The weather was very warm (25 degrees) as the teams entered the Blundell Park turf for this SkyBet League Two encounter.

Both teams came into this game on the back of encouraging midweek results. The Mariners clawed back a two goal deficit to claim a point from a 2-2 draw with Colchester while Vale claimed their first three point haul of the season by beating Forest Green 2-1 at Vale Park extending their unbeaten league record.

Line Ups

Grimsby made just the one change from the midweek draw with midfielder Jordan Cook replacing defender Sebastian Ring as manager Michael Jolley went for a 4-3-3 formation as follows

1; McKeown (c)

22; Hewitt 6; Waterfall, 4; Davis 2; Hendrie

11; Cook, 8; Hessenthaller, 10; Whitehouse

20; Ogbu, 9; Hanson, 7; Green

Vale went for a 4-1-4-1 as they looked to continue their good form

1; Brown

3;Crookes, 5; Legge, 15; Smith, 2; Gibbons

4; Joyce

22; Lloyd, 10; Conlon, 19; Amoo, 7; Worrall

21; Bennett

The game got off to a dramatic start with a heavy, rather industrial challenge on Vale’s Conlan by Town defender Hewitt that earned the defender a rather fortunate yellow card rather than a more severe sanction, this after just 46 seconds. The first shot of any note came on five minutes when Vale’s Amoo shot tamely at McKeown who comfortably saved. The opening quarter of the game was untidy with a lot of physical challenges by defenders on both sides resulting in plenty of free kicks & the game had no real flow to it. What I found fascinating however was the battle between two of the game’s more experienced players namely James Hanson for the Mariners & Leon Legge for Vale, wholehearted commitment with no quarter given.

On 13 minutes however the visitors were a goal up. A “nothing” ball was put into the danger area wasn’t dealt with by the hesitant Mariners defence, Legges effort squeezed past McKeown off Elliott Whitehouse for a rather fortunate OG. Grimsby didn’t let the setback get them down & equalised 7 minutes later. Vale defender Nathan Smith was penalised for a high tackle on Mariners midfielder Jordan Cook right on the edge of the area & from the resultant free kick Ogbu touched the ball to Cook who drilled home a low effort for the leveller. Ogbu was high & wide with an effort from distance as was Vale wide man Worrall as the first period ended deservedly even with both sides giving their all in a full blooded encounter.

Half Time: Mariners 1 Vale 1

Grimsby replaced CB Harry Davis with youngster Matthew Pollock at the interval in a like for like substitution, I can only assume Davis got a first half injury.

The hosts gave a glimpse of what was to come as they tore into the Vale defence after the restart with Ogbu only just wide with a rasping effort from distance but the young Nigerian forward was to notch his first EFL goal on 51 minutes when he found space in the area to smash home Hanson’s headed pass to give the Mariners the lead for the first time. Six minutes later it was 3-1 as another Hanson assist with his head sent Matt Green racing through to beat Brown with a low effort. Strangely though Green was withdrawn just three minutes later for midfielder Harry Clifton, maybe Jolley wanted to go 4-4-2 for the last half hour to try & close the game out & this looked a bad idea almost immediately when following a free kick, Vale sub Mark Cullen found CB Smith with enough room to control the ball & fire past a bemused looking McKeown & his static back four, 3-2 & game on? Not a bit of it.

The hosts continued to press & man of the match Hessenthaler was only just too high with an effort from distance & soon after Hanson shot wastefully wide as the hosts continued to dominate. The two goal margin was restored on 80 minutes with the impressive Waterfall emphatically heading in Hewitt’s cross & Hanson finally got on the scoresheet himself on 87 minutes tapping in Ogbu’s cutback to round off an exciting second half display for the rampant Mariners.

Full Time: Mariners 5 Vale 2

Jolley seems to have recruited well in the summer & Grimsby’s squad looks far stronger this season. Hanson, Ogbu & Green as a three pronged strike force should strike fear into L2 defences however they still have room for improvement at the back despite the acquisition of the excellent Luke Waterfall. The squad is still a work in progress but the Mariners should have a far better season than the last two average campaigns.

Vale were as bad in the second half today than they were as good at Salford last weekend if that makes any sense. Inconsistancy. Until Salford’s 94th minute equaliser last weekend Vale’s defence never looked in any danger of conceding but in the second half today you could almost see the panic in those same defenders eyes as Grimsby looked like scoring virtually every time they crossed the half way line. No need to panic for John Askey & his team, one defeat in five is no disaster but some hard work on the training ground is to be done.

Loved my trip to Cleethorpes as I always do & a seven goal thriller was long overdue for this 0-0 specialist.

words Ian Bradley, D3D4 rovinf  repo