Three first-half goals sent our Young Mariners through to the second round of the FA Youth Cup with an excellent away victory over Northampton Town.
Ted Sharp opened the scoring for Neil Woods’ side on 10 minutes, before 16-year-old Max Horsman doubled Town’s advantage with a superb goal.
Eight minutes before the break, it was 3-0 as James Binks struck from close range and the visitors saw out the second half at Sixfields Stadium to claim an impressive win and seal their place in the draw for round two.
Woods made two changes following the 1-1 EFL Youth Alliance league draw with Stockport County at Cheapside on Saturday, with Malaki Golding and Curtis Manyika coming in for Fortune Jack and Lennon Peterson.
Northampton tasted defeat in the league for the first time this season at the weekend in their 10th game as they fell to a 2-0 home loss to Portsmouth and they would be looking to get back to winning ways after switching their attention to the cup.
FIRST HALF
An early free kick from Golding was flicked through to home goalkeeper Jamie Morrison, before Horsman did well to win the ball and make progress into the penalty area from the left, only to see his low pull-back cleared.
Kristian Catchpole cleared a long throw at the other end as Northampton attacked for the first time, then a deflected Harry Stephenson strike earned the hosts the first corner of the evening. Callum Haynes volleyed over the bar from it.
A foul on Harvey Booth gave Town a free kick on the right on eight minutes but Catchpole’s delivery was too strong and bounced out for a goal kick.
The Young Mariners took the lead two minutes later though, from their next attack. SHARP played the ball out to Booth on the right and the striker was in place to convert the winger’s low cross from close range at the second attempt.
The hosts aimed to respond quickly and Town keeper Rhys Hall was called into action for the first time to tip Taila Chonya’s header over his bar for a corner, which was cleared at the near post.
A strike from Garvey Reynolds took a deflection for another home corner soon afterwards and this time, it found Chonya but his header dropped just wide.
Defender Haynes got the ball back to Morrison as Manyika aimed to pounce but the next time they went forward, Town doubled their advantage with a fantastic goal. HORSMAN cut inside from the left and let fly from 25 yards with a powerful strike which arrowed beyond Morrison into the far corner of the net.
An Oliver Campbell free kick was headed wide as the hosts looked for a way back into the contest with 25 minutes on the clock but Town were now in control and they won a corner on the left which led to Morrison tipping a Manyika cross-shot away from goal.
A stoppage came for Binks to receive treatment, with both management teams taking the opportunity to gather their players in front of the dug-outs to pass on instructions until the centre-back was passed fit to continue and the game resumed.
Manyika did well to win a corner on the right on 34 minutes but it was dealt with by the Northampton defence, before Reynolds saw the first yellow card of the game for a late challenge on Horsman just inside the home half. The resulting free kick eventually led to the third Grimsby goal as the hosts were unable to fully clear the danger and after the ball was worked back into the box, BINKS turned and found the net from six yards.
Campbell was off-target from distance as Northampton aimed to grab a goal back before half-time but the Young Mariners continued to dominate and Manyika won another corner, although Town were unable to profit after it was played short from the flag.
The hosts had a corner in the final minute of the half but Binks brought the ball clear from it, then a foul on Noah Hutton gave Town a free kick on the left as the clock ticked into four added minutes. Horsman’s ball from it was not fully dealt with and the visitors kept possession until a cross from the left was caught by Morrison.
A foul on Stephenson gave Northampton an opportunity to reduce their deficit before the break but Josh Edwards was in place to head Campbell’s delivery clear, then another free kick from a similar position was also cleared.
No further chances came before the half-time whistle, leaving the Young Mariners with a commanding, three-goal advantage at the interval.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made by either side before the restart and Town had the first opportunity as Sharp worked his way into the box but fired off-target, then Edwards made a block from Filip Opiela at the other end.
Sharp was caught offside after a run from Manyika through the middle, before Golding made a good interception from an attempted through-ball into the Grimsby box by Chonya.
Harry Shipley replaced Opiela as Northampton made the first substitution of the evening just before the hour, with Fortune Jack and Henry Chisholm following him onto the pitch in the blue of the Young Mariners on 63 minutes. Horsman and Manyika were the players to make way.
Booth fired over the bar from inside the box as the away side looked for a fourth goal, then the winger found Hutton from their next attack but he could not get enough power on his first-time shot to test keeper Morrison.
Chonya headed a Campbell cross wide moments later, then Thomas Goodman came on for Joshua Alonge in Northampton’s second change.
A free kick from Catchpole was headed behind for a Town corner on 70 minutes and it was played short to Catchpole but Morrison punched clear from the midfielder’s ball into the box.
Hutton also forced Morrison into action with a strike from 20 yards which the keeper dived to push away from goal and the ball was then cleared before Jack could pounce on the rebound.
Another chance came on 77 minutes when a long throw from Golding broke for Sharp inside the box. The striker turned and hit a low shot but Morrison dived to make a good save.
Darius Neagu replaced Catchpole for Town with eight minutes to go and as Northampton continued to look for a consolation goal, good defending by Tyler Pratt on the away left got the ball clear for a throw-in.
Neagu tested Morrison with a low strike which the stopper was equal to and when the ball was sent back into the six-yard box, Sharp could only lift it over the bar.
Riley Chalk replaced Booth in Town’s latest substitution with three minutes remaining and the Young Mariners saw out the remaining time, including three added minutes, to keep a clean sheet and seal their passage to the second round of the competition.
Town: Rhys Hall, Malaki Golding, Tyler Pratt, Kristian Catchpole (Darius Neagu, 82), James Binks, Josh Edwards, Harvey Booth (Riley Chalk, 87), Noah Hutton, Ted Sharp, Max Horsman (Fortune Jack, 63), Curtis Manyika (Henry Chisholm, 63)
Subs not used: Joe Roberts, Will Currie
UTM
