Our youth team recovered from going a goal down to beat Doncaster Rovers and earn their first win of the new season.
The Young Mariners travelled to Doncaster’s Cantley Park training ground on Friday afternoon after defeats on the road at Wrexham and at home to Shrewsbury Town in their opening two EFL Youth Alliance league games.
Captain Jonny Tomlinson’s header gave a strong home side a half-time advantage and they applied further pressure after the break but Town showed grit and determination to repel the attacks before hitting back through substitute Fortune Jack on 68 minutes.
The visitors went on to complete the turnaround five minutes later when Ted Sharp converted a penalty and the striker added a late third goal to seal a superb victory in South Yorkshire for Neil Woods’ side.
Town were returning to action for the first time since Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Shrewsbury, while Doncaster fell to a penalty shootout defeat by Rochdale in the Youth Alliance Cup on Tuesday, three days after a 5-1 victory over the same opponents.
FIRST HALF
The hosts won the first corner inside two minutes but Ethan Hodgett’s delivery was headed away by Sharp. Another corner followed on the opposite, left flank three minutes later but again, Sharp was first to it to head clear.
Noah Hutton created Town’s first opening, although his cross from the left was headed away and a follow-up ball from Malachi Golding on the right was also dealt with.
Sharp flicked a long throw from Golding on but the ball went through to home keeper George Hague, then Town stopper Joe Roberts came off his line at the other end to deny striker Dylan Hartley.
Lennon Peterson volleyed off-target for the Young Mariners, then a strike from Sharp was blocked as the lively opening to the contest continued.
A foul by Golding on Lucas McKie gave Doncaster a free kick wide on their left, although nobody could connect with Hodgett’s far-post delivery.
Hartley hit the side-netting from a narrow angle on 15 minutes, before a spell of Town pressure ended when a Curtis Manyika cross was headed away following a series of Golding long throws.
Hague got down to make a near-post stop from Pratt after a neat build-up from the left, then good pressure by Manyika saw him presented with an opportunity on the edge of the box, although Hague recovered well to make another save.
Town were on top at the midway point in the half and Max Horsman did well to earn a free kick on the right, although the winger’s ball to the edge of the box was headed away.
When the opening goal arrived on the half-hour, however, it was the home side who took the lead. Hodgett sent a free kick to the far post from the left and TOMLINSON met it to head past Roberts.
A foul on Pratt on the halfway line gave Town an opportunity to respond but Hague came off his line to claim the ball from Josh Edwards’ free kick.
Hartley won a corner for Doncaster after a run down the left on 38 minutes but Henry Chisholm was in place to head it clear, then Manyika did well to win the ball in midfield and launch a break but the visitors were unable to turn it into a chance in front of goal.
A foul by Pratt on McKie gave the hosts a free kick in a dangerous position but Horsman headed Hodgett’s delivery clear and that proved to be the final opportunity for either side before the half-time whistle, leaving Town with a single-goal deficit at the interval.
SECOND HALF
Charlie Pinder replaced Rohan Chabvonga for the home side ahead of the restart and Fortune Jack came on for Hutton in Town’s first change three minutes in.
Bobby Harpham had the first shooting opportunity of the second half for Doncaster soon afterwards but his 20-yard effort took a deflection for a corner. That led to a further flag-kick when another deflected Harpham strike bounced out off the post but this time, the danger was dealt with.
The home pressure continued with a free kick midway inside the Town half, although Hodgett’s ball was flicked through to Roberts in the Grimsby goal.
A good challenge by Golding stopped Hartley on the left, before Jack saw the first yellow card of the game following a challenge on keeper Hague.
McKie fired just over the bar at the end of a slick move from the Doncaster right but the shot took a deflection for a corner, which was headed off-target by Tomlinson.
Harry Bolton came on for Horsman in Town’s second substitution on the hour but the home side were still on top and Roberts had to tip a dangerous-looking cross by Hartley away from goal.
Sharp did well to win a throw-in on 63 minutes but Golding’s long throw was headed away and Doncaster were soon back on the attack, with Liam Potts sending a right-wing cross out for a goal kick.
Despite the home pressure, the Young Mariners were back on level terms on 68 minutes. Chisholm won the ball and found JACK, who lifted it over Hague and into the roof of the net.
Sharp cleared off the line as Doncaster looked for an instant response from a corner and Town broke quickly, with the striker making progress down the right before Chisholm eventually volleyed wide.
A foul on McKie brought a home free kick in a dangerous position and from it, Doncaster went close through Hodgett but Roberts dived to make a great save, tipping the ball onto the bar.
Luke Hamer and Harry Hird replaced Josh Butler and Hartley in a double-substitution for the hosts but moments later, the Young Mariners were given their chance to complete the turnaround when Manyika was brought down inside the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot and SHARP stepped up to beat Hague.
The momentum was now firmly with the visitors and Jack headed through to the keeper as they looked to make it 3-1. Manyika won a corner on the left after good play by Pratt and from it, Edwards’ goalbound volley was blocked on the line by defender Jaydon Fender.
The pressure continued with another corner and after Manyika’s delivery was cleared for a throw-in, Sharp hit a cross which was headed wide at the far post by Manyika. McKie drew a foul after cutting inside from the home left but Hodgett hit the bar from the resulting free kick and Harpham headed over from the rebound.
Harpham was booked for a foul on Peterson, although nobody could get on the end of Pratt’s free kick from the left. A great challenge by James Binks stopped Pinder as the hosts looked for a way to level the scores with the clock now into the final five minutes.
Hodgett was unable to find a team-mate with a free kick from the left, then Darius Neagu replaced Manyika as Town made a further change with three minutes to go. Chisholm found Sharp as the away side kept looking for a third goal but the striker could not bring the ball under control.
They did not have to wait much longer to seal the points though, as a long ball from Roberts in the 90th minute found its way through to SHARP and he kept his composure to head over Hague and into the net, making it 3-1 and securing an excellent win on the road.
Town: Joe Roberts, Malachi Golding, Tyler Pratt, Henry Chisholm, James Binks, Josh Edwards, Max Horsman (Harry Bolton, 60), Noah Hutton (Fortune Jack, 48), Ted Sharp, Curtis Manyika (Darius Neagu, 87), Lennon Peterson
Subs not used: Rhys Hall, Will Currie
UTM
