Grimsby Town began their Youth Alliance Merit League campaign with a comfortable home victory over Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

A Grayson Giles penalty gave the Young Mariners a half-time lead and the striker tapped in from close range to make it 2-0 after his second spot-kick of the game was saved a minute into the second half.

A loss to Lincoln City in their last regular season match, coupled with results elsewhere, meant Town slipped into the lower half of the Youth Alliance North East table before the division split into two mini-leagues for the final month of the season.

They welcomed the Terriers to the Bradley Football Development Centre for the first of four games to close out the season, with fixtures against Harrogate Town, Notts County and Doncaster Rovers still to come.

Town were without regular goalkeeper Seb Auton for Saturday’s clash due to first-team duty and with Will Mitchell out on loan, Hayden Rogers was given a chance to impress between the sticks.

After a quiet opening, the hosts had the first opportunity to create danger when Giles was brought down on the right, although Callum Storr’s cross-field ball from the free kick was headed out for a throw-in by Jaxon Blankley.

Henry Brown saw a shot blocked at the edge of the penalty area on 13 minutes and he was involved again seconds later, heading over the bar after meeting a chip into the box from Storr.

Rogers was called into action for the first time on 19 minutes as he got down to stop a low shot by Donnell Garrick following a strong run by Omari Mrisho from his own half.

Town were given a chance to open the scoring two minutes later when Jack Collins was brought down inside the box by left-back Joe Nicholson.  And it was an opportunity they took, with GILES stepping up to send goalkeeper Francis Hurl the wrong way from the penalty spot.

A low effort from Collins was stopped by Hurl after the winger again cut into the box from the right, before a low cross from the away right was dealt with by Fin Abraham.

A foul on Brown gave Town a free kick on the edge of the Huddersfield box on 28 minutes but Giles’ shot from it went just over the bar.

Both teams were looking to keep the ball on the ground to combat the strong wind but the home side were on top and they won the game’s first corner on the half-hour, which led to a blocked shot from Giles.

Hurl got down to stop another shot by Giles after the striker had cut inside from the left, then the keeper was first to a ball into the box from Harry Shipstone as Collins looked to pounce.

Rogers came off his line to beat Huddersfield striker Daniel Isaac to a through-ball, before a Town counter-attack through Brown on the right led to a corner, although they were unable to make it count.

Hurl dived to push a strike by Tom Rennardson away from danger, then a shot by Giles was blocked after good play by Collins in midfield.

Billy Bradley’s far-post header bounced onto the bar after he met a Brown corner from the right, before Giles saw another low shot stopped by Hurl from 20 yards as Town continued to dominate.

Oliver Calland lifted a first-time strike over the bar at the end of a well-worked Huddersfield move as the visitors created a rare chance with half-time looming, then Rogers was in place to push a shot by Garrick away at his near post.

Two added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with no further chances coming, the home side took a deserved lead into the dressing rooms at the break.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and Town had a second penalty within a minute when Collins was caught by a high foot from Anthony Gregory.  Again, GILES stepped up and although his spot-kick was kept out by Hurl, the striker was first to the rebound to make it 2-0 from close range.

Garrick fired over the bar at the other end on 50 minutes, before a shot from Collins was blocked following a run to the edge of the box.

All three of Huddersfield’s outfield subs were sent on with 56 minutes on the clock, as Milkyas Mebrahtu, Mohamed Firiki and Zachary Bowker replaced Marlie Neil, Isaac and Nicholson.

Brown won a corner on the Grimsby right two minutes later and it eventually led to another one after a good turn by Giles.  This time, the ball was again played short to the striker and he turned it back for Collins, whose shot was caught by Hurl.

A shot by Ben Thirkhill at the other end was deflected over the bar for a corner but the delivery from the flag was brought clear by Brown.

Good defending by Robbie Sutherland saw him slide in to block Giles, then Rennardson set off on a run through the middle to start a promising attack but it did not lead to an attempt at goal.

Brown won a corner on the right on 65 minute as the Young Mariners continued to come forward.  Bradley won the header from it but Mrisho cleared.

Town were then forced to soak up some pressure as the away side looked for a way back into the contest and thy went close to halving the deficit when an attempted clearance from Rogers ricocheted off Firiki and over the bar.

Fortune Onoh replaced Alfie Foy in the Town midfield on 72 minutes, before Mebrahtu sent a first-time shot just wide as he met a low cross.

Elliott Smith came on for Rennardson in the Young Mariners’ second change on 75 minutes and Carlo Midwinter followed him onto the pitch when he replaced Giles soon afterwards.

Calland headed wide from a Thirkhill free kick as Huddersfield continued to create chances and Calland went on to miss the target again from a Garrick cross.

Rogers did well to deny Bowker as he dived to keep the striker out from close range, then Corey Foster and Kristian Catchpole replaced Shipstone and Collins in Grimsby’s final changes with seven minutes to go.

Midwinter was inches away from making it 3-0 on 85 minutes when he took advantage of a mistake by keeper Hurl but he could only watch as his low shot from 20 yards bounced back off the post.

A stoppage came for Bradley to receive treatment after going down with an injury, although he was eventually passed fit to rejoin the action.

A run by Midwinter from the right set up a chance for Town, although when the ball came back to the substitute, his attempt from a narrow angle was stopped by Hurl.

Two added minutes were played and Bradley was blocked by Gregory after a run through the middle.

That proved to be the last opportunity for Town to add to their score as the final whistle blew soon afterwards, confirming a clean sheet and all three points for Neil Woods’ side.
The Young Mariners are next in action on Wednesday, when they face Harrogate Town.

Town: Hayden Rogers, Callum Storr, Jaxon Blankley, Alfie Foy (Fortune Onoh, 72), Fin Abraham, Billy Bradley, Jack Collins (Corey Foster, 83), Harry Shipstone (Kristian Catchpole, 83), Grayson Giles (Carlo Midwinter, 76), Henry Brown, Tom Rennardson (Elliott Smith, 75)

Huddersfield: Francis Hurl, Omari Mrisho, Joe Nicholson (Milkyas Mebrahtu, 56), Anthony Gregory, Robbie Sutherland, Archie Sheppard, Donnell Garrick, Marlie Neil (Mohamed Firiki, 56), Daniel Isaac (Zachary Bowker, 56), Ben Thirkhill, Oliver Calland
Subs not used: Alex Walpole

UTM