Ten-man Grimsby Town produced another fantastic away performance to beat Colchester United and register a fifth consecutive Sky Bet League Two victory.

Harvey Rodgers’ goal seven minutes before the break ultimately proved enough to settle a superb, action-packed contest in Essex between two in-form teams.

But after losing Kieran Green to a second yellow card, the Mariners had to be heroic in defence to repel attack after attack from their hosts and extend their run of clean sheets in the league to six in a row for the first time in 70 years.

The home side started well but Town grew into the game and took a deserved lead through Rodgers’ powerful, 18-yard strike.

Colchester poured forward following the interval and turned the pressure up further after Green was sent off on 66 minutes but the Mariners showed grit and determination in a monumental defensive effort to hold on to their advantage and secure an outstanding win on the road.

Reece Staunton replaced Jayden Sweeney in the only change to the Grimsby line-up that started Saturday’s victory at Cheltenham Town.

Jackson Smith was in goal, with Rodgers, Sam Lavelle, Cameron McJannet and Staunton forming the defence.  Geza Turi sat behind Darragh Burns, Green, Evan Khouri and Charles Vernam in midfield, as Jude Soonsup-Bell led the attack.

The substitutes were Tyrell Warren, George McEachran, Jamie Walker, Clarke Oduor, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, Jaze Kabia and Andy Cook.

Colchester were also in fine form coming into the game, having won their last three in the league.  That left Danny Cowley’s side eighth in the table, three points behind Notts County in the final play-off place and two ahead of the Mariners, who sat 10th at kick-off.

The hosts were without the injured Charlton Athletic loanee and England U20 international Micah Mbick, who scored twice when the teams met at Blundell Park in October.  Leading scorer Kyreece Lisbie moved to the bench in the other change from Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Fleetwood Town, with ex-Town loanee Owura Edwards and Will Goodwin coming into the XI.

FIRST HALF

Vernam cut inside from the left and saw a cross cleared as the Mariners attacked for the first time on two minutes, before Edwards let fly with strike from distance at the other end which flew just wide of Smith’s goal.

McJannet got a boot to Samson Tovide’s low cross to clear the ball at the end of a neat move down the home right, then Turi came out on top in a duel with Edwards as the winger aimed to break down the left.

Lavelle put in a good challenge inside his own penalty area to stop Goodwin at the expense of the game’s first corner on 13 minutes, with Frankie Terry heading through to Smith from the flag-kick.

Tovide then turned a low Goodwin cross onto the near post from a narrow angle, as Colchester started to get on top after what had been an even opening 10 minutes.

Town were not being allowed to settle by their high-energy hosts but a spell of possession around the 19-minute mark helped to change the momentum, with Soonsup-Bell eventually missing the target from a narrow angle after good play by Turi and Vernam.

Another Vernam cross was cleared after the ball had been headed back across goal, then Rodgers did well to stop Edwards as he looked to use his pace to launch an attack from the left.

Khouri won a corner on 23 minutes after running onto a pass from Staunton and it eventually led to another on the opposite, right flank.  A third flag-kick in quick succession followed but this time, the ball was cleared by the home defence.

Colchester then had their own spell of pressure, which led to a free kick on the left for a foul by Green on Rob Hunt.  Jack Payne sent it towards the far post but Smith came off his line to claim a catch.

Defender Jack Tucker brought Burns down to give Town a free kick inside the home half but they were unable to turn it into a chance in front of goal.

Soon afterwards, the Mariners came within inches of opening the scoring when a run and cross from Khouri on the left led to the ball breaking for Green.  The midfielder aimed to place a shot into the net from 25 yards but saw it bounce back off the post.

Soonsup-Bell headed wide at the near post from another Khouri cross on 34 minutes as Town continued to create chances, then a 20-yard shot from Burns was blocked after a free kick for a foul on Khouri.

Lavelle stretched to get to a Rodgers flick-on from the visitors’ latest corner but he could only help the ball past the far post.

But Town did not have to wait much longer to break the deadlock, as they turned defence into attack in an instant.  A great challenge by Turi stopped Edwards near the halfway line and Green launched a counter-attack, finding Vernam on the left.  The winger pulled the ball back to the 18-yard line, where RODGERS arrowed a shot past home goalkeeper Matt Macey.

A chipped cross from Burns was headed clear as the Mariners looked for a second goal before half-time, then Rodgers had another opportunity from a similar position as Staunton showed quick feet inside the box before pulling the ball back for the right-back.  This time, his 18-yard strike was saved by Macey.

Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and Turi created an opportunity for himself but saw his low shot deflected away for a corner.

Colchester finished the half on the attack but could not find a way through the Town defence and the away side went in with the advantage at the break.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and an early stoppage came when McJannet stayed down after a clash of heads.  The centre-back was passed fit to continue after receiving treatment.

Turi was first to an Edwards cross to bring the ball clear, then Harvey Arajo stopped Vernam at the other end.

Edwards was causing problems with his pace but Town were standing up well to his threat, with Lavelle putting in a good challenge on the former Bristol City man to get the ball away for a corner.

Smith caught a cross from Goodwin as Colchester kept looking for a way to get the better of the Grimsby defence.

Burns saw a cross claimed by Macey at the other end, before McJannet and Tovide were both spoken to by the referee following an off-the-ball incident.

Tovide became the first of the evening to see the yellow card moments later after catching Staunton with an arm.  And it proved to be his last involvement in the game, as he was replaced by Lisbie in a double-substitution which also saw Dominic Gape come on for Terry.

Vernam was given an opportunity when a misplaced clearance by Arajo presented him with the ball, although the defender recovered well to narrow the angle for the winger and his shot went off-target.

Tucker headed wide from a Payne corner at the other end on the hour, then Green was booked for his protests after he was prevented from taking a free kick quickly.  Vernam eventually sent the ball towards the far post but it bounced ahead of the run of Lavelle.

Rodgers needed treatment after falling awkwardly but was passed fit to play on and Town’s first change instead saw Kabia come on for Soonsup-Bell four minutes after the hour.

Moments later, the Mariners were reduced to 10 men.  Vernam did well to win the ball on the left and make progress before finding Khouri, although his low cross was brought clear by Payne and when Green pulled the midfielder back, the referee brandished a second yellow card in his direction, followed by the red.

Edwards failed to connect with a volley when a Kane Vincent-Young cross broke for him, as Colchester immediately aimed to make their numerical advantage count.

Oduor and Cook replaced Vernam and Burns with 20 minutes to go but the hosts were now turning the pressure up and they won a corner on the left which led to Cook blocking a shot from Gape.

Another corner followed, this time on the home right, but again, Town held firm as McJannet cleared the danger.

Cook became the latest to be booked after a foul, then Jaden Williams replaced Gape as one home substitute made way for another on 76 minutes.

The Colchester pressure continued to build but Town were determined to ensure they remained ahead, with McJannet and Rodgers both heading off the line in quick succession.

Warren and McEachran came on for Rodgers and Turi on 82 minutes in the black and white of the Mariners, as Adrian Akande replaced Edwards for the hosts at the same time.

Superb defending meant Smith had enjoyed a relatively comfortable evening in the Town goal so far but had to be at his best to deny Lisbie with a fantastic reaction save from close range on 84 minutes.

A home penalty appeal was waved away by the referee after a good challenge by Lavelle on Lisbie, before Payne hit the post with a shot from 25 yards and Lisbie was off-target from the rebound as Town’s clean sheet somehow remained intact.

An Akande shot was blocked and the ball ricocheted back but Smith dived to make a stop, with the Mariners still holding firm.

But they would be forced to see out at least 11 minutes of stoppage time as the home fans sensed there was still hope for their side, with Colchester pushing for an equaliser.

Great play from Cook saw him win the ball and make his way towards the corner before drawing a foul and winning a precious free kick.

Oduor then fired wide after cutting inside from the right and letting fly from 20 yards as Town began to see more of the ball again but the hosts were still pouring forward, although nobody could get a touch to a Payne cross and the ball bounced out for a goal kick.

Arajo was booked for bringing McEachran down with two added minutes to go, before Lavelle made yet another excellent block to deny Lisbie and ensure the only damage was a corner, which Smith punched clear.

And that proved to be Colchester’s final opportunity to grab a share of the spoils as Town’s incredible defensive effort was rewarded with a huge three points and a sixth league clean sheet in a row for the first time since the 1955-56 season.

Next up for the Mariners is a return to Blundell Park to face Milton Keynes Dons in a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.

Town: Smith, Rodgers (Warren, 82), Lavelle, McJannet, Staunton, Turi (McEachran, 82), Burns (Cook, 70), Green, Khouri, Vernam (Oduor, 70), Soonsup-Bell (Kabia, 64)

Subs not used: Walker, Sellars-Fleming

UTM