Lincoln City slumped to a challenging friendly defeat, going down by five goals to one at Blundell Park this evening.
The Imps had two starting XIs, with Wickens, Darikwa, Reach, Jackson, Towler, Hackett, McGrandles, Street, Hamer, Draper and Inyama starting the game in a 3-5-2 formation.
The home side featured a handful of familiar faces. Charles Vernam is a former Imp, while Christy Pym is a throwback to our League Two days. Jaze Kabia, son of former Lincoln City striker Jason Kabia, started the game among the subs for David Artell’s outfit.
The first effort of the evening came on 12 minutes, when Adam Reach sent a ball over the top and into the Pontoon Stand, but it was a rare first-half foray forward for City.
Five minutes later, Ryley Towler mistimed a challenge on Justin Amaluzor, giving Grimsby a free kick. Charles Vernam took it, but his delivery sailed over everyone.
Grimsby opened the scoring on 21 minutes. Jamie Walker struck from the edge of the area, with the ball appearing to take a slight deflection before beating George Wickens to his left.
Kieran Green then drove an effort wide from range as the hosts looked for a second, which arrived a minute later. Vernam tried his luck with a speculative shot through a crowd of players, and the ball found its way into the net to make it 2-0.
Lincoln were forced into more defensive work on 29 minutes, with Reach getting back to clear close to the line after Walker had sent a ball across goal. Grimsby looked slick and organised, while City struggled to get a foothold in the game.
The Imps should have pulled one back on the hour mark. A free-kick routine involving Reach ended with a whipped cross reaching Adam Jackson, but the defender headed wide.
Amaluzor was next to test Wickens on 33 minutes, although the Lincoln goalkeeper held his effort. In a game that picked up pace, Reeco Hackett turned the full-back after receiving the ball in the channel, but his low shot was saved by Christy Pym. The hosts were defending resolutely, with Albanian Maldini Kacurri catching the eye.
Grimsby added a third on 39 minutes. A simple pass found Amaluzor on the edge of the area, and he finished to make it 3-0, which was probably not an entirely fair reflection of the first half. However, the early summer heat certainly affected the visitors more, and the hosts gave their supporters plenty to cheer before the break.
For the second period, Joe Gauci was set for his first start after joining from Aston Villa, with Elerewe, Parks, Bradley, Honohan, Moylan, Thorn, Jefferies, Elder, and Varfolomeev the regular faces. Matt Smith, a trialist from Wigan, also made the side, while Jamie Pardington and Kian Sagoo were on the bench.
City created the first opening of the second half on 53 minutes. Calum Elder delivered a free kick towards the back post, where Josh Honohan met it, but Grimsby made a crucial block.
Four minutes later, Lincoln won a corner which Ivan Varfolomeev almost turned into the net. Another chance followed on 61 minutes when a long throw dropped to Jack Moylan, although his effort went badly wide. Dom Jefferies was caught offside again two minutes later, with assistant referee Wayne Grunnill kept busy by the number of flags raised during the evening.
City pulled one back on 68 minutes. Matt Smith played an excellent ball through to Oscar Thorn, whose shot was saved, but Lincoln kept the attack alive and Jefferies turned sharply inside the area before firing past Christy Pym, but it was a nothing but a consolation.
Jaze Kabia was introduced for Grimsby on 77 minutes and was immediately fouled by Honohan on the edge of the area. The resulting free kick struck Charlie Parks and was blocked, but Grimsby had found the ascendancy once again.
They restored their three-goal advantage on 81 minutes. Sonny Bradley’s backpass was short of Joe Gauci, who tried to beat Andy Cook but was dispossessed, leaving the striker to score. The same player then added a fifth from a deep cross to compound the Imps’ misery.
The attendance was 3,262, including 538 travelling Lincoln supporters, with some of the away fans beginning to leave after the fourth goal. The home fans certainly stayed, cheering every pass as City looked every inch a beaten side. There were shades of Boston in 2021, when we were beaten 5-0, and while pre-season means little, losing 5-1 to Grimsby is still a tough pill to swallow for the travelling supporters.
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