the yellow card after a late challenge.
A Grimsby free kick from the halfway line was eventually dealt with after a Davies backheel was blocked, before Crellin stretched to tip a Barrington volley over his bar for a corner as the away side kept looking for a way to get themselves ahead again.
But when the afternoon’s fifth goal arrived with eight minutes to go, it was the hosts who took the lead for the first time in the game. McEachran brought Henderson down to give Accrington a free kick on their right and BEN WOODS’ low ball to the near post found its way past Wright.
Town won a corner as they looked for an immediate response but the home defence was equal to Hume’s delivery, then Ainley almost got on the end of a low ball into the box from Davies.
Kelsey Mooney replaced Walton in the home attack with four minutes to go and it looked like they had sealed the points when another free kick from Ben Woods on the right led to the ball being headed into the net from close range after Wright had made a fantastic save from the initial header. Thankfully for the Mariners, the celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.
Hume fired high and wide from distance as the game moved into a minimum of four added minutes.
Town kept pushing forward during the additional time but there was no way through for them as Accrington held on for maximum points.
The Mariners are on the road again on Saturday, when they travel to Bradford City.
Town: Wright, Cass, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume, Green (Davies, 64), McEachran, Khouri, Luker (Barrington, 73), Pyke (Rose, 64), Svanthorsson (Ainley, 73)
Subs not used: Auton, Tharme, Warren
