Finley Axcell’s 95th-minute equaliser earned our Youth Team a hard-fought 3-3 draw with Walsall at Cheapside on Saturday.
The Young Mariners fell behind three times but recovered on each occasion to claim a share of the spoils in the Youth Alliance North Division clash.
Town made a strong start in wet conditions, with Grayson Giles twice going close, although Walsall opened the scoring through right-back Cayden Bennett.
Giles equalised on 25 minutes but the visitors reclaimed the advantage with Jakub Pawlowski’s header and they held the lead at the break.
Four minutes into the second half, Giles’ second goal made it 2-2 and Town looked the more likely to go on and win the game until Jaiy Leydon struck to put Walsall ahead for the third time with eight minutes to go.
But Neil Woods’ Grimsby side refused to be beaten and showed great character as they kept going until the end, with Axcell’s header eventually earning them a point.
The Young Mariners came into the game looking to improve on last week’s away draw at Stockport County, which also finished 3-3 and left them 16th in the 25-team table with eight points from seven games.
Walsall were five places higher after last week’s round of fixtures but only two points ahead of their hosts.
Town had a chance within the opening 30 seconds as Giles ran onto a ball through the middle but Walsall goalkeeper Harrison Barber raced off his line to make a block.
Giles had another early opportunity when his strike from a narrow angle took a deflection and rolled past the far post for a corner.
And the home side’s strong start continued with a further corner, which was headed clear, before Tom Rennardson was caught offside following a break down the right through Giles and Henry Brown.
Walsall’s first sight of goal came on 11 minutes and saw the visitors take the lead. Harry Shipstone initially looked to have cleared the danger but the away side worked the ball to Bennett and he slotted past Town keeper Hayden Rogers from a narrow angle.
Tom Owen sent a dangerous-looking cross over from the Walsall right on 15 minutes but nobody could get on the end of it, then a Brown rebound at the other end was saved as Grimsby aimed to get themselves level.
Town were forced into a substitution on 19 minutes when Corey Foster replaced the injured Shipstone and Alex Graham hit the post with a volley from a tight angle soon afterwards as he met a corner.
The Young Mariners were back on level terms with their next attack though, as Giles found the net with a great strike on the turn from the edge of the penalty area.
A Charlie Hatton free kick was cleared as Giles challenged for the header, before a Walsall corner from the right saw them reclaim the lead, as Owen’s delivery was met by centre-back Pawlowski, who powered a header past Rogers.
McLloyd Oben headed over the bar from another Owen cross as the away side continued to threaten, then Rogers got down to make a good save from Leydon’s low shot.
A foul on Rennardson by Louie Webb brought the game’s first yellow card a minute before the break, although Hatton’s free kick from just inside the Walsall half beat everybody and flew out for a goal kick.
Town were looking for an equaliser before half-time but a great challenge stopped Foster, then a foul on Fortune Onoh brought one final opportunity with a free kick on the right. But after Brown’s delivery was pushed away from goal by Barber, Onoh could only find the side-netting and the visitors’ lead remained intact heading into the dressing rooms.
SECOND HALF
Cailen Beckford replaced Oben for Walsall before the restart and Town had the first opportunity of the second half with a free kick on the left, although Brown’s low delivery into the box was cleared.
The Young Mariners were soon level again though, as Giles beat Barber with a clipped finish from a narrow angle at the near post after cutting inside from the left.
Giles saw another effort deflect away for a corner as Grimsby continued to show signs of improvement.
Onoh could not turn a Jack Collins cross towards goal, then a Collins strike from the edge of the box was blocked as the momentum stayed with the hosts at the hour mark.
Elliot Smith replaced Rennardson on 60 minutes and Walsall also made a further change as Luca Taylor came on for striker Finn Teesdale.
Smith was unlucky not to get on the end of a low cross from Graham and the ball was put behind for a corner, which led to Giles attempting an acrobatic volley.
Foster won a corner after a break through the middle by Smith as Town continued to attack but Brown’s ball from the left was headed clear, then a Foster strike from distance deflected away from goal.
The home pressure continued with two more Brown corners from the right but both were dealt with.
Charlie Carrick was sent on in place of Onoh on 75 minutes and another corner came when a Foster cross was headed behind but again, the ball from the flag was well-defended.
Walsall’s Owen saw the yellow card for bringing Collins down on the home right but after Brown played the free kick short to Collins, his low cross was cut out for a throw-in.
Town looked the more likely to force a winner but when the next goal came on 82 minutes, it was Walsall who took the lead once again. Leydon ran through the middle and beat Rogers from 20 yards, despite the keeper getting a hand to the low strike.
Graham fired wide at the other end as the Young Mariners pushed for a third equaliser and Carlo Midwinter replaced Hatton with five minutes remaining in a bid to force a draw.
Town kept pushing forward as the game moved into added time and a brave block by Stanley Straw denied Brown after the midfielder let fly with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
Brown was kept out again as Barber dived full-length to ensure his shot was tipped away for a corner and another flag-kick followed when Giles’ header was blocked.
And this time, Town were not to be denied as the ball from the flag was met by Axcell, who headed past Barber to make it 3-3 in the fifth minute of additional time.
The hosts were not done yet as they pushed for a winner and a free kick from the left provided an opportunity to find it, although Brown’s ball to the far post was eventually cleared and both sides had to settle for a point apiece.
The young Mariners are next in action on Saturday 2nd November as they host Accrington Stanley in the League.
Town: Rogers, Storr, Graham, Onoh (Carrick, 75), Axcell, Hatton (Midwinter, 85), Collins, Shipstone (Foster, 19), Giles, Brown, Rennardson (Smith, 60)
Sub not used: Jalloh
