Danilo Orsi came off the bench to earn Grimsby Town a victory over play-off-chasing Barrow at Blundell Park.

Despite an early opportunity for Otis Khan, the visitors created the better chances for the majority of the game and went close to taking the lead when a header from defender Tyrell Warren hit the bar.

But when the breakthrough came with 13 minutes to go, it was substitute Orsi who produced a composed finish to settle the contest in favour of the Mariners.

Four changes were made to the Grimsby starting XI after the home draw with Mansfield Town on Saturday, with Josh Emmanuel, Anthony Glennon, Evan Khouri and John McAtee coming into the team in place of Michee Efete, Owen Gallacher, Bryn Morris and Ryan Taylor.

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe was protected by a back four of Emmanuel, Andy Smith, Niall Maher and Glennon, with Kieran Green and Khouri behind Harry Clifton, McAtee and Khan in midfield as George Lloyd led the attack.

Morris was named on the bench, alongside Danny Amos, Alex Hunt, Mikey O’Neill, Orsi, Luke Waterfall and Gavan Holohan.

Barrow made the long journey from Cumbria looking for a win which would keep their promotion hopes alive, with Pete Wild’s men sitting four points adrift of the top seven in the Sky Bet League Two table at kick-off.

FIRST HALF

Striker Jake Young was shown the yellow car within seconds of the kick-off after a foul on Maher, which led to an early stoppage for the centre-back to receive treatment.

A Niall Canavan cross from the away left was deflected behind for the game’s first corner on three minutes and when the ball from the flag was not fully dealt with, a shot was blocked before midfielder Robbie Gotts fired over the bar.

A long throw from Sam McClelland then led to another opportunity for Barrow as the ball fell for Ben Whitfield, although his strike took a deflection and went straight through to Crocombe.

The Mariners were inches away from taking the lead on eight minutes when Clifton sent Khan clear through the middle.  He made his way into the penalty area but keeper Paul Farman got fingertips to his low shot to turn it past the far post for a corner, which was cleared.

Young stretched at the far post to meet a ball from deep with a volley at the other end but he could not keep it down and it looped over the bar.

Harrison Neal was also off-target when a throw from Canavan on the left found its way to him, before a cross from Josh Kay was deflected away for a corner, which was pushed away from danger by Crocombe and Glennon completed the clearance.

Khouri was penalised for bringing Gotts down after losing possession in midfield, although the resulting free kick did not cause any problems.

Lloyd stayed down after being caught in a challenge but was passed fit to continue after receiving treatment, then Gotts was booked for bringing Khouri down as he looked to break through the middle.  Glennon’s free kick was headed clear but Town retained possession until Green blasted a shot well wide from distance.

A free kick from the Barrow left beat everybody and dropped out for a goal kick as the half-hour mark passed without any further tests for either keeper, then a Glennon cross was cleared after good play by McAtee.

Another Town attack came to an end when Lloyd was flagged offside, before Crocombe was called into serious action for the first time in the game with half-time looming as he dived to tip an acrobatic volley from Young away for a corner.

A low ball into the box at the other end from Clifton was cleared, with a cross from Glennon on the opposite, left flank sailing out of play for a goal kick soon afterwards.

As the half moved into two added minutes, a shot from Khouri was deflected wide for a corner after Clifton had picked the midfielder out near the edge of the box.  Glennon’s delivery from the flag was turned towards goal and Farman reached up to tip it over the bar, although the referee had already blown for a foul and a Barrow free kick.

A corner came at the other end after Gotts did well to keep the ball in on the right and make progress.  The ball from the flag was headed clear at the near post by Khouri in what turned out to be the last action of a goalless first half.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and the visitors won a corner four minutes in as they looked for an opening goal.  Whitfield’s ball from the flag was driven towards the penalty spot and it was met by Warren but his header bounced off the underside of the bar before being cleared.

Another corner followed on the away left two minutes later and this time, it was played short to Kay but he was stopped by Glennon.  Barrow kept possession and they worked the ball back into the box for Canavan, whose first-time shot was blocked by the legs of Crocombe for a third corner in quick succession.  This time, it was cleared.

After a short spell of Town pressure, a foul by Smith gave the visitors a free kick on the left, although the offside flag went up when Whitfield sent the ball into the penalty area.

A low cross from Clifton was cleared after a sequence of home possession and a foul by the midfielder then relieved the pressure.

Barrow had the ball in the net on 58 minutes when Kay tapped in from close range but the offside flag went up and the goal was ruled out.

Tom White replaced Gotts as the away side made the first substitution on the hour, then there was a chance for Town when Khan burst into the box to meet a through-ball from Emmanuel but he was unable to work an opening for a shot and when the ball eventually broke for Lloyd, he could only curl an effort wide.

Amos came on for Glennon and O’Neill replaced Clifton in the home side’s first two changes, then Whitfield had another corner to take from the left but George Ray’s free header from it dropped wide.

Orsi and Holohan were the next to be sent onto the pitch by Town boss Paul Hurst as they replaced McAtee and Khouri with 20 minutes to go.

Amos won a corner on the left soon afterwards but the Mariners were unable to profit from it as Kay brought the ball clear at pace down the left until he was brought down on the halfway line by Emmanuel, who was booked for the foul.

Gerard Garner replaced Kay in Barrow’s latest substitution, then a push by O’Neill gave them a free kick on the left but the low delivery from it was cleared at the near post.

The deadlock was finally broken on 77 minutes and it was the Mariners who took the lead.  Lloyd played the ball through for ORSI and he took a touch before keeping his composure to calmly slot past Farman.

Barrow boss Wild responded with a triple substitution as Patrick Brough, Elliot Newby and Josh Gordon all came on and Warren, Whitfield and Young made way.

Waterfall replaced Lloyd with four minutes remaining as Town added an extra defender in a bid to hold onto their narrow advantage.

Four added minutes were played at the end of the game and Barrow had an opportunity with a free kick in a central position, 30 yards out.  Newby whipped it towards the far post but with Crocombe beaten, it dropped just wide.

The visitors were unable to create any more openings in what was left of the game, leaving the Mariners and their supporters to celebrate a fifth home win of the season.

Town are back on the road for their next game on Saturday, when they travel to Tranmere Rovers.

UTM