An excellent second-half performance saw Grimsby Town come from behind to beat high-flying Morecambe at Blundell Park and ensure Ben Davies and Shaun Pearson’s first league game in temporary charge ended with a victory. 

The Mariners created plenty of chances before the break but went in a goal down after Adam Mayor opened the scoring with a little over a minute on the clock.

But the visitors were overpowered in a high-energy opening to the second period which saw Danny Rose level the scores before Kieran Green completed the turnaround within four minutes of the restart.

Rekeil Pyke then added a third on the hour to give Town a two-goal cushion and although JJ McKiernan pulled one back, the hosts held on to secure a vital win.

Davies and Pearson made six changes to the Grimsby starting XI following the FA Cup draw at Slough last weekend.  Toby Mullarkey, Anthony Glennon, Green, Pyke, Gavan Holohan and Otis Khan all came into the team, with Michee Efete, Danny Amos, Kamil Conteh, Donovan Wilson, Harry Clifton and Abo Eisa making way.

Harvey Cartwright continued in goal, with Mullarkey, Harvey Rodgers, Niall Maher and Glennon forming the defence.  Jamie Andrews and Green sat behind Pyke, Holohan and Khan in midfield, as Rose led the attack.

Eisa, Clifton, Wilson and Conteh were all named on the bench, as were Jake Eastwood, Luke Waterfall and Alex Hunt.

Morecambe arrived in Cleethorpes in good form, with Derek Adams’ men sitting sixth in the Sky Bet League Two table at kick-off.

They would look to Burnley loanee Michael Mellon to add to the 11 goals he had already scored so far this season.

The visitors kicked off, with Town attacking towards the Pontoon Stand end of the ground in the first half.

And the away side made an immediate impact when they scored from their first chance as the clock ticked into the second minute.  The ball was played through to MAYOR for him to run unchallenged into the penalty area and he made no mistake in slotting past the advancing Cartwright.

Town’s response saw Holohan win the ball in midfield and find Glennon on the left.  He took it forward and pulled it back for Holohan, whose shot was off-target.

Glennon won a corner on the left on six minutes an it was headed behind for another one, which led to a third flag-kick in quick succession.  This time, Green headed just wide from Khan’s delivery.

Cartwright did well to win the ball fairly ahead of Mayor and prevent what could have been a second Morecambe goal on 13 minutes, before Jordan Slew missed the target from a narrow angle as the away side attacked again.

Khan was shown the first yellow card three minutes later for dissent, then the Mariners went close to levelling the scores when Andrews pulled the ball back for Holohan from the left, although the midfielder’s first-time strike flew over the bar.

Khan drew a good save from Adam Smith with a curling effort which the Morecambe goalkeeper had to tip away for a corner but Glennon’s ball from the flag bounced wide at the far post, with nobody in black and white able to get to it.

Two more opportunities came in quick succession for the hosts as they looked for an equaliser, although neither were taken as Khan’s low shot was blocked by the keeper and his second effort was gathered.

A shot from Tom Bloxham was blocked at the other end, before Khan had another shooting chance on the edge of the box but was unable to make it count.

Bloxham won a corner on the away right but it was punched away from danger by Cartwright, then the game stopped twice within a short period of time as first Andrews went down with an injury and Rose was caught in a clash of heads with Jacob Bedeau soon after play resumed.

Holohan’s header was stopped by Smith after Khan sent a free kick into the box from the left, then a good challenge from Green at the other end resulted in a Morecambe corner, which was caught by Cartwright.

Rose volleyed wide after more good play by Khan as Town continued to create chances with half-time looming, then Rose headed over the bar.

David Tutonda was booked for a shirt-pull on Pyke but Glennon’s free kick from the right was glanced wide by Maher.

Four added minutes were played at the end of the first half and a shot by Holohan was blocked after he worked his way to the edge of the box.

A late opportunity came with a handball decision on the left corner of the Morecambe box but again, Town could not turn it into an opening in front of goal as the offside flag went up following Khan’s delivery.

And so, despite creating a number of chances over the course of the half, the Mariners were still behind at the break.

SECOND HALF

Farrend Rawson and Yann Songo’o replaced James Connolly and Bloxham in a double-substitution for Morecambe before the restart but Town had the first opportunity as Rose’s shot was deflected wide for a corner after a great run by Glennon.

Another corner came soon afterwards and this time, the Mariners finally made it count as Smith was unable to fully deal with Glennon’s delivery and ROSE was in the right place to profit from the rebound.

And soon afterwards, the turnaround was complete as Town hit the front with 49 minutes on the clock.  Glennon sent a superb ball into the box and it was headed back across goal by Rose for GREEN to finish.

Morecambe, having been ahead at half-time, were suddenly the ones looking for an equaliser and they won a corner through Mayor on the right but when the ball was eventually sent into the box, Rose headed clear and a free kick was given after the referee spotted a foul.

Slew fired just over the bar after a slick move by the visitors, then Clifton replaced Andrews in Town’s first change on 57 minutes.

And soon afterwards, the Mariners doubled their advantage as they made it 3-1.  Khan played the ball out to Glennon on the left and his perfect low cross picked out PYKE, who slid in to convert the chance from six yards.

Pyke was denied by Smith from close range after good work by Holohan as Town looked for a fourth goal, then a Mullarkey cross from the right skimmed off Rose’s head as the hosts attacked again.

At the other end, Cartwright had to get down to push a half-volley from Slew away for a corner after a mistake at the back presented the visitors with a chance.

Eisa replaced Khan with 20 minutes remaining and soon afterwards, Holohan was booked for bringing Mellon down as the striker looked to break following a Grimsby corner.

Hunt replaced Glennon and Wilson came on for Pyke on 80 minutes but Town were given a reminder that the game was not yet won as the away side pulled a goal back, with McKIERNAN beating Cartwright with a low effort after the ball was pulled back from the right.

The visitors now suddenly had the momentum again and they made further changes, with Ethan Walker, Jacob Davenport and Max Melbourne all coming on as Tutonda, Bedeau and Slew made way.

And as the game moved into a minimum of six added minutes, Morecambe poured forward in a bid to snatch a point.

Cartwright made a smart block, before a long-range strike was deflected behind for a corner and a cross from the right was headed at the keeper.

Morecambe kept pushing forward but Town remained solid to close out the remainder of the game and collect a huge three points.

The Mariners are next in action on Tuesday, when they face Slough Town in their FA Cup first round replay at Blundell Park.

UTM