Twelve academy players were given an opportunity to shine in first-team shirts as the Mariners took on Nottingham Forest U21 in their final Jersey Mike’s Trophy group match at Blundell Park.
Seven members of the club’s youth squad were named in the starting XI as Town went back into action a little over 48 hours after the FA Cup penalty shoot-out victory at Stafford Rangers on Sunday, with all of the substitutes also from the academy.
Three first-half goals secured the points for a Forest side packed with quality and sent them through to the knockout stages of the tournament, with Harvey Andrews opening the scoring before Jamie Newton doubled the away advantage and Matthew Orr made the result safe just before the break.
Town grew in confidence in the second half as they limited their Premier League 2 opponents to few further opportunities while creating chances themselves at the other end and they were unfortunate not to grab a consolation goal which would have been a deserved reward for their efforts on a proud night for the club’s academy.
Seb Auton started in goal for Grimsby, with Malaki Golding, Alex Graham, Charlie Elliott and Tyler Pratt forming the defence. Kristian Catchpole was behind the midfield of Harvey Booth, Henry Brown, Ryley Reynolds and Darius Neagu, as Ted Sharp led the attack.
Five 16-year-olds were included on a very young bench for the hosts, with Rhys Hall, Curtis Manyika, Fortune Jack, James Binks, Josh Edwards, Noah Hutton and Max Horsman all named as substitutes.
Town began the game bottom of the four-team Northern Group F on one point, with Forest a point and a place better off at kick-off. Both sides knew, however, that a win could see them go through to the first knockout round, depending on the result of the group’s other fixture, being played at the same time between Burton Albion and Notts County.
Striker Fuad Smith would be aiming to hit the net again after grabbing one of the goals in Forest’s 2-2 league draw with Leicester City last time out.
FIRST HALF
Smith created the first opening of the game for the visitors as he cut inside from the left and hit a shot which Auton dived to push away from goal. James Sinclair’s rebound was off-target from a narrow angle on the right.
Forest had the first corner on five minutes but the low delivery caused no problems, then a foul on Neagu gave Town a free kick just inside the away half. Elliott looked for Booth on the left from it but the visitors took possession and launched a quick break.
Good defending by Golding on 11 minutes saw the ball out for a goal kick, before an overhead kick from Smith went through to Auton.
Forest were dominating possession as Town sat deep and after a patient build-up, a low pull-back from Sinclair found Jayden Powell but his strike was deflected over the bar by Elliott for a corner.
A free kick followed on the left and from it, the visitors took the lead. Town were unable to clear their lines following a low delivery into the box and ANDREWS was the man who eventually took advantage, beating Auton with a low shot from 12 yards.
Forest immediately went in search of a second goal and the hosts had to defend a corner from the right, before Auton came off his line to claim a cross from the away left.
That second goal arrived on 21 minutes, when a corner from Chinazaekpere Nwosu was met by NEWTON to plant a firm header into the net from eight yards.
Blane McClure fired over the bar from 20 yards, before a Newton cross was cut out for another Forest corner and this time, the ball from the flag was dealt with.
Smith was unable to connect with another acrobatic attempt on 29 minutes, then the striker saw a shot blocked as Forest attacked again with half an hour on the clock.
Sinclair worked his way into the box with a skillful run from the right but Elliott was in place to head his shot behind for a corner, then a further flag-kick from Nwosu on the right was headed away and Town broke through Elliott, although he was unable to find a team-mate with an attempted cross-field ball.
A sign of promise for the Mariners came when Booth won the ball in midfield and drove forward towards the penalty area, although defender Orr got back to win his challenge with the winger.
Town were now starting to see more of the ball and Pratt had a run down the left before Brown went down inside the box under a challenge from Orr. His appeal for a penalty was waved away by the referee.
Auton was called into action soon afterwards and he was equal to the task, diving to make a great save as he pushed Smith’s low, 18-yard strike around his post.
Town were coming into the game but they were to go 3-0 down a minute before the break, as another Nwosu corner was not fully dealt with and ORR pounced to find the net.
One added minute was played before the half-time whistle, with the Forest youngsters taking a commanding advantage into the dressing rooms at the interval.
SECOND HALF
Edwards and Jack replaced Neagu and Pratt for Town before the restart, while Shakur Samuels and Jaxon Tomak came on in place of Orr and Smith as the visitors made two changes of their own.
Edwards cut out an early low cross for a corner but the short delivery from it was dealt with as Catchpole brought the ball clear.
Auton punched clear from the latest Nwosu corner five minutes in, before good defending by Golding stopped Powell following a low cross from McClure.
Graham headed a Spencer Sutton cross away from danger, then a good run by Booth down the right led to a Town corner. From it, there was a chance to pull a goal back as Catchpole let fly from 25 yards but his shot was blocked and Graham could only lift the rebound over the bar.
Horsman replaced Booth in the home side’s third substitution on 57 minutes, before a foul by Elliott gave Forest a free kick in a central position. Rico Robinson and Azae Bonnick were sent on in place of Powell and Sonny Nelson before it was taken and Nwosu’s shot was then blocked by the Town wall.
Bonnick had an opportunity within two minutes of joining the action but Auton got down to stop his strike, then a ball from Brown found Sharp inside the box at the other end but the striker was unable to create an opening for a shot.
A better chance for the Mariners came soon afterwards as the referee played a good advantage and Horsman found Jack on the right. He played the ball across the six-yard line for Sharp at the far post but Forest goalkeeper Aaron Bott made a smart block at his near post.
The latest Nwosu corner on 68 minutes was cleared, then Samuels almost got on the end of a great ball through the middle but Auton was alive to the danger and raced off his line to claim it.
Reynolds made way for Hutton on 71 minutes as Town continued to come into the game and they had another corner moments later, although Brown’s delivery was eventually dealt with.
Hutton did well to work his way into the penalty area but when he pulled the ball back towards Jack, it was cleared and Forest broke, with Robinson firing at Auton from distance.
McClure was off-target after a run to the edge of the Town box, then Manyika became the latest to be given an opportunity to impress for the Mariners as he replaced Sharp on 81 minutes.
Town were looking for a deserved consolation goal as the clock ticked down and a Manyika free kick from the left caused danger as Bott was twice forced to tip the ball away from his goal, firstly from Graham and then Elliott.
Three added minutes were played and the Mariners were ultimately unable to get themselves on the scoresheet as the visitors sealed a 3-0 victory and with Notts County beating Burton by the same scoreline, the result was enough to see Forest through behind their neighbours into the knockout phase.
Town’s Trophy campaign is now over despite an excellent effort by the young team and the Mariners will return to Sky Bet League Two action next, with a trip to Swindon Town on Saturday.
Town: Auton, Golding, Graham, Elliott, Pratt (Edwards, 46), Catchpole, Booth (Horsman, 57), Brown, Reynolds (Hutton, 71), Neagu (Jack, 46) , Sharp (Manyika, 81)
Subs not used: Hall, Binks
UTM
