Jaze Kabia hit a hat-trick as the Mariners powered to a guaranteed top-seven finish in Sky Bet League Two with a stunning 4-0 win against Swindon Town at Blundell Park.

Town knew a lunchtime victory over their fellow promotion-challengers in front of a sold-out home crowd would ensure at least a spot in the play-offs with a game to spare and a scintillating first-half display in front of the live Sky Sports cameras saw them go in three goals to the good at the interval.

Kabia opened the scoring from the penalty spot on eight minutes after Geza Turi was tripped, then Maldini Kacurri doubled the hosts’ advantage with a magnificent header.

Kabia’s second goal of the game made it 3-0 and he went on to complete a brilliant treble just before the hour to wrap up the points and leave David Artell’s side waiting on other results later in the afternoon to find out whether they would go into their last fixture of the season still with a mathematical chance of automatic promotion.

Town were unchanged after Tuesday’s away victory over Cambridge United, with Jackson Smith starting in goal as Harvey Rodgers, Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming the defence.  Turi sat behind Justin Amaluzor, Kieran Green, Clarke Oduor and Kabia in midfield, with Andy Cook leading the attack.

Christy Pym, Jayden Sweeney, Jamie Walker, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Darragh Burns, Tyrell Warren and Charles Vernam were all named on the bench as no changes were made to the matchday squad.

Swindon made the journey north from Wiltshire with the same aim as their hosts, to win the game and secure an extension to their season.

Manager Ian Holoway returned to Blundell Park with his team having won just one of their previous five matches but with plenty of attacking threat in his starting XI as the likes of Aaron Drinan, Junior Hoilett and ex-Town loanee Ollie Palmer all looked to add to their goal tallies.

FIRST HALF

Green fired wide of the near post from the right as the Mariners were on the attack from kick-off, before a long throw at the other end led to the first corner.  It turned into another one as Cook headed behind and this time, the striker headed clear.

Town were given a golden opportunity to take the lead soon afterwards as Turi made progress to the edge of the penalty area before being tripped by Swindon captain Will Wright.  The referee pointed to the spot and KABIA stepped up to take the chance as he coolly sent goalkeeper Connor Ripley the wrong way.

Good pressure by Oduor forced Jamie Knight-Lebel to concede a corner on the left but Rodgers headed wide from Staunton’s delivery.

Town were firmly on top and a ball down the right from McJannet was headed on by Cook but it proved too far ahead of the run of Green.

Staunton made a good block from Palmer as Swindon looked for a reply but Rodgers was in place to head the resulting corner away for a throw-in.  It was not fully dealt with but when Palmer eventually shot from 20 yards, the ball bounced through to Smith.

A strong run by Jake Batty was brought to an end with a block from Kacurri, then Hoilett was spoken to by the referee after a foul on Kabia near the centre-circle.  From the resulting free kick, the Mariners had their second goal as Staunton’s delivery found KACURRI and his superb header looped beyond the reach of Ripley into the top corner of the net.

A low cross from Staunton was blocked after another run by Turi through midfield, before Aidan Barland sent a cross out of play as the visitors struggled to create danger.

Rodgers drilled a strike from 25 yards on the half-hour which took a deflection on its way wide for a corner and Ripley had to tip Staunton’s right-wing delivery over his bar for another one, this time on the left.  Town kept possession from it and worked the ball forward to earn a further corner and the pressure continued with another one after Kabia’s low shot was blocked.  This time, Cook eventually headed down to Ripley.

The latest long throw from Batty led to Green bringing the ball clear, before a Swindon free kick from halfway saw Palmer head through to Smith.

Green was unable to work an opening for a shot from inside the box after Kabia and Staunton had linked up on the left, then more good play on the left led to a corner as Staunton’s cross was put behind by Wright.  From it, the Mariners made it 3-0 when Staunton’s ball found KABIA in space to plant a free header past Ripley from six yards with 43 minutes on the clock.

Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with no further chances coming for either side, Town went in with a commanding lead at the break.

SECOND HALF

Holloway made four substitutions ahead of the restart, with Michael Olakigbe, Filozofe Mabete, Fletcher Holman and Joel McGregor replacing Tom Wilson-Brown, Knight-Lebel, Billy Bodin and Hoilett.

Amaluzor fired over the bar from distance as Town were the first to attack, although the visitors had the first good chance of the second half through Holman.  He could not make it count though, sending a weak effort through to Smith.

Amaluzor needed treatment after going down injured but was passed fit to continue, then Green shot just wide from the edge of the box after more good play by Turi.

McGregor lifted a strike harmlessly over the bar as Swindon looked for an unlikely way back into the contest, before a Staunton corner at the other end was cleared.

The visitors’ faint hopes were dashed once and for all soon afterwards, as the Mariners grabbed a brilliant fourth goal on 58 minutes.  A long kick from Smith was flicked on by Cook for KABIA, who showed his confidence to smash a first-time strike past Ripley from the edge of the box and complete his hat-trick.

Walker replaced Oduor, Vernam came on for Kabia and Rodgers made way for Warren as Town made a triple-substitution just after the hour.

The hosts were looking for more goals and Ripley had to raced out of his penalty area and beat Cook to the ball after a mistake in defence almost gave the striker an opening.

Drinan made way for Ben Middlemas in Swindon’s final change on 71 minutes and the away side had an opportunity to pull a goal back five minutes later but a great challenge by Walker denied Batty from close range.

Burns and Soonsup-Bell replaced Amaluzor and Green in the final home final substitutions with 12 minutes to go.

Ripley then punched a Staunton free kick clear, before an offside decision went against Walker as the keeper tipped his header over the bar.

Cook took advantage of a loose pass to take the ball towards the box on 89 minutes but he was tripped by Mabate, who saw the first yellow card of the game for the foul.  Staunton stepped up to take the free kick from a central position, 20 yards out, but he was denied by a great save from Ripley, who dived full-length to his right to push the ball away for a corner.

Vernam was off-target after cutting inside from the left and letting fly as the game moved into at least six added minutes, before Burns shot narrowly wide from 12 yards as the Mariners continued to create chances in search of a fifth goal.

Kacurri made a block from Olakigbe at the other end as Town remained determined to keep a clean sheet.

They went on to see out the remainder of the game to record a convincing 4-0 victory, before heading off on a lap of appreciation to thank the home fans for their superb support as the curtain came down on the regular season campaign at Blundell Park.

The Mariners now head to Tranmere Rovers on Saturday for their last game of the season, knowing whatever the result at Prenton Park, their chances of playing League One football next term will remain very much alive.

Town: Smith, Rodgers (Warren, 61), Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton, Turi, Amaluzor (Burns, 78), Green (Soonsup-Bell, 78), Oduor (Walker, 61), Kabia (Vernam, 61), Cook

Subs not used: Pym, Sweeney

UTM