Leigh proves spot on as Accrington end Town’s hopes
GRIMSBY ARE SQUEEZED OUT IN PAPA JOHN’S TROPHY
GRIMSBY Town bowed out of the Papa John’s Trophy in the Round of 32 after suffering a narrow 1-0 home defeat to League One side Accrington Stanley. The Mariners were second best for most of the game with Paul Hurst giving key personnel, including Luke Waterfall and John McAtee a rest, with a Tommy Leigh penalty in 66th minute enough to see John Coleman’s side through to the last 16.
The game was not played at an electric pace to start off with on what was a cold, but still evening under the lights at Blundell Park. Hurst stuck with a back three which he used at the weekend against Stevenage, but it was slightly more make-shift with Michee Efete filling in on the right side for Waterfall, who was not in the matchday squad.
Town had enough of the ball in the opening 25 minutes but struggled to create much with it, with Max Crocombe the busier of the two goalkeepers early on, saving long-range shots from Dan Martin and Ethan Hamilton.
The Mariners offered little going forward in the first half but kept their League One opponents at bay, getting plenty of bodies behind the ball whenever the visitors broke forward. Accrington were still a lot more resourceful in possession and probably should have taken the lead with around ten minutes left in the first period when Korede Adedoyin’s header in the centre of the box rebounded off the outside of the left post, with Crocombe stranded and unable to scramble across.
Town’s only real effort came with less than two minutes left before the break as Keyendrah Simmonds found space cutting in of the left to strike from distance, with his effort bouncing just wide of the near post. Grimsby’s attacking struggles continued in the second half, with nobody in a Town shirt grabbing hold of the game in the first 20 minutes after the break, which forced Hurst into four changes at once in the attacking positions.
It only got worse soon after however, as Whalley charged into the penalty area unchallenged off the left-hand side, with Bryn Morris coming in from behind to try and steal the ball but only getting the man to concede a penalty.
Leigh converted from 12 yards despite Crocombe guessing the right way, with his penalty nestling nicely in the corner, to give the visitors a lead they deserved on the balance of play.
Ten minutes later Town responded with the best opportunity of the game as Morris’ deep free-kick bounced in the box first towards substitute Lewis Richardson whose effort towards an empty net was blocked before Niall Maher tested Lukas Jensen with a low strike.
However, that was Grimsby’s last chance as they could not muster the attacking quality needed to break down their higher-league opposition.