Justin Obikwu scored twice and Danny Rose added a third as the Mariners’ extended their unbeaten run on the road to seven games in Sky Bet League Two with an impressive victory over Morecambe at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

Town produced a composed performance in stormy conditions to dominate the contest and ensure their opponents’ wait for a first home league win of the season goes on.

Playing into a strong wind in the first half as Storm Darragh left its mark on the Lancashire coast, the visitors played some excellent football and got their reward when Obikwu opened the scoring after a great pass from Kieran Green.

The same combination then linked up again to make it 2-0 six minutes before the break, with Green setting the Coventry City loanee up for another clinical finish.

And substitute Rose struck in second-half stoppage time to seal maximum points and send the Mariners up to fifth in the league table.

Curtis Thompson replaced Jordan Davies in the only change to the Grimsby starting XI after Tuesday’s big home win against Accrington Stanley.

That meant goalkeeper Jordan Wright was again protected by a defence of Lewis Cass, Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Denver Hume.  Thompson came into a midfield which also included George McEachran and Green, while Jayden Luker and Jason Svanthorsson began either side of striker Obikwu.

Davies was named on the bench alongside Evan Khouri, Callum Ainley, Luca Barrington, Doug Tharme, Rose and goalkeeper Seb Auton, who starred in the FA Youth Cup victory over West Ham United less than 24 hours earlier.

Morecambe began the day with only goal difference keeping them above the relegation zone and Derek Adams’ side would be looking for three points to ensure they remained outside the bottom two by 5pm.

Former Mariners right-back Luke Hendrie was among their starting line-up, with Jordan Slew and Marcus Dackers among those looking to cause problems for the Town defence as the Shrimps aimed for a first victory on home turf since April.

Harvey Macadam had the first shooting chance for the home side within 30 seconds of the kick-off but his 20-yard strike was straight at Wright.

A long-range free kick from Paul Lewis flew high over the bar, then the Mariners’ first attack saw goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne make a save from Luker after a run by McEachran led to Svanthorsson taking the ball into the box.

The visitors won the first corner on eight minutes but the wind took Hume’s left-wing delivery away from goal.

Obikwu sent a cross wide of the far post to end another promising attack, before Paul Lewis was shown the first yellow card of the game for a late challenge on Hume.

Both teams were looking to play neat football despite the tough conditions and Town won another corner on 20 minutes, this time on the right.  Bugoyne punched Hume’s delivery clear but the referee blew for a foul and a home free kick.

A Morecambe corner followed on their left and it was eventually cleared for a throw-in, which Green headed away after the ball was sent back into the penalty area.

The home pressure continued with another corner on the right and this time, it led to the deadlock being broken – but at the opposite end of the pitch.  Green brought the ball clear to start a counter-attack and after a run to the halfway line, the midfielder looked up and played a brilliant pass to send OBIKWU clear.  The striker did the rest, steering a low shot beyond Burgoyne and into the far corner of the net.

Thompson picked up a booking for delaying a Morecambe free kick, before Cass got to another home corner first to head the ball away.

Town had looked dangerous on the break throughout the first half-hour and Luker sliced a shot away from goal after a backheel from Green as the away side went forward again.

They had another opportunity to put pressure on the home goal with a free kick after Rhys Williams was booked for bringing Obikwu down.  Hume’s delivery broke for Green on the edge of the box and the ball was worked to the right, where Cass chipped a cross to the far post but it was headed away and Obikwu was then penalised for handball.

Town did not have to wait much longer to double their advantage though, as they made it 2-0 on 39 minutes. And it was the same combination doing the damage, as Green made progress down the middle before playing a perfect through-ball for OBIKWU, who chipped a superb finish over the advancing Burgoyne.

Morecambe’s Tom White saw the yellow card for dissent as the half moved into at least two added minutes.  The free kick found Slew but he could not force it into the net and excellent defending by Thompson saw him get to the loose ball first.

That proved to be the last chance of what had been a great first 45 minutes for the Mariners, who took a commanding lead into the dressing rooms at the break.

SECOND HALF

Yann Songo’o, Hallam Hope and Callum Jones were all sent on before the restart as Morecambe made a triple-substitution, with White, Slew and Paul Lewis making way.

An early attempt by McEachran was blocked at the edge of the box, before the offside flag brought another promising Town attack to an end as the visitors started the second half on the front foot.

Luker drew a good save from Burgoyne with a curling strike and Obikwu was inches away from a hat-trick after taking on the loose ball but seeing his shot deflect just wide of the far post.

A foul on Obikwu gave Hume an opportunity to send a free kick over from the right but the hosts brought the ball clear from it.

Town continued to dominate though and they had a penalty appeal waved away after Obikwu fell under contact from Hendrie.

A home penalty shout was also turned down by the referee when Songo’o felt he was dragged over inside the box just before the hour.

Obikwu went down with an injury soon afterwards and was unable to continue, so Rose replaced him in the Mariners’ first substitution.

Rose looked to have an opportunity to make it 3-0 with his first touch after Hume got into the box and pulled the ball back across the six-yard line, only for Jamie Stott to slide in with a good challenge and ensure the striker could not hit the target.

Hope narrowly failed to get on the end of a dangerous low cross from Ben Tollitt at the other end, before Rodgers became the latest to be booked for a foul 25 yards from the Grimsby goal.  Jones’ shot from the resulting free kick was pushed away from goal by Wright, with McEachran getting the ball away for a corner.

Morecambe were starting to come into the game as an attacking force with 65 minutes on the clock but Town continued to look for more goals and Burgoyne had to dive to stop a low strike from Luker.

An Adam Lewis cross-shot from the left narrowly missed the target as the home side searched for a way back into the contest, with Ross Millen and Charlie Brown then replacing Hendrie and Macadam in their final two changes.

Green produced a superb save from Burgoyne on 78 minutes as he shot through a crowd, although Rose was adjudged to have committed a foul as he battled for the loose ball and the striker was then booked for dissent.

Wright made an equally brilliant save at the other end to deny Hope, before great defending by Hume saw him get to the loose ball first and clear off the line.

Davies, Khouri and Ainley replaced McEachran, Thompson and Svanthorsson as Town made a triple-change with five minutes to go.

Wrexham loanee Davies’ first act was to curl a shot onto the crossbar from 20 yards after a break at pace by Hume.

And when the Mariners sealed the points with a third goal in the first of four added minutes, Davies also had a hand in it as he found Hume inside the box.  The left-back then pulled the ball back for ROSE to tap in from close range in front of the travelling supporters.

Barrington replaced Luker for the last two minutes and Ainley went close to making it 4-0 but saw his strike go just wide.

Cass also had an opportunity in the closing seconds but opted to pass instead of shooting, meaning Town had to settle for three goals on what had been a fantastic afternoon on the west coast.

The Mariners are back in action on Saturday, when they host fourth-placed Crewe Alexandra at Blundell Park.

 

Town: Wright, Cass, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume, McEachran (Davies, 85), Thompson (Khouri, 85), Green, Luker (Barrington, 90+3), Obikwu (Rose, 61), Svanthorsson (Ainley, 85)

Subs not used: Auton, Tharme