Grimsby Town made it three wins in a row as they secured a comfortable victory over Yeovil Town at Huish Park.
The Mariners produced another fine performance, taking an early lead through Wes Thomas and doubling it before half-time when Adel Gafaiti scored an own-goal.
Yeovil were reduced to 10 men when Craig Alcock was dismissed for a second bookable offence and after creating several chances for a third goal, Town got it through substitute Kristian Dennis.
The hosts pulled one back when Alex Fisher headed in a late consolation but it was Town’s day as they celebrated another three points.
One change was made to the Town starting XI as James McKeown returned from suspension to take up his usual place in goal.
Luke Hendrie, Reece Hall-Johnson, Ludvig Ohman, Danny Collins and Sebastian Ring formed a five-man defence, with Elliot Embleton, Jake Hessenthaler and Martyn Woolford continuing as the midfield trio.
Thomas and Jordan Cook again formed the strike partnership, meaning Dennis again had to be content with a place on the bench.
Goalkeeper Sam Russell also began among the substitutes after starting between the sticks during McKeown’s ban, with John Welsh, Charles Vernam, Harry Clifton, Alex Whitmore and Harry Davis also on the bench.
Yeovil began the afternoon just three points and two places above the relegation zone and aiming for a win which could take them further clear of danger.
After a promising start by the Mariners, Yeovil’s Alcock became the first of the afternoon to be shown a yellow card for a foul on Ring on four minutes.
The game’s first corner came four minutes later but Ring’s delivery was caught by home keeper Stuart Nelson and a quick counter-attack was launched, with Hall-Johnson doing well to stop it.
Soon afterwards, the Mariners took the lead when a looping cross from Hendrie found THOMAS, who got in between two defenders and headed past Nelson for his 10th goal of the season.
Yeovil’s response saw a cross from Fisher find Tristan Abrahams but Woolford did well to get a touch to the ball and send it out for a corner, which caused no problems.
Town almost had a chance when Cook headed the ball on for Thomas but the home defence got back to stop the striker from going through on goal.
A Yeovil free kick on 22 minutes was punched clear by McKeown after it had been delivered into the penalty area by Jake Gray, before a shot from Thomas went over the bar at the other end.
A cross from Cook after a swift break led to the ball breaking for Woolford to send a half-volley off-target as Town continued to look dangerous in attack.
The game stopped for Ohman to receive treatment after a clash of heads with Fisher, before a volley from Gray went wide after Fisher chested the ball down for him.
The Mariners doubled their advantage on 33 minutes when a good move saw them keep possession before Embleton drove into the box and sent over a powerful cross which went into the net off defender Gafaiti for an own-goal.
Town were now in control and a corner from Ring could have led to further damage when the ball was not held by Nelson, although he managed to gather it at the second attempt.
The hosts made a substitution on 39 minutes, with Alex Pattison replacing Matt Worthington in midfield.
McKeown was forced into action two minutes later, saving with his feet for a corner after Fisher’s strike followed a low cross from Abrahams. The referee spotted a foul as the flag-kick was sent across and blew for a Town free kick.
Three added minutes were played and in the second of them, the Mariners could have put the result beyond doubt when they broke through Thomas but after running clear from the halfway line into the box, he could only fire over the bar.
It had been an excellent first half for the visitors though and they took a commanding two-goal lead into the dressing room at half-time.
No further changes were made before the restart and Rhys Browne won an early corner for the hosts, although Gray’s ball from the flag failed to clear the first Town defender.
McKeown made a good block from Browne on 48 minutes after a break by Abrahams but again, Yeovil were unable to create any danger from the resulting corner.
At the other end, a low cross from Hall-Johnson after a run down the right saw the ball go all the way through to Ring. He put it back into the box for Thomas but the home side managed to get it away for a corner.
Defender Carl Dickison tried his luck with a shot soon afterwards but McKeown was not called into action as the ball went wide.
Abrahams was replaced by Francois Zoko on 55 minutes in Yeovil’s second substitution, before a corner from Pattison was cleared after it had been headed on by Gafaiti. Yeovil regained possession though and Dobre got into the box and won another corner.
Yeovil were beginning to look more dangerous and were creating more chances but the Mariners were still in control at 2-0 up.
Another corner came after Dobre had forced a good save from McKeown, before a home penalty appeal was waved away when Browne went down inside the box, as the referee instead gave a goal kick.
Yeovil were then reduced to 10 men on 64 minutes after another home corner was cleared and Cook was fouled by Alcock, who was shown a second yellow card, followed by a red one.
Town then looked to make their man advantage count by keeping possession and pressing forward in search of a third goal.
Hessenthaler was booked for a foul on Gray on 74 minutes, before Thomas was replaced by Clifton and Dennis replaced Cook as the Mariners made a double substitution.
Hendrie was the next to be shown a yellow card for a foul on Zoko, then the final home change saw Courtney Duffus come on for Dobre.
Home keeper Nelson made a good save from Hendrie after good play by Embleton and Hessenthaler created a chance for the right-back.
Another good move on 81 minutes saw Town slice through the Yeovil midfield but they were unable to find a finish, as Dennis couldn’t get enough on the ball to turn it towards goal after Hendrie’s ball across the six-yard line.
Embleton was the next to go close, just missing the target after creating an opening and hitting a low shot from the edge of the box.
Davis was sent on in place of Ring in the final change with six minutes to go.
And three minutes later, the Mariners put extra gloss on the scoreline with a third goal. The ball was played through to DENNIS and he produced a composed finish to lift it over Nelson and register his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Notts County.
Town were on their way to three points but were unable to keep a clean sheet as Yeovil pulled a goal back in the last minute of the 90, with FISHER heading past McKeown from a Pattison free kick.
But that proved to be the only blot on an excellent display by the Mariners, who were left to celebrate a great win.
Goals on Sunday
Don’t forget to watch the Extended Highlights on Sunday.
Town are next in action on Saturday, when we welcome Cheltenham Town to Blundell Park.
Yeovil Town
1 Stuart Nelson
24 Craig Alcock
3 Carl Dickinson
4 Gary Warren (C)
2 Adel Gafaiti
8 Matt Worthington
7 Rhys Browne
10 Jake Gray
9 Alex Fisher
16 Tristan Abrahams
25 Mihai-Alexandru Dobre
Subs
12 Nathan Baxter
5 Bevis Mugabi
17 Alex Pattison
15 Gabriel Rogers
18 Yoann Arquin
11 Courtney Duffus
13 Francois Zoko
Grimsby Town
1 James McKeown
6 Danny Collins (C)
5 Ludvig Öhman
2 Reece Hall-Johnson
27 Luke Hendrie
3 Sebastian Ring
22 Elliot Embleton
7 Jake Hessenthaler
16 Martyn Woolford
39 Wes Thomas
11 Jordan Cook
Subs
23 Sam Russell
24 Harry Davis
25 Alex Whitmore
15 Harry Clifton
4 John Welsh
8 Kristian Dennis
18 Charles Vernam
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 2,692
Next Up: Cheltenham Town (H)
