Tyrell Sellars-Fleming marked his first start for Grimsby Town with the winning goal as the Mariners beat Accrington Stanley at Blundell Park.
In a game between two of Sky Bet League Two’s form teams on a heavy pitch after persistent rain, Town dominated for much of the first half and created several good chances.
They were made to wait until just before the hour to get their reward though, as Sellars-Fleming’s superb strike proved the difference to earn all three points and take the hosts to within a point of the play-off places.
Accrington rarely threatened as Town remained solid at the back and the visitors were forced to play the last five minutes with 10 men after defender Devon Matthews was shown a straight red card.
Head coach David Artell made five changes to his Grimsby XI following Saturday’s goalless draw at Newport County, with Maldini Kacurri and Sellars-Fleming both making their first starts for the club. George McEachran, Darragh Burns and Jamie Walker were the others to come in, with Tyrell Warren, Geza Turi, Evan Khouri, Jaze Kabia and Charles Vernam making way.
Jackson Smith continued in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming the defence. McEachran sat behind Burns, Kieran Green, Walker and Sellars-Fleming in midfield, as Andy Cook led the attack.
Warren, Khouri, Kabia and Vernam were all named on the bench, alongside Jude Soonsup-Bell, Justin Amaluzor and Clarke Oduor.
Accrington made the journey from Lancashire looking for a fourth consecutive league win following victories over Salford City, Cheltenham Town and Newport County.
That sequence left them two points and one place behind the Mariners in the league table at kick-off and manager John Doolan would look to the likes of Josh Woods, Alex Henderson and Shaun Whalley to help keep their winning run going.
FIRST HALF
Town won an early corner after good link-up play between Green and Rodgers and the ball from the flag was put behind for another one. This time, Sellars-Fleming headed Staunton’s delivery over the bar.
Another opportunity came on seven minutes when Rodgers picked out Sellars-Fleming with a low ball to the far post, although the Hull Cty loanee was unable to turn it towards goal.
Accrington goalkeeper Ollie Wright claimed the ball from a Staunton free kick after Cook was fouled on the left, then a vital interception by Connor Grant saw him get to a Sellars-Fleming cross and head away for a corner before it could reach Green.
Whalley played a ball to the far post which was too far ahead of Henderson as the away side came forward for the first time on 12 minutes but Town were on top in the early stages and their latest corner came on 16 minutes. It led to another and this time, Staunton’s ball dropped for Cook but his low strike on the turn from eight yards was deflected through to Wright.
Walker looked to have an opportunity when a cross-shot from Burns was pushed away by the keeper but the ball held up in the muddy goalmouth and the midfielder was blocked.
The chances kept coming for the hosts and Sellars-Fleming had the next one on 21 minutes when he was put through on goal by Green, only for Wright to come off his line and make a good block. Green headed wide from the rebound.
Walker and Green then combined to create an opening for Burns but his strike lacked power and the keeper got down to make a comfortable stop.
The pressure was building on the Accrington goal and after Burns fired wide from the edge of the box, a foul on Sellars-Fleming brought a free kick on the left. Staunton played it low to McEachran but the midfielder’s 25-yard shot flew over the bar.
Smith was called into action for the first time on the half-hour after Staunton was dispossessed by Whalley and the keeper did well to block Isaac Heath’s shot for a corner. The flag-kick dropped for Luke Butterfield but his 25-yard volley was blocked.
Walker won a corner at the other end soon afterwards and it produced another one as McJannet’s shot took a deflection on its way over the bar. This time, Cook’s far-post header was caught by Wright.
Staunton had to head behind for an Accrington corner on 38 minutes under pressure from Whalley but it was well-defended and an effort from distance by Grant moments later was well-held by Smith.
The visitors were now starting to come into the game as an attacking force as half-time loomed after Town had dominated the first 30 minutes.
McEachran headed clear from a right-wing cross, then Grant let fly with a powerful strike from distance as the first half moved into three added minutes but Smith was equal to it.
The away side finished the half on the attack and another corner from their left was played short by Whalley to Butterfield but good defending by Green saw him win the ball.
That proved to be the last action before the half-time whistle, with the game still goalless at the break.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart and Wright got down to stop an early low cross from Burns on the Town right.
Walker was narrowly off-target from 20 yards and the midfielder was involved again soon afterwards as his low pull-back across goal was slid behind for a corner. Staunton sent it to the far post but Cook’s header was well-saved by Wright.
McJannet saw he first yellow card of the evening for a foul on Whaley on the away right, just outside the penalty area. Whaley pulled the ball back for Grant from the free kick but his low shot was blocked.
Green fired wide of the near post at the other end after a good challenge by Burns won the ball, as Town kept pushing for an opening goal.
And they finally had their reward on 58 minutes as they took the lead in great style. A cross-field pass from Green was brilliantly controlled by SELLARS-FLEMING and he cut inside from the left before arrowing a low strike past Wright from 25 yards, which found the net off the post.
The Mariners were inches away from doubling their advantage on the hour after Sellars-Fleming ran onto a ball down the left and squared for Cook but the striker’s first-time shot was just wide.
Paddy Madden and Freddie Sass replaced Henderson and Connor O’Brien as Accrington made the first substitutions on 63 minutes.
Vernam and Khouri followed them onto the pitch six minutes later in Town’s first changes, with Sellars-Fleming and Walker making way.
McJannet put in a good challenge to stop Woods and get the ball away for a corner after a neat move by the visitors. McEachran headed the flag-kick clear at the near post.
The hosts were forced into a third substitution on 75 minutes after McEachran went down with an injury and was unable to continue. Oduor came on in his place.
Dave Abimbola came on for Woods in the Accrington attack three minutes later, as the away side looked for an equaliser.
Kabia and Amaluzor replaced Cook and Burns in Town’s final changes with seven minutes to go and soon afterwards, the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Matthews was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Oduor.
Green sent a header just over the bar as the Mariners looked to seal the points with a second goal, then a foul on Khouri brought a free kick inside the Accrington half. Town kept possession from it and Vernam linked up with Oduor to create an opening on the left, although the Bradford City loanee could only lift the ball over the bar from a narrow angle.
Six added minutes were played at the end of the game and the visitors had the ball in the net through a spectacular, first-time strike by Whalley but Town’s lead remained intact as the referee had already blown for a foul on Khouri by Charlie Brown, who had replaced Grant. The substitute was booked for the challenge.
The Mariners saw out the remainder of the game to pick up an important three points and move back up to eighth in the league table ahead of the division’s other fixtures at the weekend.
Next up for Town is a return to FA Cup action, with Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers set to visit Blundell Park for a fourth round clash on Sunday.
Town: Smith, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton, McEachran (Oduor, 75), Burns (Amaluzor, 83), Walker (Khouri, 69), Green, Sellars-Fleming (Vernam, 69), Cook (Kabia, 83)
Subs not used: Soonsup-Bell, Warren
UTM
