The Mariners were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the first round as they were beaten by Blackpool at Blundell Park.
In their first competitive game of the new season, Town produced an encouraging performance and matched their League One opponents for the majority of the contest.
Striker Niall Ennis gave Blackpool an early lead but goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell ensured they retained it at the interval with a series of superb saves to repel waves of Grimsby pressure.
Josh Bowler took advantage of a mistake in defence to double the away advantage just before the hour and although Harvey Rodgers pulled a goal back in stoppage time, substitute Kylian Kouassi added a third to book Blackpool’s place in the next round.
Town’s settled squad meant head coach David Artell could name a starting XI made up entirely of players who were also with the club last season.
Christy Pym began in goal, with Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney forming the defence. Geza Turi started behind a midfield of Justin Amaluzor, Kieran Green, Jamie Walker and Charles Vernam, while Andy Cook led the attack.
Four new signings were included on the nine-man substitutes’ bench, with the latest recruit, striker Iwan Morgan, poised for his first action in the black and white shirt since moving from Brentford. He was joined among the subs by fellow new boys Cian Doyle, Joe Foulkes and Josh Andrews, with Seb Auton, Sam Lavelle, Kristian Catchpole, Henry Brown and Elliot Smith completing the matchday squad.
Blackpool travelled from the west coast looking to go one better in the Carabao Cup than last season, when they fell to a 1-0 home defeat by Port Vale in the first round.
Strikers Ennis and Bowler would be aiming to cause the main threat to the Mariners defence for Ian Evatt’s side.
FIRST HALF
The visitors took the lead from their first attack of note on three minutes. Winger CJ Hamilton sent a low cross over from the left which Sweeney could only clear as far as ENNIS on the edge of the penalty area and his first-time finish found the net.
Town looked for a quick response and Amaluzor crossed from the right for Green but the midfielder’s volley was blocked and cleared.
Rodgers won the game’s first corner after a good move involving Cook and Amaluzor. Sweeney’s flag-kick was headed behind for another one and after it eventually broke for Walker, he drew a good save from Northern Ireland international Peacock-Farrell.
The pressure continued with a third corner in quick succession and it led to another one when Walker’s 25-yard volley was tipped over the bar by Peacock-Farrell but this time, the away defence were finally able to clear the danger.
Defender Olly Casey beat Green to a Vernam cross from the left as Town continued to push for an equaliser, then Pym was forced into a good save at the other end as he dived to push a curling strike by Hayden Coulson away for a corner. From it, the ball was in the net as Ennis turned Ilmari Niskanen’s header in from close range, although the offside flag meant the visitors’ advantage remained at one goal.
Town went close to a leveller moments later as Green looked for Vernam from the right but a vital touch by Casey took the ball away from the winger.
Sweeney saw a free kick headed clear after Amaluzor was fouled on the right on 21 minutes, then Casey had to win a battle with Cook to stop the striker from getting on the end of a header forward from McJannet.
After a drinks break for the players to take on fuel in the warm conditions, a further stoppage came for Niskanen to receive treatment on an injury. He was unable to continue, so Kousaai came on as the away side made the first substitution on 33 minutes.
Amaluzor became the latest to test Peacock-Farrell with a low strike from 25 yards soon afterwards but again, the keeper was equal to it as he dived to push the ball clear.
Hamilton’s cross-shot was turned behind for a corner as Blackpool attacked in search of a second goal, although Ennis could only volley off-target from Jordan Brown’s delivery.
Peacock-Farrell claimed a Sweeney corner at the other end, then Amaluzor saw a shot blocked after Cook had linked up with Green but again, Town could not profit from the resulting corner.
Another foul on Amaluzor brought a further opportunity to create danger from the right but when the ball was eventually sent into the box, a push by Cook on Brown gave Blackpool a free kick of their own.
McJannet did well to win a duel with Karoy Anderson as the first half moved into a minimum of seven added minutes, then Sweeney won a corner on the left but Green’s header from it flew over the bar.
Amaluzor cut out a Coulson cross for a Blackpool corner five minutes into the added time, although Rodgers was first to Bowler’s delivery to head clear.
A foul by Ennis on Amaluzor gave the Mariners a final opportunity to create danger before half-time and after Sweeney found Green on the right to start a training-ground move, Peacock-Farrell eventually made a great save to block Rodgers’ powerful strike.
That meant Blackpool’s single-goal advantage remained intact at the interval after an entertaining first half.
SECOND HALF
No further changes were made ahead of the restart and Vernam won an early corner which was headed away by Casey.
Rodgers dealt with a Bowler cross at the other end, then Bowler hit the bar with a curling strike from 18 yards after cutting inside from the right.
Walker almost got to a loose ball inside the box which had been headed on by Vernam but a foul was given against the midfielder.
Blackpool’s Jordan Williams was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon for bringing Vernam down and from the resulting free kick, Peacock-Farrell was called into action yet again to make a good save, this time from McJannet’s powerful drive. Coulson got to the rebound ahead of Cook to head back to the keeper.
Despite the Town pressure, when the game’s second goal arrived on 58 minutes, it was the visitors who doubled their lead. Sweeney was dispossessed by BOWLER after a short pass from Pym and the striker had the simple task of slotting the ball back past the keeper for 2-0.
Morgan was sent on for his Grimsby debut as he replaced Amaluzor after the goal and a corner followed soon afterwards but the hosts were unable to make it count.
Rodgers’ low cross was turned behind for another corner on 65 minutes as Town looked for a way back into the contest and Peacock-Farrell made another save from it to turn McJannet’s header behind. This time, the resulting corner was headed away.
Kacurri made a good interception at the other end to stop Ennis from connecting with a left-wing cross, before Albie Morgan replaced Coulson in Blackpool’s second change with 71 minutes on the clock.
Hamilton won an away corner after a well-worked free kick, before Doyle and Andrews replaced Walker and Green in the Town team for the last 16 minutes.
Soon afterwards, a good challenge by Sweeney stopped Bowler on the edge of the box and Brown lifted the loose ball over the bar.
George Honeyman, Leighton Clarkson and Andy Lyons were sent on in place of Anderson, Ennis and Brown as Blackpool made a triple-substitution on 81 minutes.
Morgan saw a shot blocked after working an opening 25 yards out, then Cook won a corner after the game moved into at least six added minutes. The ball from it broke to Doyle and he let fly from distance but his shot was straight at Peacock-Farrell.
The keeper had enjoyed an excellent game but he was eventually beaten two minutes into the added time as the Mariners gave themselves hope of an unlikely comeback with a superb goal. RODGERS was the man on the scoresheet as he looked up from 25 yards and placed the ball into the corner of the net.
Catchpole replaced Turi as the Mariners aimed for a late equaliser to take the tie to penalties but their hopes were brought to a swift end as the visitors grabbed a third goal. A low cross from the right was parried by Pym and KOUASSI reacted the quickest to beat Rodgers to the ball and finish from close range.
That sealed Blackpool’s passage into the second round despite a spirited display from the Mariners, who will now look ahead to Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two opener at home to Exeter City.
Town: Pym, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Sweeney, Turi (Catchpole, 90+4), Amaluzor (Morgan, 60), Green (Andrews, 74), Walker (Doyle, 74), Vernam, Cook
Subs not used: Auton, Lavelle, Foulkes, Brown, Smith
UTM
