Match ends, Grimsby Town 0, Cheltenham Town 1.
Grimsby Town 0-1 Cheltenham Town
- From the section Football
Cheltenham Town moved to the top of the National League table with victory at fellow promotion hopefuls Grimsby Town.
Defender Aaron Downes scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half when he fired into the top corner following Jack Munns' corner.
Grimsby dominated a goalless first half with joint top scorer Padraig Amond spurning three chances.
Nathan Arnold also shot wide from 25 yards as the Mariners' 12-match unbeaten run finally came to an end.
Cheltenham are two points clear of second-placed Forest Green Rovers, while Grimsby remain in fourth.
Cheltenham Town boss Gary Johnson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:
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"We didn't show enough intent in the first half and I was really disappointed at half-time.
"I had to tell four or five players that their mums weren't going to be proud of them, and they needed to show a lot more ambition and intent to go and score a goal.
"Once I told them that, it lit the blue touch paper, we got going and we made some fireworks.
"Downesy popped up with a great goal in the corner - he took it like he does it every day, but he doesn't!"
Line-ups
Grimsby
- 1McKeown
- 2TaitSubstituted forMarshallat 70'minutes
- 5Pearson
- 16ClaySubstituted forBrownat 79'minutes
- 26Townsend
- 22Nsiala
- 8DisleyBooked at 55mins
- 20Arnold
- 23East
- 9BogleSubstituted forPittmanat 72'minutes
- 10Amond
Substitutes
- 4Brown
- 6Gowling
- 7Mackreth
- 14Marshall
- 18Pittman
Cheltenham
- 1Phillips
- 7Pell
- 2BarthramSubstituted forVaughanat 87'minutes
- 5Downes
- 24Dickie
- 9Wright
- 11MunnsSubstituted forDaytonat 90+1'minutes
- 4Storer
- 6Parslow
- 8Waters
- 3McLennan
Substitutes
- 14Hall
- 18Rowe
- 19Vaughan
- 25Lovett
- 27Dayton
- Referee:
- John Brooks
- Attendance:
- 5,218
Match Stats
Home TeamGrimsbyAway TeamCheltenham
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away5
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Grimsby Town 0, Cheltenham Town 1.
Foul by Marcus Marshall (Grimsby Town).
Kyle Storer (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. James Dayton replaces Jack Munns.
Attempt saved. Craig Disley (Grimsby Town) header from the centre of the box is saved.
Substitution
Substitution, Cheltenham Town. Lee Vaughan replaces Jack Barthram.
Corner, Cheltenham Town.
Attempt missed. Craig Disley (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.
Corner, Grimsby Town.
Corner, Grimsby Town.
Foul by Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town).
Conor Townsend (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Foul by Padraig Amond (Grimsby Town).
Danny Parslow (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Scott Brown replaces Craig Clay.
Substitution
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Jon-Paul Pittman replaces Omar Bogle.
Foul by Jack Barthram (Cheltenham Town).
Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Marcus Marshall replaces Richard Tait.
Goal!
Goal! Grimsby Town 0, Cheltenham Town 1. Aaron Downes (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
Corner, Cheltenham Town.
Attempt blocked. Billy Waters (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Daniel Wright (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Daniel Wright (Cheltenham Town).
Shaun Pearson (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Attempt saved. Jack Munns (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Hand ball by Aristote Nsiala (Grimsby Town).
Foul by Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town).
Shaun Pearson (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Corner, Grimsby Town.
Attempt saved. Conor Townsend (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Foul by Aaron Downes (Cheltenham Town).
Padraig Amond (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Attempt missed. Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Offside, Grimsby Town. Omar Bogle tries a through ball, but Omar Bogle is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Jack Barthram (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Booking
Craig Disley (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Craig Disley (Grimsby Town).
Harry Pell (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick.