A George McEachran free kick earned the Mariners all three points against Newport County and moved them back into the Sky Bet League Two play-off places.

After falling to defeat in both of their previous two games, Town dominated the majority of the contest to return to winning ways at Blundell Park.

The hosts created several good chances in the first half as Luca Barrington, Kieran Green and Jason Svanthorsson all went close to breaking the deadlock, but the teams went in goalless at the break.

Instead, the breakthrough came just after the hour, when McEachran’s deflected strike found the net for the only goal of the game to secure a hard-earned win for David Artell’s side.

Barrington replaced Jayden Luker in the only change to the Grimsby starting XI following last week’s home defeat by Salford City.

Jordan Wright was in goal, with Tyrell Warren, Doug Tharme and Harvey Rodgers forming the defence. Svanthorsson and Denver Hume operated as wing-backs as McEachran, Green and Evan Khouri made up the midfield, while Barrington lined up alongside Danny Rose in attack.

Jordan Davies returned to the matchday squad from injury as he was named on the bench, with Jake Eastwood, Matty Carson, Curtis Thompson, Callum Ainley, Darragh Burns and Luker also listed as substitutes.

Newport arrived in Cleethorpes looking to improve on a league position of 16th and aiming for a fourth away victory of the season.

Head coach Nelson Jardim named former Mariners left-back Anthony Glennon in his starting XI, with ex-Crewe Alexandra striker Courtney Baker-Richardson aiming to provide the main threat.

FIRST HALF

Town had the first chance of the afternoon on three minutes, when Rodgers and Khouri linked up to create an opening inside the penalty area for Barrington. Goalkeeper Nick Townsend was alert to the danger though, and came off his line to make a good block.

Newport defender Cameron Evans saw the first yellow card for a foul on Hume and he was involved again soon afterwards to make a block from Barrington.

Townsend got a touch to a powerful effort from Barrington to tip it away for a corner, which quickly turned into another one. This time, a 20-yard drive from McEachran was blocked.
Khouri also saw a shot blocked for a corner as Town’s promising start continued but Hume’s ball was cleared after Tharme had won the first header.

Rodgers fired over the bar from a narrow angle on the right as the hosts created another opportunity on 20 minutes, then a chipped cross from Svanthorsson on the opposite flank bounced back off the top of the bar.

Newport were yet to threaten at the midway point of the half but they could have taken the lead soon afterwards, when a shot from Michael Spellman was blocked and as Town struggled to clear the danger, the ball bounced around the box until David Ajiboye eventually headed wide.

A stoppage came for Townsend to receive treatment and after play resumed, defender James Clarke got back to clear when Green beat the keeper to the ball and pulled it back across the six-yard line.

Rose escaped a booking for heading the ball out of Townsend’s hands as he prepared to kick it, before Khouri did well to win a corner on 37 minutes as Town remained on top. Hume’s ball from the flag was headed away by Clarke.

Rose headed a Tharme long throw through to Townsend, then Svanthorsson was denied by a great challenge from Glennon at the near post as he looked to meet a low cross from Green.

Another chance came for the hosts when Green won the ball from Shane McLoughlin to go through on goal. Townsend came out on top though, as he raced off his line to block the midfielder’s shot.

Rose saw the yellow card for a foul shortly before the half moved into at least two added minutes and as the clock ticked down, there was an opportunity for Ajiboye but he was unable to take it.

That meant the game remained goalless at the interval, although Town had looked the more likely of the two sides to make a breakthrough.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made by either side ahead of the restart and Town won the first corner of the second half when a low cross from Green was put behind. From it, Warren sent a flick just wide of the far post.

Khouri headed a McLoughlin free kick clear at the edge of the Mariners penalty area, then another Newport free kick also failed to cause significant problems.

A late challenge on Ciaran Brennan earned Khouri a yellow card on 55 minutes, then a foul on Rose gave Town a free kick just inside the Newport half. It was played short to Khouri, who sent it into the box but McLoughlin headed back to keeper Townsend.

After a quiet opening to the second half, the Mariners were now starting to get on top again and Rose was just wide with a near-post volley from Barrington’s cross on the hour.

Kai Whitmore and Josh Martin replaced Ajiboye and Spellman in a double-substitution for the away side and Whitmore’s first involvement saw him collect a yellow card for a foul on McEachran.

Matthew Baker followed his team-mate into the referee’s notebook soon afterwards for bringing Rodgers down near the edge of the box. And this time, the Mariners finally opened the scoring from the resulting free kick as McEachran’s shot took a deflection off the Newport wall which sent the ball into the far corner of the net.

Barrington volleyed wide when a Tharme long throw broke for him 20 yards out as Town went in search of a quickfire second goal.

Wright ad enjoyed a quiet afternoon between the sticks but he made a good save when called into action by Martin on 72 minutes, diving to his left to push the 20-yard strike away from goal.

Town then had two opportunities in quick succession at the other end, as Svanthorsson was denied before Khouri headed over the bar.

Luker replaced Barrington for the hosts and Cameron Antwi was sent on in place of Evans in the red of Newport as both teams made a change on 74 minutes.

Glennon won a corner for the visitors on 82 minutes but Tharme was in place to head McLoughlin’s delivery away. The ball came back to the taker and this time, his cross picked out Brennan but again, Tharme was there to make a block.

Thompson replaced McEachran as the game moved into five added minutes and Town saw out the remainder of the contest to complete a professional performance and collect a big three points in the race for the division’s top seven.

The Mariners are next in action on Friday, when they travel to Colchester United.

Town: Wright, Rodgers, Tharme, Warren, Svanthorsson, McEachran (Thompson, 90), Green, Khouri, Hume, Rose, Barrington (Luker, 74)

Subs not used: Eastwood, Carson, Davies, Ainley, Burns

Attendance, bought to you by Kingsway Hotel, Cleethorpes: 5,339 (91 visitors)