Town: Dan Codman (5), Keigan Parker (10, 38), Phil Jevons (16)
Grimsby: Peter Bore (28, 31)
Town's second string maintained their unbeaten record in the totesport.com League this season with a win over Grimsby Town at the Welfare Ground courtesy of an action-packed first half. A brace from Keigan Parker (pictured), along with goals from Phil Jevons and Dan Codman, gave the Terriers the best of a six goal first half and the manner in which Town controlled the game after the interval must have impressed the watching Lee Clark.
Town started the game in a 4-4-2 formation, with 'keeper Glennon protected by a back four of Killock, Unsworth, skipper Lucketti and Tom Clarke at right back. Kamara and Codman occupied the right and left wings respectively with Worthington partnering Academy scholar Nightingale in central midfield. Parker partnered Jevons in attack.
A misplaced back-pass from Unsworth gifted the visiting Mariners a corner and put Town under some early pressure, but a speedy turn and cross on the dead-ball line from Parker on the stroke of two minutes saw the ball narrowly evade Jevons at the near post; if the striker had made any significant contact, it would have been a certain goal.
Jevons had another good chance two minutes later - a pass down the right touchline from Kamara picked out Jon Worthington's run and his low cross was turned onto the post by the former Everton trainee.
GOAL - The Terriers did cap their impressive start with a goal in the 5th minute from left winger Danny Codman. The tall first year professional made a good run into the box off the flank and was rewarded when Parker picked him out perfectly with a right wing cross, leaving the Academy graduate with the simple task of heading powerfully past the stricken goalkeeper.
Matt Glennon had to be alert a minute later to smother the ball at the feet of Grimsby's Peter Bore after the striker broke the Town offside trap to latch onto a through pass.
Gerry Murphy's side continued to boss the game following the opening goal and doubled their advantage in the 10th minute.
GOAL - Town's second goal started with a good piece of play from Jon Worthington in midfield - he robbed the ball off a Grimsby defender just inside the Mariners' half before sliding a clever reverse pass to Keigan Parker, who easily outpaced the last defender before slotting comprehensively past the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the goal.
Grimsby mustered a half chance in the 14th minute when Normington's free kick flashed across the face of Matt Glennon's goal, but another Parker cross in the next minute caused mayhem in the opposition penalty area before eventually being cleared to safety.
BOOKING - Grimsby defender Curtis Ujah was rightly booked in the 16th minute after a cynical challenge on Keigan Parker on the edge of the box, having been turned by the speedy forward.
GOAL - Former Grimsby man Phil Jevons stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and sent a tremendous effort bending past goalkeeper Leigh Overton's left hand to make it 3-0 to Town.
Town were all over their visitors and it took a good last ditch block from Ujah to deny Jevons an immediate second a minute later after he smashed a volley towards goal from 25 yards out.
Grimsby's Danny North volleyed right-back Wood's cross straight at Matt Glennon in the 20th minute in a rare away attack and Shane Killock pulled off a tremendous last ditch tackle to deny the same player a simple tap-in two minutes later after right winger Taylor broke the Town offside trap and pulled the ball back into the area.
GOAL - The pace of the game became less frenetic on the 25 minute mark and the away side finally got a foothold in the game, scoring their first goal in the 29th minute through Peter Bore. A clever ball inside Danny Codman sent right winger Taylor clear and striker Peter Bore slid in to knock his low ball into the goal, despite a last ditch effort to keep the ball out from Clarke.
GOAL - The Mariners were then gifted a second two minutes later when miscommunication between Clarke and Glennon allowed Peter Bore to steal in and pass the ball into an unguarded net.
The quick-fire nature of Bore's brace seemed to leave Town shell-shocked and a few passes started to go astray, but the Terriers soon restored their two-goal advantage.
GOAL - Town's fourth goal of an amazing first-half came in the 38th minute through Keigan Parker. The Scottish striker started the move, winning the ball from the Grimsby right-back on halfway before releasing strike partner Jevons free down the left with a good pass. 'Jevo' advanced before cutting inside and squaring the ball across the edge of the box to Parker, who smashed the ball into the top left corner - leaving the 'keeper with no chance.
Tom Clarke produced a great block to deny winger Thompson a clear shot at goal in the 43rd minute and Town went into the interval with a two goal advantage.
HALF-TIME: TOWN RESERVES 4 GRIMSBY TOWN 2
SUB - Winger Danny Codman picked up a foot injury in the closing minutes of the first-half and was replaced by Dave Heagney during the interval.
The lively Jevons had the first effort of the half in the 47th minute after a smart turn on the edge of the box, but his shot went wide of the 'keeper's right-hand post.
Smart interplay between Kamara and Parker around the Grimsby penalty area presented the onrushing Worthington with a shooting chance in the 50th minute, but the midfielder sent his right-footed effort over the crossbar.
SUB - The impressive Parker was withdrawn in the 59th minute, with Liam Ridehalgh replacing him. This change saw the sub play on the left wing, with Academy man Heagney moving to his natural striking position.
The Terriers had all the possession in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half but the constant flow of chances seen in the first-half had seeming dried up. Grimsby could only muster a weak long range effort from Andy Taylor in the 63rd minute.
BOOKING - Town skipper Chris Lucketti was booked in the 66th minute after an innocuous challenge on Craig Parker, but the yellow card was probably for an accumulation of free-kicks awarded against him.
Heagney scuffed a 25-yard shot wide of goal with several teammates looking for a pass on the stroke of the 69th minute. Three minutes later a left footed strike from Jon Worthington was similarly wide.
SUB - Grimsby made a double change in the 73rd minute; North and Thompson were replaced by Dixon and Freeman.
SUB - Town replaced Phil Jevons with Jack Hunt at the same time, with Kamara pushing forward into attack.
Substitute Dixon hit a snapshot straight at Matt Glennon in the 76th minute.
Clarke nodded a deep Unsworth free-kick wide of the far post in the 80th minute.
SUB - Liam Davis replaced Peter Bore in Grimsby's final change in the 81st minute.
Heagney did very well to hold off big centre-back Ujah in the 87th minute before turning the ball to the right wing, where Kamara whipped in a great curling cross; left winger Ridehalgh won the header and looked to have scored, but 'keeper Overton pulled off a flying save to tip the ball around the post.
In the last meaningful action of the game, Dave Unsworth hit a long range free-kick straight at the custodian.
FULL-TIME: TOWN RESERVES 4 GRIMSBY TOWN 2
Town Reserves:
Matt Glennon, Tom Clarke, Shane Killock, Jon Worthington, David Unsworth, Chris Lucketti (c), Dan Codman (David Heagney 46), Lewis Nightingale, Phil Jevons (Jack Hunt 73), Keigan Parker (Liam Ridehalgh 59), Malvin Kamara
Unused Substitutes: Damian Eastham, Leigh Franks
Booking: Chris Lucketti (66)
Grimsby Town:
Leigh Overton, Bradley Wood, Craig Parker, Grant Normington, Curtis Ujah, Matthew Bird (c), Andy Taylor, Danny Brittle, Danny North (Nathan Dixon 73), Peter Bore (Liam Davis 81), Keil Thompson (Danny Freeman 73)
Unused Substitutes: Mark Gray, Sam Woods
Booking: Curtis Ujah (16)
Attendance: 155
