Mariners Cook up treat for boss Jolley

GRIMSBY TOWN 3

Cook 17, 56, Demetriou 84 (og)

GRIMSBY: Russell 8, Hall-Johnson 7 (Whitmore 75, 6), Ohman 8, Collins 7, Hendrie 6, Hessenthaler 7, Embleton 8 (Clifton 65, 6), Woolford 7, Ring 7, Cook 9, Thomas 6 (Dennis 79, 6). Subs not used: Welsh, Grayson, Cardwell, Vernam.

NEWPORT CO 0

NEWPORT: Townsend 5, Pipe 5, Poole 5, Demetriou 4, Neufville 5, Labadie 5 (Sheehan 62, 6), Dolan 6, Bakinson 5 (Crofts 80, 6), Kennedy 5, Matt 6, MarshBrown 5 (Amond 59, 6). Subs not used: Day, Butler, Hornby-Forbes, O’Brien.

Att: 3,712 Rating: ★★★★★ Ref: Anthony Backhouse 7/10

MICHAEL Jolley praised the mental strength of his Grimsby side after their victory against Newport County at Blundell Park.

Jordan Cook settled the scores with a well-taken brace that was followed up by a late own goal from visiting defender, Mickey Demetriou.

But the most pleasing aspect for Jolley was how Grimsby responded after top goalscorer Wes Thomas missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Jolley said: “I think it was a really good win. We weren’t happy with the start, because we didn’t get going for 15 minutes.

“Sometimes players miss penalties, and that can happen in football. But the way we responded to that was excellent.

“Jordan (Cook) played well last week and then, once again, he put in a hard-working display that was capped off by two good finishes.

“We spoke about being mentally strong at half-time, because it would have been human nature to have been disappointed about the penalty.”

Chances were few and far between during the opening stages, with Keanu Marsh-Brown being the first man to hit the target in Cleethorpes.

Sam Russell had to be alert to punch away Ben Kennedy’s header, while Cook tested Nick Townsend at the other end, shortly, before poking home the opener.

Martyn Woolford also went close with a rasping drive, before Thomas saw his tame spot-kick saved by Townsend.

Upon the restart, the visitors saw one attempt cleared off the line, but it was soon 2-0 as Cook swept home following good work from Reece Hall-Johnson.

And then, as the clock ticked by, the result was confirmed when Demetriou turned Woolford’s low cross into his own net.

Newport boss Michael Flynn added: “It was shocking. It was terrible, lazy defending – we didn’t track runners.

“In the first 15 minutes we were excellent, but then after that it was terrible.

“We made changes because we wanted to get some minutes into people’s legs.

“What we put out there was good enough. Obviously, it wasn’t and it’s told me a few things about a few people. We put balls in the box, but we didn’t get on the end of them because we were never on the front foot. It was just not good enough.”