By Match report: Five goals hand Town FA Cup victory over Plymouth
Grimsby Town hit five goals to record an impressive FA Cup victory over high-flying Plymouth Argyle at Blundell Park.
After an early Adam Randell goal, Andy Smith, Michee Efete, Anthony Glennon and a Brendan Kiernan double rounded off an excellent afternoon for the hosts.
Paul Hurst made four changes to the starting lineup, with Glennon, Kiernan, Alex Hunt and Otis Khan all returning to the side.
Town, who hadn’t lost in the previous 14 meetings between the sides at Blundell Park, were looking to bounce back from defeats at Barrow and Hartlepool United, while League One table-toppers Argyle came into the game full of confidence following their excellent start to the season.
They got off to a quick start this afternoon, taking the lead through Adam Randell, whose long-range effort fizzed past Max Crocombe just five minutes into the contest.
The Mariners responded well and had a chance to level things up just a couple of minutes later, but Hunt’s shot was deflected over the bar following good work from Kiernan and Khan in the build-up.
The equaliser did come shortly after that when Smith got on the end of a corner to nod home and put his side on level terms after 11 minutes.
Following the frantic opening, it calmed down over the next 20 minutes, with neither side really having any major chances and the game becoming more of a battle in the midfield.
Khan had the next opportunity for Town, but after cutting inside and unleashing a shot at goal, his effort was deflected wide of the goal.
But from the resulting corner, they took the lead through Efete on 33 minutes. The ball was played short before being delivered into the box and the defender got on the end of it at the near post and his flick-on looped into the corner of the net to put his side ahead.
They added another six minutes before half-time through the lively Kiernan, who flicked the ball home following good work down the right by Harry Clifton. An incredible turnaround from Town after going behind early in the game.
Khan went close to making it 4-1, but his looping header was cleared off the line by an Argyle defender after Kiernan beat his man and produced an excellent ball to find his fellow attacker at the back post.
They weren’t to be denied again, though, as Glennon scored a fourth seven minutes into injury time to put the Mariners in firm control at half-time.
They started the second half on top once again and Luke Waterfall went close to put his side out of sight, but his header from a deep corner into the box was cleared off the line.
It wasn’t long before the fifth goal did arrive, with Kiernan grabbing his second of the afternoon after Clifton’s superb ball found Efete, who found the attacker and he finished the move off in some style on 58 minutes.
Substitute Morgan Whittaker almost pulled one back for Argyle, but two efforts from him were blocked well by Town defenders.
Kiernan went close to completing his hat-trick with just over 15 minutes left to play, with his shot going just wide after checking inside off the left.
There were no further chances of note towards the end of the game and Town cruised home to record a comfortable victory and ensure they will be in the draw for the second round of the FA Cup.
