The Mariners bounced back to winning ways with a comfortable away victory over Crawley Town.
On a sunny Easter Monday in West Sussex, Town put the disappointment of their Good Friday defeat behind them as first-half goals from Jaze Kabia and Harvey Rodgers sealed the three points.
Crawley were forced to play almost all of the second half with 10 men after their captain Jay Williams was sent off and despite a late rally from the home side, the visitors saw out the remainder of the contest to cap a fine performance with a clean sheet.
Clarke Oduor replaced Jamie Walker in the only change to the Grimsby XI following the loss to Harrogate Town at Blundell Park last time out.
Jackson Smith started in goal, with Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming the defence. Geza Turi was behind Darragh Burns, Kieran Green, Oduor and Kabia in midfield, as striker Andy Cook completed the line-up.
Walker moved to the bench, where he was joined by Christy Pym, Tyrell Warren, Justin Amaluzor, Jayden Sweeney, Jason Svanthorsson and Jude Soonsup-Bell.
Crawley had enjoyed an upturn in form under new manager Colin Kazim-Richards, with back-to-back victories moving them four points clear of the Sky Bet League Two relegation zone at kick-off. They would be aiming to make further progress away from danger by securing a third win in a row.
FIRST HALF
Kabia curled a shot just wide from the left as Town created the first chance inside the opening minute, before Harry Forster sent a left-wing cross wide of the far post at the other end.
Both sides were looking to go forward in the early stages and after a 20-yard drive from Rodgers flew narrowly wide, a foul on Kabia brought another opportunity to create danger with a free kick from the left. The visitors kept possession from it and a patient build-up eventually led to a corner, which was cleared.
Crawley centre-back Scott Malone fired over the bar from distance on nine minutes, before Kacurri and McJannet combined to get the ball away when a low cross from Williams was not held by Smith.
The away side were on top as the quarter-hour mark passed and Oduor was caught offside at the end of a neat Mariners move after home keeper Jacob Chapman dived to save a shot from Kabia.
McJannet headed over the bar from a Staunton free kick, before Malone again tried his luck from distance without troubling Smith, who watched the ball go high over his bar.
The next Mariners attack brought the opening goal, with 23 minutes on the clock. Cook found KABIA on the left and he steered a low, precise strike into the far corner of the net from inside the penalty area.
Kabia was providing the main threat and he won a corner on the left as Town aimed to double their advantage. Staunton’s delivery was met by Cook but Chapman dived to keep the ball out.
Another corner came on the opposite, right flank when Lewis Richards headed a Staunton cross behind at the far post. This time, Huddersfield Town loanee Chapman pushed the ball away from danger.
A big chance to make it 2-0 came on 28 minutes as Turi’s through-ball left Cook one-on-one with the keeper but the striker could not make it count as he side-footed wide of the target.
Williams sent a first-time shot wide from 25 yards as Crawley aimed to get themselves back on level terms, then a foul by Staunton gave the hosts a free kick midway inside the Town half. Forster played it into the box but could not pick out a team-mate and the ball bounced out for a goal kick.
Town had created the better chances and they got their second goal nine minutes before the break. Staunton played a low cross along the six-yard line and after Green appeared to be pulled back as he stretched for it, the ball broke for RODGERS and he unleashed a powerful drive which flew into the net.
The visitors were straight back on the attack as they looked for more before half-time, with the latest Staunton corner headed behind for another one on the left. This time, the hosts cleared.
Louie Watson replaced Taylor Richards on the left side of midfield as Crawley made the first substitution on 41 minutes.
A foul on Cook soon afterwards gave Town a free kick on the right and Staunton looked for Green from it but the delivery had too much power and the midfielder was unable to keep the ball in play.
Smith caught a cross-shot from Harry McKirdy, before Forster flashed a ball across the six-yard line which was deflected away for a home throw-in.
Two added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with no further chances for either side, the Mariners went in at the break two goals to the good.
SECOND HALF
No further changes were made before the restart and after Town immediately went on the attack again, the hosts were reduced to 10 men within two minutes. Oduor won a free kick on the left for a foul by Williams and when the Crawley captain reacted by kicking the ball at the Mariners’ midfielder, he was shown the red card.
The game settled down after the sending-off and neither goalkeeper had been called into further action as the hour mark passed, with the Mariners comfortably holding their lead.
Ade Adeyemo sent a cross out of play from the right and it proved to be his last involvement as he was replaced by Louie Copley in Crawley’s second substitution.
A 25-yard drive from Burns was blocked but Town retained possession and kept the ball for a lengthy spell until Cook was penalised for a foul.
Green won a corner after intercepting a back-pass and after the short ball into the box was cleared, the visitors worked it back for Cook to earn another corner when his near-post shot was deflected behind. This time, Staunton’s whipped delivery beat everybody and dropped out for a goal kick.
A late challenge on Kabia near the halfway line earned Forster a yellow card and soon afterwards, Town head coach David Artell looked to his bench for the first time as Walker and Sweeney replaced Green and Oduor.
Dion Pereira and Johnny Russell then came on for McKirdy and Lewis Richards as Crawley made further changes on 70 minutes in a bid to get themselves back into the game.
Burns won a corner after Kabia had done well to win the ball in midfield and set up a Town attack, then a penalty appeal from Cook was waved away by the referee as the visitors went forward again.
A foul by Kacurri on striker Tobi Adeyemo gave Crawley a free kick in a dangerous position on the left and after Forster’s delivery was flicked on, Walker had to clear over his own bar for a corner. Russell’s flag-kick was headed away by Walker but the pressure continued and Rodgers had to put the ball behind for a further corner, which turned into another as Kacurri headed behind. This time, Adeyemo’s header was off-target and the Mariners’ 2-0 lead remained intact.
Amaluzor came on for Cook with nine minutes to go and soon afterwards, Staunton became the latest to see the yellow card for time-wasting over a throw-in.
A foul by Turi on Pereira gave the hosts a further opportunity to create danger but after the ball was played low to Forster, his cross was comfortably claimed by Smith.
Another free kick came when Kabia was adjudged to have brought Pereira down, although Staunton was in place to clear the ball into the box.
Town made a further substitution as Svanthorsson replaced Kabia on 88 minutes after the attacker went down and needed treatment.
The hosts were still looking for an unlikely way back into the contest and Kacurri made a great block after another free kick led to a shooting chance.
Seven added minutes were played and the away side were inches away from a third goal when Amaluzor did well to hold the ball up on the edge of the box and find Burns but the winger’s shot bounced back off the post.
After Crawley’s positive spell, the Mariners were now looking to finish the game on the attack and they won a corner, which led to a free kick for a foul on Staunton.
Amaluzor was caught offside as Town aimed to create another chance in the last of the added minutes but in the end, the two first-half goals proved enough to earn the points and allowed the players to celebrate with the travelling supporters after a job well done.
Next up for the Mariners is a home clash with Crewe Alexandra at Blundell Park on Saturday.
Town: Smith, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton, Turi, Burns, Green (Walker, 67), Oduor (Sweeney, 67), Kabia (Svanthorsson, 88), Cook (Amaluzor, 81)
Subs not used: Pym, Warren, Soonsup-Bell
