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Grimsby Town 2 Harriers 4   FA Cup 4th qualifying rd

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Date: 20-10-12gif Venue: Blundell Parkgif att: 2092gif away fans: 81
Harriers storm past Grimsby and into the next round

gif Report by Philip Lench
The Harriers forced their way into the next round of the FA Cup today when fourth from top met fourth from bottom and turned the tables completely on its head.  Grimsby were fully expected to continue their excellent League form and complete a routine win over struggling Harriers but, with fears about the bad draw for us in the first place put to one side, the Reds stormed into an early 3-0 lead and never looked back.

With just one enforced change to the side from recent outings, Kyle Storer in for his first start in five weeks due to the non permission of Adam Watkins availability, and a lengthened bench to accommodate all seven substitutes the Harriers kicked off at windy Blundell Park.

Town could have taken the lead in just the first minute when Dayle Southwell side-footed his chance weakly at Nathan Vaughan in the Harriers goal.  It was a mistake he would live to regret fifteen minutes later.

Within nine more minutes the scoring was opened in the Harriers favour with a well taken goal from Anthony Malbon.  The Harriers forced a corner that was taken short to Lee Vaughan who then, in one sweeping move, played the ball in for Malbon at the far post to fire the ball beyond the reach of the Mariners keeper.  Nathan Pond tried his best to stop the ball going in but failed.

Six minutes later and the Harriers lead was doubled, much to the delight of the eighty one visiting fans.  Another corner, this time from Storer but direct, was again sent towards the far post to be met by the waiting head of Cheyenne Dunkley to power in his second goal of the season.

It couldn't get any better could it? 2-0 up, away from home, in the FA Cup but it did and this time the goal didn't come from a corner.  It came from the spot.

Pond bought Malbon crashing down in the box and for a while it looked to be game over for the young Harriers striker.  Following treatment he was passed ok, Pond was booked and Lee Vaughan stepped up to dispatch the ball into the bottom corner of the net beyond the reach of James McKeown in the Town goal.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

We could either go for the fishy throat and net a few more goals against a very suspect side or pull our nets in and call it a day.  We seemed to do the latter and sat back to await the fleet coming in.

Three minutes after the penalty Grimsby had pulled their first goal back.  Sam Hatton played Derek Niven in and, from just inside the area, he struck a sweet half volley that bulged the top of Nathan Vaughans net.  The Harriers were now forced onto the back foot as wave of Town attacks followed wave after wave.

Their second goal came just before the break following a strange decision by the referee when Josh Gowling went down with a possible injury. Gowling motioned to the ref that he was ok so the ref awarded Grimsby a free kick that was played out for a corner and followed up with Scott Neilson swooping in and score via the post.
  HT: 2 - 3
The second half started with the Reds again facing an onslaught with Frankie Artus, Andy Thanoj and Neilson all testing Nathan Vaughan in the Harriers goal within the opening five minutes of the half.  The Harriers manager, Steve Burr, had to make changes to combat this renewed confidence for the hosts and on the hour made some telling changes.

Marvin Johnson replaced a lack lustre Ryan Rowe while Mike Williams came on in place of Mickey Demetriou in an effort to tighten up the left side of the field and stop Towns forays against the young defender.  Within seconds Johnson had showed his worth with a volley that went well over McKeowns bar.

Town still continued in peppering the Harriers goalmouth with shots while the Harriers fans just hoped that one didn't actually get in.  A draw would still have been an acceptable result, with a replay at Aggborough on Tuesday, but to have that 3-0 lead taken away from us would be too much to bear.  We had to fight harder to keep them out.

Thanoj hit a shot over the bar from thirty yards out before Joe Colbeck won a corner on the right.  The lofted effort was met by Derek Niven but his header was deflected out only to be followed by another corner that was met by Elding but then tipped over the bar by Vaughan.

We were getting chances of our own but nervous finishing was stopping us from converting our hard won build up.  Marv Johnson fed in Malbon but he couldn't control the ball at the far post and missed his shot completely.  Josh Gowling flashed a shot wide before another chance was wasted by Johnson who's shot went well wide from twenty yards out.

Nathan Blissett also fired just wide and then Gowling pulled the ball back for Malbon who in turn found Lee Vaughan, who forced McKeown to dive to his left and pus his shot away to safety.  With just a few minutes left Grimsby almost grabbed the equaliser but then it all got reversed and their Cup dreams were over for another year.

Following more successive corners for the home side, and the clock ticking down, McKeown took it on himself to go up as a makeshift striker.  Panic ensued as Vaughan scrambled to reach the incoming corner and the ball fell to a Harriers man to clear the ball towards the halfway line and the waiting Marvin Johnson.  Calmly Marvin collected the ball and advanced upon the empty net, much to the mirth and delight of the Harriers faithful and to the astonishment of the exiting fishy folk.

The ball rolled into the empty net.

The Harriers were through.

  FT: 2 - 4

 Goals for Grimsby Town: Niven 20, Neilson 41.
 Goals for Harriers: Malbon 9, Dunkley 15, L Vaughan (pen) 17, Johnson 90.



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Latest table and stats here  

Grimsby Town  goals   subs   cards      Harriers  goals   subs   cards 
McKeown     N Vaughan  
Hatton     L Vaughan gif  
Wood     Demetriou gif  
Niven gif     Gowling
Thanoj     Dunkley gif  
Miller     Briggs
Colbeck     Storer  
Southwell gif     Vincent  
Elding gif     Blissett gif  
Pond   Rowe gif  
Neilson gif     Malbon gif
SUBS:         SUBS:      
Fleming     Lewis  
Disley gif gif     Williams gif  
Artus gif     Guinan  
Cook gif     Gittings  
Ford     Johnson gif gif  
G Pearson     Peniket gif  
Morrell     Pilkington  

REFEREE:
Mr D Handley
Manchester





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