12 hours ago
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The magic of the FA Cup in Cleethorpes, ultimately, was limited to a good old-fashioned away following of about 571 hardy yet boisterous souls from Weston-super-Mare.
The Seagull Army twice wildly celebrated second-half equalisers through Luke Coulson and their predatory striker Louis Britton before Grimsby substitute Kieran Green’s looping header settled the match and ended Weston’s stirring six-game run in the competition.
That felt cruel on Scott Rogers’ part-time National League South outfit, but there was no shame in defeat and their attention will turn back to winning promotion from English football’s sixth tier.
The team from the seaside town in Somerset had never previously reached the FA Cup third round in their 139-year existence so this 500-mile round trip to Lincolnshire marked the biggest match in the club’s history.
There was a certain romance to that for a side featuring a painter and decorator, supermarket project manager, teaching assistant, university lecturer, builder, physiotherapist and car salesman.
For Grimsby, however, there is a place in the fourth round of this famous old competition, and that will have the locals dreaming of another giantkilling ahead of Monday’s draw.
Having memorably dumped Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup on penalties in the second-round stage at Blundell Park, Dave Artell’s men won 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday before being beaten 5-0 at home by Brentford.
The Carabao Cup will never compare to the FA Cup but reaching the fourth round of the former competition for the first time in 24 years put a football club and a town back on the map.
That raw fervour, that unifying sense of togetherness which an unexpected cup run creates, remains one of the most magical sights and sounds in the English game.
Grimsby and Weston could both testify to that, with the visitors having arrived here as the joint lowest-ranked team left in the competition with National League North side Macclesfield.
They train just twice a week, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays and despite falling just short, Weston’s Cup run has generated about £150,000 for a club with a mid-table budget for their division.
Hordes of Weston supporters made their way through the cramped terraced streets to Blundell Park before kick-off, the 5.45pm start merely allowing a few more drinks to slip down willing throats.
They Seagull Army made their presence felt and why not? This was the biggest day in the club’s history and around 600 fans had made their way to north-east Lincolnshire.
Thirty-eight league places separate these sides but the Seagulls were not fazed in the slightest as they sought to conjure a huge upset.
On a bitterly cold evening, both sides soon warmed to their task and, while Grimsby generally enjoyed the upper hand, Weston fashioned chances of their own.
The collective desire that has carried the Somerset this far was clear to see but Weston goalkeeper Max Harris was required to push Tyrell Warren’s low shot around the post for a corner in the opening exchanges.
Weston steadied, though, and despite Grimsby enjoying the lion’s share of possession, the visitors threatened fleetingly.
Charlie Cummings showed neat skill to outfox a home defender before his dipping cross-shot narrowly evaded Jackson Smith’s goal.
Weston captain Emlyn Lewis, a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University, was forced to make a vital interception to quell a home attack.
But four minutes before the break, Charles Vernam collected possession from a short corner and fired a superb dipping shot over Harris.
Goodness knows what Rogers said to his men at half-time but they came out with a renewed belief and were soon level when Coulson’s 25-yard free-kick took a huge deflection and flew into the net.
Chances began to proliferate at both ends and Grimsby restored their advantage when substitute Jaze Kabia’s effort beat Harris after good work by Cameron McJannet.
Still Weston were not finished and, when a free-kick dropped across the face of Grimsby’s goal in the 77th minute, the predatory Britton was there to fire home right-footed from six yards.
It was his sixth FA Cup goal this season but, with just four minutes remaining, a corner came in and Green’s astute header sailed into Weston’s net, breaking the hearts of Rogers, his players and their supporters.
