Superb Harriers sink Mariners to make FA Cup progress (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Superb Harriers sink Mariners to make FA Cup progress

5:07pm Saturday 20th October 2012 in News

Grimsby 2,  Harriers 4

SUPERB Harriers ended their FA Cup curse with an impressive win at Grimsby Town on Saturday.

Goals for Anthony Malbon, Lee Vaughan and Chey Dunkley had powered Steve Burr's side into a 3-0 lead early on.

But Grimsby hit back through Derek Niven and Scott Nielson in a blistering first half.

Harriers then weathered the storm in the second period before substitute Marvin Johnson settled the game in injury time to seal Burr's first FA Cup win in charge of the Reds.

Three goals in the space of 17 minutes saw Harriers power into a healthy lead as Grimsby's weakness at set pieces was exposed.

Malbon opened the scoring in the ninth minute. The striker controlled a fine cross from Lee Vaughan before slotting home from 15 yards out.

Harriers were on top and forced a series of corners and defender Dunkley thumped a header in at the far post from Kyle Storer's delivery in the 15th minute.

Vaughan put the away side in dreamland and took them a big step towards a place in the first round of the cup when he rifled home a spot-kick after Malbon was clumsily felled by Nathan Pond.

But Grimsby grabbed a lifeline in the 20th minute and midfielder Niven fired home from 20 yards.

Harriers still looked capable of adding more goals as the home team poured forward.

Niven flashed a shot wide as the Mariners tried to apply the pressure on keeper Nathan Vaughan.

Nielson ensured a nervy second half for the away side when his shot from a corner took a wicked deflection and flew into the back of the net in the 45th minute.

The home side came out determined to level the scores after the break and substitute Frankie Artus and Anthony Elding were inches away from a dangerous cross from by Nielson.

Andy Thanoj then flashed a shot just wide.

Harriers were under pressure and the impressive Nielson saw an ambitious flicked effort with his back to goal nestle on top of the net.

Joe Colbeck also steered a 20 yard shot just wide.

Burr made a double change on the hour mark, taking off Ryan Rowe and Mickey Demetriou for Johnson and Mike Williams in order to stiffen up the back line and inject some pace into Harriers.

The changes allowed them to get a foothold in the game and push the marauding Mariners back.

Defender Josh Gowling flashed a shot off target and James Vincent came close with a well hit effort from the edge of the box.

Defender Lee Vaughan then stung the palms of keeper James McKeown after a clever back heel by Malbon.

Grimsby were still searching and the dangerous Nielson drove forward only to smash his fierce effort a fraction off target.

But the home side pushed forward and forced two injury time corners.

From the second Harriers broke away and Johnson fired the ball into the back of an empty net because McKeown was the other end of the pitch.

Harriers: N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Demetriou (Williams, 60), Storer, Vincent, Rowe (Johnson, 60), Malbon, Blissett (Peniket 79), Briggs, Dunkley, Gowling.

Unused subs: Lewis, Pilkington, Gittings, Guinan.P

Grimsby: McKeown, Hatton, Niven, Miller, Colbeck, Elding (Cook, 79),  Wood, Southwell (Disley, 21 (Artus, 40), Thanoj, Pond, Nielson.

Unused subs:  Fleming, Ford, Pearson, Morrell.

Referee: D Handley. Attendance: 2,092 (80)