Grimsby Town 2 - 0 Coventry City

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Sky Blues claim first league away win since October



Coventry City ended their long wait for an away win in the league after claiming a hard-earned 0-2 victory at Grimsby Town.

Second-half goals from Marc McNulty and Jack Grimmer were enough to hand City a valuable three points at Blundell Park, their first win on the road since victory over Port Vale in October 2016.

The result keeps the Sky Blues perched on top of the League Two table after recording two consecutive wins in their opening couple of games, scoring five and yet to concede.

Mark Robins made one change to the side that beat Notts County on the opening day, as Jordan Willis returned from injury to take his place at the heart of the defence instead of Dominic Hyam, while there were places on the bench for new signing Tony Andreu and striker Duckens Nazon.

The game started at a frantic tempo with opposing manager, and former Sky Blues boss Russell Slade, goaded by the travelling supporters from the get go.

Grimsby went close to taking the lead in the 16th minute after Sam Jones drilled an effort across the face of goal, narrowly missing Liam O'Brien's far post.

McNulty then had a chance of his own when Jodi Jones's free-kick rebounded off the wall into the Scotsman's path, but the City number 10 volleyed wide.

The match reached half time with nothing to separate the sides, but Slade fumed at the referee as the pair walked off at the interval, in frustration at a number of decisions that he felt had gone against his team.

The second-half, much like the first, began at a canter and both sides had their chances to get in front.

Grimsby's Harry Cardwell received the ball in the box, just to the right of goal, before shooting, but his effort was cut out by the alert Jack Grimmer.

McNulty grabbed the opening goal of the game in controversial circumstances just after the hour mark, after latching on to a short-back pass from Mariners defender Nathan Clarke following a free-kick.

The Sky Blues forward raced on to the loose pass before rounding the keeper, James McKeown, and knocking the ball into an empty net.

Grimmer then doubled City's advantage 13 minutes later after getting on the end of a corner and flicking a near-post header into the far corner of McKeown's goal.

To compound Grimsby's misery even further, James Berrett was sent off for a second bookable offence after a nasty tackle on Liam Kelly.

City were deserved winners in the end and move on to Newport County next week, looking to make it three consecutive league wins on the bounce.

Attendance: 6,767 (1,357 City fans)