By Match report: Strong first half earns Town victory over Mansfield
Grimsby Town secured the first victory of their Papa Johns Trophy campaign against Mansfield Town this evening.
First-half goals from Otis Khan and Danilo Orsi were enough to hand the hosts a 2-0 win and all three points in their Group F encounter at Blundell Park.
Paul Hurst took the opportunity to ring the changes, with Max Crocombe, Michee Efete and Harry Clifton the only starters from Saturday’s victory over Colchester United to retain their places.
Town started the game the brighter of the two teams, as they looked to play early balls up to the forward players.
The first chance of the game fell to the Mariners, with Clifton playing a delightful ball in behind the Mansfield defence to Khan, who couldn’t guide his low effort beyond the onrushing Scott Flinders.
The Stags’ first opportunity came after seven minutes when Kellan Gordon crossed to the feet of Will Swan, but the on-loan Nottingham Forest striker was unable to get a clean connection on the ball just inside the area and it was cleared away.
The visitors continued to grow into the game and should have taken the lead through John-Joe O’Toole. Anthony Hartigan whipped in a pinpoint free-kick from the right-hand side of the box, which the defender was unable to redirect on target from six yards out.
They were soon punished after 15 minutes, though, when the returning Jordan Maguire-Drew played a sumptuous through ball in behind the defence to Khan, who this time made no mistake as he rounded the keeper and rolled the ball home for the opening goal of the game.
Keyendrah Simmonds then went close to doubling Town’s lead just a couple of minutes later, but his long-range half-volley was kept out by Flinders.
Khan continued his lively start midway through the first half, as he flashed an effort over the bar from just outside the box following a superb challenge by Clifton to win possession back in the Stags’ half.
Swan should have done better with 30 minutes played, but he was unable to force Crocombe into a save with his effort from the left side of the area.
Just a minute later, the Mansfield forward did manage to hit the target from the opposite side of the box, with the Town keeper getting down to his left and holding onto the ball well.
Although the Mariners were having more of the ball, the away side looked more than capable of grabbing an equaliser.
Any fears Town had of that happening, however, were eased when they doubled their lead on 37 minutes. Once again, an incisive ball in behind the defence – courtesy of Simmonds this time – put Orsi in on goal and the forward cooly slotted past Flinders to put the hosts well in control.
They maintained the two-goal lead up until half-time, after controlling the possession and creating numerous opportunities.
Mansfield emerged from the break with much more intent and immediately pushed Town back into their own half.
They were almost rewarded for their early pressure when James Perch’s half-volley from a corner was saved on the line by Crocombe.
Another chance soon alluded the away side as they searched for a route back into the game, but a goal-saving block by Efete prevented Jordan Bowery from halving the deficit.
The Stags forward then went close again just two minutes later. His right-footed curled effort looked destined to nestle in the corner of the net, before Crocombe pulled off a fine save to his left to divert the ball for a corner.
Town then tried to wrestle back the control they showed in the first half. After a free-kick from the left was cleared to the edge of the box, Clifton hit a fierce drive that just went over the bar.
They continued to enjoy a spell of possession and young loanee, Aribim Pepple, who came on for Khan at half-time, almost headed home at the back post, but it was blocked behind. The resulting corner led to a goalmouth scramble, with Flinders doing well to parry the ball away from his goal.
The end-to-end action died down as the game reached the midway point of the second half, after neither side were able to grab that all-important third goal despite having good opportunities.
Pepple could have sealed the victory for the Mariners with 15 minutes left to play, as he latched onto Orsi’s ball in behind, before opening his body up and sending his effort agonisingly past the post.
The Stags almost made him rue that miss just a minute later, but substitute Riley Harbottle somehow failed to take the opportunity to set up a potentially nervy ending by heading over from inside the six-yard box.
They continued to push Town back and another headed chance then passed the visitors by when James Gale’s looping effort went just past Crocombe’s right-hand post.
Hurst’s side managed the remaining few minutes of the game well to seal a 2-0 victory that takes them up to second in the group.
