MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

A second half comeback from Grimsby Town saw the Shrimps leave Blundell Park empty handed.

Adam Mayor opened the scoring after a minute and Derek Adams’ men led at the break before two quick fire goals from Danny Rose and Kieran Green was rounded off by Rekeil Pyke on 59 minutes.

An excellent start for the Shrimps saw Michael Mellon win possession after a loose Grimsby header, he played it to JJ McKiernan who released Mayor through one-on-one, he bore down on goal and calmly slotted into the bottom left corner. 

Looking for an almost instant response, Kieran Green met a cross into the mix with a glancing header, though he could only watch as the ball rolled wide of the far post. 

The Shrimps came close to a second on 13 minutes when Jordan Slew looked to play Mayor through once more; this time, Harvey Cartwright was quick off his line to smother the danger and deny Mayor a second.

A huge opportunity for the hosts went begging on 19 minutes as Gavan Holohan found space in the box and delivered a first time shot on goal, but it was well over. Moments later, Smith was called into action to palm behind a curling effort from Otis Khan.

Smith again was busy after denying Khan with his feet, the ball bounced back off the post into Khan once more whose second effort was held by the Shrimps’ shot-stopper.

With half-time edging closer, Holohan won a header in the box following Jamie Andrews’ delivery, but it was a comfortable save for Smith.

Half-time: Grimsby Town 0 Morecambe 1

The home side nearly started the second half as quickly as the Shrimps started the first; Anthony Glennon ran at the Morecambe defence before Danny Rose took the ball off his teammate and struck first time, Smith pulled out a full stretch save to deny him.

A minute later, Rose did manage to equalise. The corner was swung in, the ball wasn’t cleared and Rose was in the right place at the right time to prod home a leveller.

The Mariners took the lead on 49 minutes through Green who reacted quickest to Rose’s header down and converted from close range. 

A few minutes before the hour mark, Slew produced a rocket of an effort from distance, the power was there, but the placement wasn’t as the ball sailed well over the crossbar. 

Just as the Shrimps searched for an equaliser, the hosts went down the other went and netted their third of the afternoon through Pyke, who latched onto a through ball from Glennon and finished coolly beyond Smith.

An incredible piece of goalkeeping on 63 minutes denied Grimsby a fourth. The ball fell to Pyke who managed to turn and shoot at goal, but Smith made himself big to keep the ball out. 

It was then Cartwright’s turn for heroics; after a calamitous attempted defensive clearance, the ball fell to Slew at the edge of the box whose shot looked destined for the bottom-left corner, but the Grimsby number one managed to deny him at full stretch.

With four minutes of normal time to play, the Shrimps managed to pull one back through McKiernan, who bundled the ball home after meeting Slew’s excellent cross from the right.

In the first of six added minutes at the end of the 90, Eli King received the ball at the left-hand side of the opposition box, he struck at goal but the legs of Cartwright did enough to keep the ball out.

Substitute Ethan Walker picked up the ball on the edge of the box, he twisted and turned away from danger before pulling the trigger, though the ball flew wide of Cartwright’s left-hand post.

Full-time: Grimsby Town 3 Morecambe 2