Our youth team hit a magnificent seven goals against a strong Doncaster Rovers side to register their first Youth Alliance Cup victory of the season.

Both teams created good chances throughout an even first half at a sunny Cheapside but Jack Collins opened the scoring for the Young Mariners and Charlie Hatton added a second to put them in control at the break.

Hatton grabbed his second goal of the game to make it 3-0 within two minutes of the restart, then Grayson Giles extended the lead to four just before the hour.

A Sam Straughan-Brown penalty pulled one back for the visitors but Tom Rennardson restored the four-goal cushion with seven minutes to go, before Carlo Midwinter and Finley Axcell both struck in stoppage time to seal an emphatic 7-1 win.

Town reached the northern area final of the Youth Alliance Cup last term and would be aiming to go one better this time around, despite losing their opening group match 3-2 to Huddersfield Town.

Neil Woods’ side were also looking to bounce back after a narrow home defeat by Youth Alliance north division leaders Rotherham United in the league last week.

Doncaster, meanwhile, were hoping to make it two wins out of two in the cup, having enjoyed a 5-0 away victory over Hartlepool United in their group opener.

Axcell’s flick went through to goalkeeper Harry Gardham after an early Grimsby corner was played short, before a low strike from Collins was saved and Giles saw an effort deflected over the bar for a corner. The ball from the flag led to a blocked shot from Henry Brown.

A foul on striker Kenneth Imariagbe gave Doncaster their first opportunity to put pressure on the Town goal on 10 minutes, although Straughan-Brown could only float the free kick over the bar from 25 yards.

Giles had another chance when he ran onto a long ball but he was denied by Gardham, then Jaxon Blankley did well to beat Imariagbe to the ball at the other end and head safely back to keeper Seb Auton.

Doncaster were now starting to look more threatening and Charlie Thompson sent a flick across goal which just missed the far post but Imariagbe kept the ball in and drew a good save from Auton.

Then, from the resulting corner, the stopper kept the scores level with a brilliant fingertip save to help Kasper Williams’ header over the bar. This time, Jacob Bacon’s header was blocked on the line by Fortune Onoh.

At the other end, a low strike by Giles on 18 minutes was not held by Gardham but the Doncaster defence recovered to clear as Collins looked to pounce on the rebound, then Giles diverted a powerful Brown cross over the bar as the home side attacked again.

Bacon was shown the game’s first yellow card for preventing Giles from taking a throw-in, before Imariagbe earned a corner when his 20-yard, curling strike was deflected wide. The flag-kick was cleared by Callum Storr.

Another Doncaster corner came on 32 minutes and led to Deshaun Musgrave-Dore firing wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Both sides had come close to opening the scoring but when the deadlock was broken on 37 minutes, it was the Young Mariners who took the lead. Giles found Brown on the left and he squared for Collins to finish from close range at the far post.

Brown was caught offside as he ran onto a flick from Giles after a run by Collins, with the hosts looking to add to their lead before half-time.

And it did not take much longer for Town to double their advantage, as Hatton’s powerful strike from 20 yards took a deflection on its way past Gardham.

Alfie Foy lifted a shot over the bar from distance, then a Hatton free kick from the left was cleared in what turned out to be the last action of an excellent first half for the home side.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and the Young Mariners made it 3-0 within two minutes. Corey Foster made progress down the left and pulled the ball back for Hatton, whose strike from the edge of the box proved too powerful for Gardham.

Doncaster made a double-substitution after the goal and an Imariagbe strike on 52 minutes deflected just wide for a corner, which was cleared by Hatton.

But any chance of an away recovery was brought to an end on 57 minutes when Town made it 4-0. A great move down the right got its reward when the ball was pulled back for Giles and he found the far corner of he net with a clinical, first-time finish.

Brown was just wide after a pull-back from Giles and as Town continued to look for more goals, Brown headed over the bar after stretching to meet a cross.

But Doncaster were given an opportunity to pull one back from the penalty spot when substitute Ethan Hodgett was brought down inside the box. Auton was booked before Straughan-Brown stepped up to confidently make it 4-1.

Another chance came with a free kick 25 yards out and Straughan-Brown was inches away from a second goal but saw his effort bounce back off the bar.

Tyler Parkin sent a shot through to Auton and an Imariagbe effort was then blocked, as Doncaster kept looking to reduce their deficit to two.

Rennardson and Harry Shipstone replaced Hatton and Foster in Grimsby’s first substitutions with 13 minutes to go, with Elliot Smith coming on for Onoh three minutes later.

And with eight minutes left, the Young Mariners grabbed their fifth goal, as Rennardson burst into the box from the left and hit a low strike which found its way past Gardham.

Mamadu Jalloh came on for Brown and Midwinter replaced Giles with two minutes to go, as Town ensured all of their subs got time on the pitch.

Straughan-Brown picked up a booking for delaying a Grimsby free kick as the game moved into stoppage time.

A sixth goal then followed as a Collins cross from the right was flicked over Gardham by Midwinter.

And there was still time for a seventh, after a push on Rennardson by Straughan-Brown gave Town a free kick on the edge of the box. Foy’s initial shot bounced back to him off the Doncaster wall and when the midfielder lifted the ball back into the box, Axcell got the final touch to make it 7-1 and complete a hugely impressive win.

Next up is a trip to Salford City, as the Young Mariners return to league action.

Town: Seb Auton, Callum Storr, Jaxon Blankley, Alfie Foy, Finley Axcell, Charlie Hatton (Harry Shipstone, 77), Fortune Onoh (Elliot Smith, 80), Jack Collins, Grayson Giles (Carlo Midwinter, 88), Henry Brown (Mamadu Jalloh, 88), Corey Foster (Tom Rennardson, 77)