Battling qualities evident - but draw not enough for marooned Town
WILLIAMS CURLS IN SUPERB LATE FREE-KICK TO LEVEL
SUBSTITUTE George Williams rescued a dramatic late point for Grimsby Town as they drew 2-2 at Mansfield.
The Mariners had looked to be heading for defeat after goals from George Maris and Jason Law either side of Lenell John-Lewis’ header put them ahead going into stoppage time.
But Williams stepped up to beat Aidan Stone from 25 yards to earn his side a point, and it could so easily have been all three after he saw a header come back off the post moments later.
As expected, Luke Waterfall and Ira Jackson Jr came into the side for the Mariners as replacements for the ineligible Rollin Menayese and the injured Filipe Morais. There was an unexpected tweak up front though as Stefan Payne replaced James Hanson – who didn’t make the squad – while Williams and Luke Spokes returned to the bench after their spells watching on from the sidelines.
Neither side really created anything despite an open first 20 minutes, although Harry Charsley did create a bit of danger as he managed to spin Elliott Hewitt before seeing his ball across the face of goal cut out by Waterfall. The hosts wouldn’t have to wait much longer before taking the lead with their first effort on target as Maris put them ahead with a superb strike.
Jason Law laid the ball off to his midfield partner and, with none of his options further forward taking his fancy, he drove from distance and caught James McKeown unsighted as the Town keeper could only watch the ball nestle into the back of his net.
The hosts had much the better of the first half from there on in, and had the Mariners on the rack on a few occasions, with Stephen McLaughlin just heading wide across goal from a free-kick as the Stags threatened to double their lead.
After their poor showing in the first half, Paul Hurst rang the changes at the break as Williams and Spokes came in out of the cold to replace Julien Lamy and Giles Coke. Town needed an immediate response – and they got it as one of their substitutes made an instant impact.
Williams swung his corner in from the right and found the run of John-Lewis, who flicked his header to the far post to give the Mariners some hope – although it didn’t last long. Just moments later, Mansfield were back in the Town penalty area, and Law was afforded far too much time to create some space, move the ball onto his right foot, and pick his corner as he swung the ball past McKeown to put the hosts back ahead.
It looked as though the Mariners were heading for a damaging defeat as stoppage time approached, but a Ryan Sweeney foul presented the visitors with an opportunity for Williams to rescue a point – and he took his chance with aplomb as he blasted the ball past Stone to make it 2-2.
The substitute then could – and perhaps should – have wrapped up all three points as he headed against the post in the 94th minute, but despite their late efforts, Town had to settle for the point – and with Barrow claiming a dramatic late win over Crawley, the gap to safety now stands at 10 points.