Jolley’s on cloud nine after Town fightback

MICHAEL Jolley wants Grimsby’s victory over MK Dons to act as a catalyst to improve their League Two form.

Kieran Agard put the visitors ahead at Blundell Park, before the Mariners booked their place in the second round courtesy of a superb turnaround.

Sunderland loanee Elliot Embleton, Wes Thomas and Charles Vernam were on target for Grimsby, who won their first cup tie in five seasons.

Jolley said: “I think it was a really big win for us. They had only lost one all season in the league, and are clearly a good side with a good manager.

“We kept our belief. The players were excellent and that was a really good performance.

“I think that we are starting to turn our form at Blundell Park, and we are improving.

“We need to try and capitalise on the momentum. We can use it as a springboard to try and improve our league form.”

Chances were few and far between in the opening 45 minutes, with Agard breaking the deadlock when he picked the pocket of Danny Collins, then slotting past James McKeown.

At the other end, Embleton saw two efforts saved by Lee Nicholls, before he went one better just four minutes after the break.

He curled into the top corner from 20 yards, before Thomas put Grimsby ahead for the first time with a close-range finish.

As the clock ticked by, former Derby County man Vernam then sealed victory.

MK Dons boss Paul Tisdale added: “It was disappointing for us, especially to be a goal up at half-time. I don’t think the second half defensive display was us.

“Grimsby deserved it. They had a real intensity to them that, maybe, we lacked in the second half.

“I have little to criticise our first half performance. With a breeze behind us and a good surface, we played some good football and probably deserved that goal with the chances we created.

“It can be a little lesson for us really. The opposition will always got something that they can do in the dressing room at half-time, which we are not privy to.

“Grimsby stepped their game up and we probably didn’t respond well enough to that. We have to learn from it.”