Neil Woods’s Grimsby Town youth team moved up to sixth in EFL North East Youth Alliance as they beat Notts County 3-2, thanks to substitute Lennon Stead’s brace.
The young Mariners started well, with lots of positive play and possession, but were restricted to long-range efforts for the majority of the first half, from Ayodeji Owoeye, Evan Khouri, Owen Davey and Luis Adlard.
Town moved the ball well and controlled the game but were just missing the finishing element in the final third.
And against the run of play, just before half time, Notts County took the lead as a free-kick came into the box and the Magpies player wriggled through and scored the goal.
Town came out in the same way in the second half and in the 46th minute, after some neat play by Joey Hope and Khouri to win the corner, Duncan Idehen headed home to equalise.
Town went from strength to strength creating more chances and went close again through Owoeye and Adlard.
But it was substitute Stead who found the back of the net, tapping in from Owoeye’s cross to give Town the lead.
Notts then equalised minutes later after recovering the ball deep in their own half, as their forward curled a long-range effort into the bottom corner.
But Town made it 3-2 as Stead smashed home a late penalty, after being tripped in the area, to secure all three points and stretch their unbeaten league run to four matches.
Town are back in action as they travel to Rotherham United on Saturday, February 8 (11am).
