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The FA Cup - Fourth Round - Replay
GrimsbyGrimsby Town3LutonLuton Town0

Grimsby Town 3-0 Luton Town: League Two side shock Championship high-fliers in replay

Grimsby Town stunned Championship high-fliers Luton to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1996.

Harry Clifton, whose equaliser at Kenilworth Road earned the replay, gave the League Two side an early lead with a powerful strike.

Danilo Orsi's half-volley doubled the lead before a Danny Amos free-kick put the Mariners 3-0 up at half-time.

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe then made a string of saves to secure a trip to Southampton on Wednesday, 1 March.

Despite 60 places separating the sides, the Mariners had already knocked out League One sides in this season's cup run, including a 5-1 demolition of promotion-chasing Plymouth Argyle.

Grimsby are currently 16th in League Two, nine points off both the drop zone and the play-off places, but will line up in the last 16 against Premier League opposition as the lowest-ranked team.

Luton boss Rob Edwards made six changes from the starting XI which beat Stoke to go fourth in the Championship on Saturday, but five of that side were named on the bench.

They looked in need of a rescue act after just nine minutes, however, when Orsi burst into the box and teed up Clifton whose left-footed strike beat Hatters goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.

Grimsby Town last reached the fifth round in 1996 when they lost to Chelsea after a replay
Grimsby Town last reached the fifth round in 1996 when they lost to Chelsea after a replay

Clifton then turned provider, flicking on a throw-in to Orsi whose half-volley found the bottom corner, and an upset looked odds-on when Amos whipped a left-footed free-kick in off the post.

It capped a nightmare first half for the visitors who were firmly second-best and created just one decent chance, at 2-0, when Elijah Adebayo's header, following Gabriel Osho's run, was kept out by Crocombe's fine save.

After a double-change from Luton at half-time, Crocombe somehow kept out Cauley Woodrow's point-blank header early in the second half, and Edwards made two more attacking substitutions before the hour in an attempt to spark a comeback.

Crocombe got down well to his left to stop Luke Berry's drilled shot and then denied Carlton Morris as substitute Alfie Doughty and Woodrow caused problems.

But the resilient Mariners managed the game well, and as the visitors' threat began to fizzle out, Bryn Morris almost made it 4-0, putting his back-post effort inches wide.

Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst told BBC Radio 5 Live:

"You wonder if your opportunity is gone after the first game even though we were at home today, but a fantastic effort from the players made it a special night for the football club as a whole.

"I genuinely didn't feel confident until the 89th minute, and then I thought surely we can't throw this away. I was happy when I saw three minutes going up.

"We knew a goal could have changed the complex of the game and the feeling in the stadium because they have some fantastic players, they are having a great season.

"It's important that we go there (Southampton) as players, as a club to enjoy the day, but also we have to give a good account of ourselves while we're doing that and try to be as competitive for as long as we can."

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"It was three very disappointing goals, two from a throw-in and a free-kick, areas that we spoke about in the first game and we certainly prepared for.

"They were very ruthless in front of goal from those moments - four shots on target and they scored three. Credit to them they deserved it and we didn't on the night.

"We knew what was coming and that was the most disappointing and infuriating thing.

"We spoke about competing, the basics, running the duels, that's what we always talk about before games, and they did that better than us in those moments."

Line-ups

Grimsby

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Crocombe
  • 26Smith
  • 6Waterfall
  • 31Maher
  • 2EfeteBooked at 80mins
  • 8Holohan
  • 17MorrisBooked at 33minsSubstituted forDriscoll-Glennonat 79'minutes
  • 4GreenSubstituted forHuntat 65'minutes
  • 22AmosBooked at 43mins
  • 15Clifton
  • 20OrsiSubstituted forEsselat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Driscoll-Glennon
  • 5Pearson
  • 13Battersby
  • 16Hunt
  • 30Khouri
  • 39Essel
  • 44Scannell

Luton

Formation 3-5-2

  • 34Horvath
  • 32Osho
  • 4Lockyer
  • 29BellSubstituted forClarkat 60'minutes
  • 28ThorpeSubstituted forDoughtyat 45'minutes
  • 22CampbellSubstituted forMorrisat 60'minutes
  • 20WatsonBooked at 43minsSubstituted forMpanzuat 45'minutes
  • 23OnyedinmaBooked at 90mins
  • 8Berry
  • 11Adebayo
  • 10Woodrow

Substitutes

  • 1Shea
  • 9Morris
  • 16Burke
  • 17Mpanzu
  • 18Clark
  • 27Pepple
  • 45Doughty
  • 47Piesold
  • 48Johnson
Referee:
Samuel Barrott
Attendance:
7,051

Match Stats

Home TeamGrimsbyAway TeamLuton
Possession
Home41%
Away59%
Shots
Home4
Away12
Shots on Target
Home3
Away5
Corners
Home1
Away8
Fouls
Home9
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Grimsby Town 3, Luton Town 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Grimsby Town 3, Luton Town 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Gabriel Osho (Luton Town) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.

  4. Booking

    Fred Onyedinma (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Fred Onyedinma (Luton Town).

  6. Post update

    Anthony Driscoll-Glennon (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Grimsby Town. Edwin Essel replaces Danilo Orsi.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town).

  10. Post update

    Anthony Driscoll-Glennon (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Booking

    Michee Efete (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  12. Post update

    Jordan Clark (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Michee Efete (Grimsby Town).

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Grimsby Town. Anthony Driscoll-Glennon replaces Bryn Morris.

  15. Post update

    Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Danilo Orsi.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Luke Waterfall.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Luke Berry (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  18. Post update

    Attempt missed. Bryn Morris (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jordan Clark (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

  20. Post update

    Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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