Mariners dig in and get back on track
GRIMSBY Town moved level on points with Chesterfield at the top of the National League as they secured a 1-0 victory over Southend United.
The Mariners ended a run of four consecutive defeats thanks to Ryan Taylor’s sixth of the season in the third minute.
He pounced in the area to stroke the ball home after Southend failed to clear their lines in a frantic start at Blundell Park.
Despite creating numerous chances to double their lead, Town were held just a solitary goal, whilst keeping Southend at bay at the opposite end to record a much-sought-after clean sheet.
Paul Hurst opted for experience with his starting XI, recalling Shaun Pearson and Giles Coke to the starting side, with Adam Crookes also coming in at left-back.
Lenell John-Lewis missed out with a hamstring injury, whilst John McAtee was a surprise inclusion on the bench after recovering from a knee injury that saw him miss the last three matches.
Town’s last match under the lights at Blundell Park was a victory over AFC Wrexham and, with those memories firmly ingrained in the mind, the Mariners got off to the perfect start.
Taylor got the near-6,000 crowd off their seats as he gave the Mariners a third-minute lead, passing the ball in from close range after Southend failed to clear their lines.
The Mariners made a blistering start to proceedings and really should have doubled their lead moments later.
Ben Fox should have shot when wellplaced inside the area but instead squared to Erico Sousa, whose shot was blocked.
After a shaky start to proceedings, Southend grew into the game and tested James McKeown when Louis Walsh’s strike was deflected off Crookes.
However, Town reasserted their dominance after the half-hour mark, with Erico Sousa proving chief tormentor after being switched over to the lefthand side.
It was Harry Clifton, though, who nearly doubled the lead, shooting inches wide after being picked out by a smart Michee Efete pass inside the area.
The second half started as a more cagey affair, with the Shrimpers happy to sit in and try to catch Town on the counter-attack.
They almost succeeded as Zac Brunt
burst through the Town rearguard but fired his shot over the bar with a clear sight at McKeown’s goal.
Back came the Mariners and the lively Sousa, central to all their good play. He was rolled in by Taylor and as he cut inside on the right foot, his goalbound strike was well blocked by Shaun Hobson.
John McAtee made his return to action for the final 12 minutes, much to the relief of the home supporters, after missing the last three games with a knee injury.
Pearson almost doubled Town’s lead with a header in the final 10 minutes but, otherwise, the Mariners closed out the contest for three vital points.
The result leaves Hurst’s side second in the National League standings ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, level on points with table toppers Chesterfield.
Grimsby Town: McKeown; Efete, Waterfall, Pearson, Crookes; Hunt (McAtee, 78), Coke; Sousa (Revan, 90), Fox, Clifton; Taylor. Unused subs: Towler, Longe-King, Bapaga.