By Grimsby crash out of FA Trophy after Stockport thrashing
Grimsby Town went crashing out of the FA Trophy in the third round losing 4-0 to Stockport County after a Covid outbreak limited Hurst’s options.
A Will Collar double sunk The Mariners in a game which also saw deputising captain Lenell John-Lewis see red for an estranged elbow to the face of Ash Palmer in the second half.
The game was put in doubt on Thursday when Paul Hurst revealed that Grimsby had recorded “a number of” positive Covid cases.
It was a makeshift side which lined up for Grimsby, with the likes of Seb Revan and Sean Scannell making rare starts, and just three outfield players were named on the bench.
Stockport opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Sheffield Wednesday loanee Alex Hunt was caught in possession on the edge of his own box and Will Collar made him pay for his mistake as he slotted past Max Crocombe in goal.
Their lead was doubled on the eve of half time when Ryan Croosdale rolled the ball into the bottom corner after sustained pressure on the Grimsby goal.
Town started the second half brightly before any hopes of a comeback were diminished when Lenell John-Lewis saw red for an apparent elbow to the face to ex-Scunthorpe player Ash Palmer when challenging for a header.
Confusion ensued when the referee pulled out a straight red card as no Stockport players called for the card but there were few impassioned arguments as ‘The Shop’ trudged back for an early bath.
Palmer then came back to hurt the 10-men again when his bullet header at the edge of the box flew into the net.
He then provided the assist for the fourth when his header from a corner found Collar who bookended the scoresheet with his second of the day.
The result condemns Grimsby to a sixth successive away defeat and knocks them out of this year’s FA Trophy at the first time of asking.
The Covid situation made the game more difficult, but the 205 travelling fans still won’t have enjoyed such a convincing loss, even if there was a possibility the club would’ve withdrawn from the competition without kicking a ball.
Fellow National League side Chesterfield withdrew from the competition due to a Covid outbreak, as FA trophy rules state a postponed game must be played within five days of the original fixture.
