The Mariners turned on the style to record a big away victory over Swindon Town at the County Ground and move into Sky Bet League Two’s top three.
Town were dominant throughout the contest in Wiltshire and an excellent first-half display was rewarded with two great goals, as Andy Cook hit an emphatic finish to open the scoring and Iwan Morgan doubled the advantage with a superb curling strike.
Morgan grabbed his second goal of the game from the penalty spot on 58 minutes and with Swindon down to 10 men after Dan Butler was shown two yellow cards, substitute Josh Andrews finished a flowing move to make it 4-0.
Aaron Drinan pulled one back for the hosts from a close-range rebound after his penalty was saved by Christy Pym but that was their only reply to a relentless 90-minute performance by David Artell’s side which earned a third consecutive league win.
Six changes were made to the Grimsby starting XI following last week’s Emirates FA Cup penalty shootout victory at Stafford Rangers, with Pym, Jayden Sweeney, Jamie Walker, Cian Doyle, Sonny Finch and Cook all returning to the team. Maldini Kacurri and Geza Turi both represented their countries on Friday night, while Harvey Cartwright, Fin Cartwright, Charles Vernam and Andrews all moved to the bench.
Pym was back in goal, as Joe Foulkes, Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Sweeney formed the back four. Walker, Doyle and Mark Shelton were the central midfielders, with Morgan and Finch supporting striker Cook from the wings. Henry Brown, Ryley Reynolds and Justin Amaluzor completed the list of substitutes.
Town travelled south-west occupying the final play-off place in the League Two table but only a point ahead of their opponents, who sat six places lower in 13th at kick-off.
Swindon’s former Mariners manager Ian Holloway made just one change from the team that started their FA Cup defeat at Milton Keynes Dons last time out, with Kaelan Majekodunmi replacing Stephan Negru in defence. That meant ex-Grimsby loanee Ollie Palmer again had to be content with a place on the bench.
FIRST HALF
After a cagey opening to the game, good pressure by Cook saw Town earn the first corner on six minutes. Sweeney’s right-wing delivery found Cook but he could not direct his header towards goal and a follow-up attempt by Morgan was blocked.
Shelton forced another corner when his ball across the six-yard line was turned behind by Joel McGregor but this time, Sweeney’s flag-kick was headed clear at the near post.
Foulkes was in place to head a cross from Drinan away as Swindon went forward for the first time on nine minutes, before Pym raced off his line to get to a ball down the right ahead of Drinan.
Mitchell Clark slid in to make a block from Morgan after the former Brentford forward linked up well with Sweeney on the left, then a chance almost came as Shelton beat McGregor to get into the box from the Town right. He played a low cross towards the penalty spot but Cook was unable to get on the end of it.
The Mariners were on top after a very bright opening 15 minutes and a Clark long throw from the home right was comfortably dealt with.
Town’s best chance so far came on 18 minutes as Cook flicked a long ball from Rodgers on to send Finch through on goal. He aimed to lift it over the advancing Connor Ripley but the keeper got a vital touch to take it over the bar for a corner, which was cleared.
It did not take much longer for the visitors to take a deserved lead though, as they broke the deadlock three minutes later. Walker played a superb, curling ball in behind the Swindon defence for COOK, who beat Majekodunmi and created the space to smash a powerful strike past Ripley.
Cook saw a low effort blocked following a corner as Town immediately looked for a second goal, before good defending by Sweeney saw him stop Clark on the Swindon right and draw a foul which earned the wing-back the afternoon’s first yellow card.
The hosts won a corner soon afterwards but Sweeney headed it clear, then Walker had to put the ball behind for another corner from Anthony Munda’s dangerous-looking right-wing cross. The flag-kick found Drinan but he could only head harmlessly wide.
A volley from Morgan was tipped over the bar by Ripley after Rodgers had gone down inside the box under a challenge from Butler, then Foulkes deflected an attempt by Joe Snowdon out for a corner at the other end. Pym punched it clear and Cook was in place to deal with another delivery into the box after Swindon worked the ball back.
Clark had to head a great cross from Shelton behind for Town’s latest corner on 38 minutes and after Morgan’s delivery from it was half-cleared, the visitors kept possession and Walker found Rodgers with a ball into the box but the defender’s header flew just over the bar.
Butler received his first booking for bringing Finch down as he looked to break down the left after an excellent pass from Doyle. Sweeney’s free kick found Cook but the striker could only head wide.
Soon afterwards, the Mariners got the second goal which their first-half display had richly deserved. Sweeney found MORGAN on the left edge of the box and he cut inside before curling a brilliant strike beyond Ripley and into the far-top corner of the net with 43 minutes on the clock.
One added minute was played at the end of the half and with no further chances coming for either side, Town took a 2-0 lead into the dressing room at the break.
SECOND HALF
Palmer and Louis Millard came on for Snowdon and McGregor as Holloway made two changes ahead of the restart in a bid to get back into the contest.
A foul by Foulkes on Millard gave the home side a free kick on their left and it eventually led to Drinan volleying towards goal from 20 yards but the shot lacked power and the ball went through to Pym.
Finch won Town’s first corner of the second half on the right six minutes in but Drinan headed Sweeney’s ball away at the near post, then a volley by Doyle from distance was stopped by Ripley after a long throw from Morgan was not fully cleared.
Swindon were awarded a corner on 54 minutes after Pym was adjudged to have taken too long to get the ball back into play but the hosts were unable to make the unexpected set-piece opportunity count.
Sweeney won a corner at the other end soon afterwards and from it, Town were given a chance to make it 3-0 when McJannet was pulled down by Palmer as Rodgers flicked a header over the bar. The referee spotted the foul and pointed to the penalty spot, where MORGAN stepped up to confidently send Ripley the wrong way with a strike to the keeper’s bottom-right corner.
The Mariners kept attacking after the goal and Cook almost had an opportunity but Butler got back to clear.
A Swindon free kick from James Ball was comfortably dealt with, before McJannet blocked a Matty Virtue cross for a corner, which Cook headed clear.
Morgan drew a foul near the halfway line on the left after another home free kick caused no problems, then Vernam and Andrews came on for Finch and Cook in Town’s first substitutions on 64 minutes.
Sweeney fired at Ripley after a neat pass into the penalty area from Morgan and moments later, the hosts were reduced to 10 men as Butler caught Andrews with a late challenge and was shown a second yellow card. Andrews was passed fit to continue after receiving treatment.
Fin Cartwright replaced Walker in midfield as the away side made a third change on 69 minutes, then a great pass from Vernam looked to have given Morgan an opportunity to complete his hat-trick, only to be crowded out by defenders and see a shot blocked. The ball broke for Doyle but he was off-target from distance.
Amaluzor and Reynolds replaced Morgan and Shelton for Town, while Virtue and Clark made way for Billy Kirkman and James Debayo for the hosts as both sides made further changes around the 77-minute mark.
Ripley had to make a block from Vernam at his near post after the winger worked a short corner routine with Foulkes.
Moments later, it was 4-0 as a quick, flowing move from the right saw Foulkes find Amaluzor. He gave the ball to Reynolds, who looked up and pulled it across the six-yard line for ANDREWS to tap in at the far post.
Amaluzor almost worked an opening on the edge of the box as Town looked for a fifth goal but with five minutes remaining, Swindon were given an opportunity to get themselves on the scoresheet when Rodgers brought Drinan down inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot and although Pym dived to make a great save from the striker’s penalty, DRINAN reacted the quickest to tuck the rebound into the net.
Town were still firmly on top as they looked for more goals and Andrews headed wide from a right-wing Vernam corner, before a strike by Millard at the other end was blocked for a corner, which Vernam eventually brought clear.
Resolute defending by McJannet, Foulkes and Doyle stopped Palmer as he aimed to work an opening from the home left four minutes into at least seven of stoppage time.
A late free kick from Jack Thomson was headed away by Cartwright and that proved to be Swindon’s final opportunity to grab a second consolation goal as the Mariners were left to celebrate a magnificent performance and victory on the road with their 719 travelling supporters.
The result lifted Town into the division’s automatic promotion places following a run of three straight victories which have brought 13 goals.
Next up is a return to Blundell Park, where the Mariners will face Rotherham United on Saturday.
Town: Pym, Foulkes, Rodgers, McJannet, Sweeney, Walker (F Cartwright, 69), Doyle, Shelton (Reynolds, 77), Morgan (Amaluzor, 77), Cook (Andrews, 64), Finch (Vernam, 64)
Subs not used: H Cartwright, Brown
UTM
