First-half goals from Evan Khouru and Charles Vernam earned the Mariners a superb away victory over Salford City.

On a wet and windy afternoon in Greater Manchester, Town made a fast start as Khouri broke the deadlock in the first minute.

Salford had several chances as they looked for an equaliser but the visitors soaked up the pressure and created plenty of opportunities of their own.

And Vernam capped a fine individual display when he made it 2-0 in front of the sold-out away following of 1,351.

Town controlled the remainder of the game well to record a comfortable win and secure a clean sheet and all three points as reward for an excellent team performance.

Two changes were made to the Grimsby team after last week’s 7-1 home victory over Cheltenham Town, with Darragh Burns and Khouri coming in for Clarke Oduor and Jamie Walker.

Christy Pym started in goal, as Harvey Rodgers, Tyrell Warren, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney formed an unchanged defence.  George McEachran sat behind Burns, Kieran Green, Khouri and Vernam in midfield, with Jaze Kabia leading the attack.

Walker was named on the bench, alongside Sam Lavelle, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Jason Svanthorsson, Justin Amaluzor, Reece Staunton and Danny Rose.

Salford started the day a place above Town in the Sky Bet League Two table and manager Karl Robinson would look to the likes of strikers Ben Woodburn and Dan Udoh to ensure that at least remained the case at full-time.

FIRST HALF

The Mariners took the lead within 40 seconds from what was their first attack of the game.  Green won the ball and gave Vernam the space to cut inside from the left and pull the ball back for KHOURI to sweep it past goalkeeper Matty Young from eight yards.

Salford looked to hit back through Kadeem Harris on the left but his cross was cleared by McEachran.

Kabia flicked a header just past the far post from Burns’ right-wing cross on six minutes as the away side’s strong start to the game continued, before Warren headed a cross from the home right clear and a follow-up ball from Kallum Cesay flashed across goal without anybody in the red of Salford getting a touch.

Pym was called into action for the first time on 13 minutes as he dived to make a good stop from Cesay, before Green got to a long throw from Luke Garbutt first as the hosts kept looking for a leveller.

Salford were enjoying a promising spell and they won a free kick on the right when Ossama Ashley was fouled, although Green was first to Garbutt’s delivery to clear at the near post for a corner.

Pym came off his line to beat Udoh to a long ball, then there was an opportunity at the other end when McEachran won the ball in midfield and Kabia sent a powerful low cross along the six-yard line, although nobody could get on the end of it.

Harris sent a curling strike over the bar after cutting inside from the left, before Kabia was inches away from connecting with a low cross from Vernam as Town went close to doubling their advantage on 27 minutes.

Vernam fired over the bar from 25 yards soon afterwards but just after the half-hour, the winger made it 2-0.  Sweeney found VERNAM on the left and he let fly with a low drive from the edge of the box which beat Young and found the bottom corner of the net.

Salford had a chance to halve their deficit on 35 minutes when a cross from the left was headed down inside the box by Udoh for Jorge Grant but the midfielder could only lift the ball harmlessly over the bar from 12 yards.

Town werre now firmly in control though and they could have had a third goal on 37 minutes after Warren found Green on the right.  He looked for Kabia with a cross to the near post but this time, Young got to the ball.

Pym stood tall to make a superb block from Udoh after a slip by Warren left the striker through on goal and the resulting corner was also well-defended, as McEachran cleared.

Harris forced the keeper into action again soon afterwards as he dived to stop a low, 20-yard effort, before Udoh had another opportunity when he beat Warren to a ball over the top.  This time, the striker looked for a team-mate and Town cleared.

Vernam hit the Salford wall with a free kick after Burns went down on the edge of the box as the first half moved into one added minute.  Town retained possession and went on to win a corner, which was headed into the side-netting by McJannet in what proved to be the final action before the break.

That meant the visitors went in with a commanding advantage after an entertaining 45 minutes where both sides had created good chances.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and Harris was crowded out on the edge of the box as he tried to create an opening for Salford in the opening seconds.

Town won a corner on the left four minutes in after a good spell of possession but Vernam’s delivery was headed away, although the visitors kept possession until Young got down to stop a low cross from Green.

Burns fired wide from distance and he had another opportunity soon afterwards when a quickly-taken free kick was worked from left to right.  This time, Burns’ curling strike flew just over the bar.

Ros Longelo replaced Grant as Salford made the first substitution on the hour, before Burns saw a shot blocked from the edge of the penalty area and Kabia was then caught offside as Town went forward again.

Brandon Cooper was booked for pulling Khouri back and before the free kick was taken, Svanthorsson came on for Burns.  The set-piece resulted in a corner on the left and it led to McEachran letting fly with a low drive which keeper Young tipped away for another corner.

Nicholas Siri and Ollie Turton came on for Woodburn and Cooper as Salford made more changes in a bid to get back into the contest, with Town looking comfortable despite their hosts having plenty of possession.

Rodgers headed a Garbutt free kick away from danger soon afterwards, then another corner came for Town when Young pushed Vernam’s powerful cross behind at the near post.

McJannet got back to stop Cesay and bring a dangerous-looking break to an end, then Siri headed off-target but the hosts retained possession and eventually won a corner on their left.  It led to an opportunity for Matt Butcher but McJannet made a fantastic block.

Harris missed the target from 20 yards on 75 minutes as Salford kept attacking, before Kelly Nmai replaced Butcher in the home side’s latest substitution.

Siri beat McJannet to a ball down the Salford right and made progress but when he pulled it back across the six-yard line, nobody in red could convert the chance and Rodgers brought the ball clear.

Pym made a comfortable stop from Longelo after Nmai had shown good skill to start an attack from inside his own half, then Rose and Staunton replaced Vernam and Sweeney for the last 10 minutes of the game.

Rose was booked for bringing Longelo down on the home right but Pym came off his line to punch Garbutt’s free kick away for a corner.  It led to Nmai sending a powerful cross over from the left but the ball flew away for a throw-in.

Kabia and Green made way for Amaluzor and Walker in Town’s final changes with three minutes to go.

Warren then saw the yellow card for a foul on Nmai after the game moved into at least five added minutes but Pym’s clean sheet remained intact as the free kick was headed wide.

And the Mariners saw out the rest of the game to seal another impressive victory.

Town are next in action on Tuesday, when they host Doncaster Rovers in the Vertu Trophy at Blundell Park.

Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Sweeney (Staunton, 80), McEachran, Burns (Svanthorsson, 63), Green (Walker, 87), Khouri, Vernam (Rose, 80), Kabia (Amaluzor, 87)

Subs not used: Lavelle, Soonsup-Bell

UTM