The Mariners hit five goals as they beat Lincoln City in their latest pre-season friendly at Blundell Park.
Returning to home turf for the first time this summer, Town played some great football as they raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, with Jamie Walker opening the scoring before Charles Vernam doubled the advantage and Justin Amaluzor added a third goal.
Championship newcomers Lincoln changed their entire XI for the second half and they pulled a goal back through Dom Jeffries but Andy Cook’s late double sealed a fine victory for the hosts.
Town started with Christy Pym in goal and a defence of Harvey Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney in front of him. Geza Turi sat behind the midfield of Amaluzor, Kieran Green, Walker and Vernam, as Cook led the attack.
Lincoln were playing their fourth friendly of the summer as they continued to build up to their first season in the second tier since 1961-62, following promotion from League One last term. So far, Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw’s side had beaten Boston United and Mansfield Town but fell to a 2-0 defeat by Leyton Orient as part of a training camp in Spain.
FIRST HALF
A good challenge by McJannet stopped the visitors’ opening attack after striker Rob Street made progress down the right, before a free kick from Reeco Hackett eventually led to Adam Reach firing over the bar.
The away side won the first corner on 14 minutes when a Tom Hamer long throw was headed behind, although Conor McGrandles’ delivery from the right was cleared.
A foul on Amaluzor by Ryley Towler gave Town their first opportunity to put pressure on the Lincoln goal but Vernam’s ball to the far post beat everybody and went out for a throw-in.
Instead, the deadlock was broken on 21 minutes and it was the Mariners who took the lead. Rodgers took the ball down the right before squaring for WALKER, who beat goalkeeper George Wickens with a low strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Town immediately looked for a second goal and they had a free kick in a promising position when Cook was brought down by defender Adam Jackson. The ball was worked to Vernam on the left but his cross was cleared.
The hosts did not have to wait much longer to double their advantage though, as VERNAM cut inside from the left and curled a shot beyond Wickens into the far corner of the net.
Freddie Draper missed the target from the edge of the box at the other end, before Reach made a vital interception to stop Cook from getting to a chipped Walker cross for what would have been a free header at the far post.
A foul by Kacurri on Donald Inyama gave Lincoln a free kick in a central position but they were unable to make it count, with the hosts now firmly on top and looking good value for their 2-0 lead.
Amaluzor had the next chance for Town as he worked an opening on the edge of the box but fired straight at Wickens, then Pym was called into action for the first time with 35 minutes on the clock as he dived to stop a 20-yard strike from Hackett.
Soon afterwards, the Mariners capped an excellent first-half performance with a third goal. This time, AMALUZOR was the man on the scoresheet as he beat the keeper with a powerful shot from 12 yards.
A Lincoln corner from the left was eventually dealt with after Draper had won the initial header, then good pressure by Green saw him win a flag-kick at the other end but Sweeney’s cross dropped over the bar.
No additional time was played at the end of the half, leaving Town with a commanding, three-goal advantage at the interval.
SECOND HALF
No Grimsby substitutions were made ahead of the restart but a completely changed Lincoln team took to the pitch for the second half.
A free kick from Calum Elder on the away left was cleared at the far post after Josh Honohan had initially connected with the ball, before an offside decision against Oscar Thorn brought the away side’s next attack to an end.
Another free kick was dealt with as the visitors struggled to test Pym, then a wild effort by Ivan Varfolomeev flew well off-target from 25 yards.
Jeffries looked to have an opportunity to reduce Lincoln’s deficit on 63 minutes but again, the offside flag went up as he shot across goal, with the Mariners still looking comfortable.
A long ball by Deji Elerewe found Thorn inside the box but he could not bring the ball under control, then Pym came off his line to make a good block from Thorn.
The visitors did get themselves on the scoresheet moments later, however, as Elder found JEFFRIES on the six-yard line to turn and fire past Pym.
The keeper made way for Auton and Catchpole came on for Turi as Town made their first changes after the goal on 69 minutes, then a stoppage came for Amaluzor to receive treatment following a heavy challenge by Elerewe. The winger was passed fit to play on.
Lincoln keeper Joe Gauci caught a cross from Rodgers on the Town right, then a Vernam corner from the left was eventually dealt with after Green had won the first header.
Kabia and Foulkes replaced Vernam and Rodgers as the hosts made further changes on 76 minutes and Kabia’s first involvement saw him fouled on the edge of the box, although Green’s resulting free kick hit the defensive wall.
Town’s next chance brought a fourth goal though, as COOK took advantage of a mistake by Gauci to take the ball forward and tap into the empty net on 82 minutes
Four minutes later, it was 5-1 as Green found Sweeney on the left and he crossed for COOK to head home at the far post and register his second goal of the night.
Elliott replaced McJannet after the goal and the Mariners saw out the remainder of the time to secure an excellent win.
The build-up to the new season continues on Wednesday as Town head to Boston United for their second friendly in the space of 24 hours, before a return to Blundell Park on Saturday to face Wigan Athletic.
Town: Pym (Auton, 69), Rodgers (Foulkes, 76), Kacurri, McJannet (Elliott, 86), Sweeney, Turi (Catchpole, 69), Amaluzor, Green, Walker, Vernam (Kabia, 76), Cook
Subs not used: Brown, Pruti, Smith, Peterson, Pratt
UTM
