The newly crowned champions, Grimsby Town Women, celebrated in style on Sunday afternoon with a dominant 7-0 victory over local rivals Cleethorpes Town Ladies in the North East Lincolnshire derby.

Town produced a clinical display in difficult weather conditions, scoring four first-half goals before adding three more after the break to round off a memorable afternoon.

The Mariners started brightly and created the first opening inside three minutes. Milly North played the ball out wide to Liv Kershaw, who drove forward and delivered across the box for Beth Wharton, but her effort lacked the power to trouble the goalkeeper.

Town continued to push forward in the early stages. Alisha Dejonge had a sight of goal on 10 minutes but fired wide, before another set-piece routine saw Wharton strike from the edge of the area, only for the Cleethorpes goalkeeper to gather comfortably.

The breakthrough arrived on 26 minutes. Eden Pedersen delivered a dangerous free-kick into the box and captain Sophie Gray reacted first to guide the ball home and give Town the lead — her first goal for the club.

With their confidence growing, the Mariners quickly doubled their advantage. North showed great vision to thread a pass through the defence for Kershaw, who calmly picked her spot to make it 2-0.

Town were firmly in control and added a third shortly afterwards. Wharton did superbly well to pull the ball back across the six-yard box, where Abbie Emslie was on hand to finish for her first goal for the club.

Just before the break the visitors struck again. Wharton was brought down in the penalty area and North stepped up to take the spot kick. The Cleethorpes goalkeeper got a hand to the effort, but the ball bounced off one post, then the other, before finding its way into the net to make it 4-0 at half-time.

The Mariners wasted little time extending their lead after the restart. Straight from the kick-off, Wharton held the ball up brilliantly before feeding North, who fired home to grab her second goal of the afternoon.

With the game well under control, Town made changes from the bench, with Dani Brighton, Laura Flecknor and Mia Westerman all introduced as the champions continued to press forward.

The sixth goal arrived with eight minutes remaining when North lifted a ball over the Cleethorpes defence for Wharton, who showed great composure to dink the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

Town completed the scoring shortly afterwards. After the ball ricocheted around the penalty area, Kershaw delivered another dangerous cross which eventually fell to Westerman, who finished well to score her first competitive goal for the club.

Despite the driving hail late in the game, the Mariners maintained their focus to see out a comprehensive 7-0 victory and cap another impressive performance.

North finished with two goals on the day, while Gray, Kershaw, Emslie, Wharton and Westerman all got on the scoresheet in an excellent team display.

Liv Kershaw was named the supporters’ Player of the Match, while Cleethorpes’ Pariss Welsh received the opposition Player of the Match award.

The result provided another fitting moment of celebration for the champions, who continue to finish the season strongly after securing the league title and promotion.

Today’s Goal Scorers

• Sophie Gray (sponsored by OJF Electrical Services)
• Olivia Kershaw (sponsored by Elite Physique Sports Therapy)
• Abbie Emslie (sponsored by OceanBlue Logistics Limited)
• Milly North x2 (sponsored by A View from the Findus podcast)
• Beth Wharton (sponsored by the Mariners Trust)
• Mia Westerman (sponsored by Lorraine Stiff/Tracey Playford)

Opposition Player of the Match: Pariss Welsh (Sponsored by Affordable Cars Grimsby)

Supporters’ Player of the Match: Olivia Kershaw (sponsored by Elite Physique Sports Therapy)

Starting XI: Jasmine Lacey, Leah Wray, Sophie Gray (C), Tilly Burnett, Olivia Kershaw, Eden Pedersen, Abbie Emslie, Milly North, Pariss Welsh, Alisha Dejonge, Beth Wharton

Subs: Dani Brighton, Laura Flecknor, Mia Westermen

UTM