The Mariners fell to defeat on Good Friday as Harrogate Town took all three points away from Blundell Park. 

Town dominated the opening exchanges in front of a big bank holiday crowd but they were hit with a double blow as quickfire goals from Tobias Brenan and Jack Evans put the visitors 2-0 up.

Kieran Green pulled one back to halve the deficit and the hosts had an opportunity to go in level at the break but Andy Cook’s stoppage-time penalty was saved by goalkeeper Henry Gray.

Town pushed for an equaliser after the interval but it was not to come and instead, former Mariners midfielder Bryn Morris had the decisive say as his 20-yard strike with 10 minutes to go sealed the points for Harrogate.

Grimsby were unchanged from the team that started the 5-0 home victory over Barrow last time out, following a break from action due to international call-ups.

Jackson Smith started in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming the defence.  Geza Turi sat behind Darragh Burns, Green, Jamie Walker and Jaze Kabia in midfield, as Cook led the attack.

Jason Svanthorsson replaced George McEachran in the only alteration to the matchday squad as he joined Christy Pym, Jayden Sweeney, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Justin Amaluzor, Tyrell Warren and Clarke Oduor on the bench.

Town were looking for a win to boost their play-off aspirations but Harrogate made the short journey from North Yorkshire just as desperate for the points, with Simon Weaver’s men battling against relegation to the National League.

They began the day bottom of the Sky Bet League Two table but just four points adrift of the safety line and would be aiming for a victory to narrow the gap, if other results were to also go their way.

FIRST HALF

A deflected strike by Kabia rolled just past the post for the game’s first corner inside the opening minute, although Staunton’s near-post delivery was cleared by Reece Smith.

In challenging, windy conditions, Town started at a high tempo amid a great atmosphere around the ground but Harrogate had an opportunity to create danger on eight minutes with a free kick on their left following a foul by Rodgers.  George Thomson sent it to the far post but his delivery had too much power and dropped out for a goal kick.

Smith came off his line to catch a long throw from Chanse Headman, before McJannet spotted the run of Kabia and played a great ball down the left.  The striker cut inside but could not pick out a team-mate.

Moments later, a foul on Walker gave the Mariners a free kick in a central position, 25 yards from goal and Staunton’s shot from it took a deflection for a corner on the left but the hosts were unable to make the flag-kick count.

Another corner followed on 16 minutes as the Grimsby pressure continued but McJannet’s header went away from goal and a follow-up strike by Walker was saved by keeper Gray.

The Mariners were on top but when the deadlock was broken on 21 minutes, it was Harrogate who took the lead. Smith ran down the left before finding BRENAN inside the box and the midfielder curled a neat finish into the far corner of the net.

A foul on Kabia gave Town an opportunity to respond from a free kick left of centre, midway inside the away half, although Staunton’s delivery bounced away for a goal kick.

Harrogate then doubled their advantage with 27 minutes on the clock and this time, Brenan turned provider as he played the ball through for EVANS to take a touch and beat Smith from the edge of the box, despite the keeper getting a hand to the shot.

Burns saw the first yellow card of the game for simulation after going down inside the penalty area on the half-hour, before a shot by Evans from distance at the other end got a deflection which took it safely through to Smith.

A great challenge by Liam Gibson stopped Kabia at the expense of another corner but again, Gray was not troubled from it.

Turi was off-target from distance as Town kept looking for a way back into the contest and they found it six minutes before the break as a high ball from McJannet held up in the wind and GREEN nipped in to head over Gray and into the net for 2-1.

Burns and Rodgers linked up to create an opening on the right but the winger’s low cross was cleared by Gibson, as the Mariners aimed to complete the comeback before half-time.

Soon after the first half moved into two added minutes, they were given the opportunity to do just that as Walker was brought down inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot.  Cook stepped up to take the penalty but he could not beat Gray, who dived to his left to make a good save.

That proved to be the last chance for either side before the half-time whistle, so Harrogate’s lead remained intact at the interval.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart as the players were greeted by rain and an early long throw from Headman was caught in the wind and sailed harmlessly out for a goal kick.

A Staunton free kick from the right was dealt with, then Rodgers won a corner but again, Staunton’s ball was cleared.

Smith came off his line to punch a cross from Harrogate’s Smith away from danger, before Walker worked the space for a shot from 20 yards at the other end but sent his low effort just wide.

Harrogate failed to cause a problem from a free kick inside the Town half for a foul on Headman, before Gibson cut out a low cross from Cook.

Headman was booked for a foul on Kabia on 60 minutes and before the free kick was taken, Amaluzor replaced Burns in Town’s first substitution.  The ball was then played short and when Staunton eventually sent it into the box, it was flicked away for a corner, which was cleared.

Walker was brilliantly denied by Gray on 65 minutes and Kabia lifted the rebound over the bar as Town continued to push for an equaliser.

Harrogate then won a corner at the other end, with Emile Acquah replacing Shawn McCoulsky in their attack before it was taken.  Green headed the flag-kick away and Smith claimed the return ball into the box.

Bobby Faulkner, Levi Sutton and former Town defender Lewis Cass came on for Headman, Smith and Thomson as the visitors made a triple-substitution on 72 minutes, with Svanthorsson following them onto the pitch as he replaced Walker for Town.

Green headed at Gray from a Staunton corner soon afterwards, before good defending by Kacurri saw him hold off Acquah and get the ball back to Smith.

Amaluzor was brought down by Jacob Slater to give Town a free kick in a dangerous position on 78 minutes but Staunton’s shot hit the Harrogate wall.

Ellis Taylor replaced goalscorer Brenan in the visitors’ final change and moments later, they had their two-goal cushion back as Evans made progress down the left and pulled the ball back for Sutton near the penalty spot.  He played it back to MORRIS, who placed a 20-yard strike beyond Smith and into the net.

Soonsup-Bell and Oduor came on for Kacurri and Turi with five minutes to go but Harrogate were now in charge at 3-1 up and Taylor shot wide as they looked for a fourth goal.

A Staunton free kick caused chaos in the away penalty area on 88 minutes but nobody in black and white could force the ball into the net and it was eventually cleared.

Six added minutes were played at the end of the game and Town kept attacking in a bid to set up a grandstand finish but they were unable to get themselves back into the contest as Harrogate’s clinical display was rewarded with a win to breathe new life into their bid to remain in League Two.

The Mariners are back in action on Easter Monday, when they make the long trip to Crawley Town.

UTM