Green's late goal seals safe route into fourth round

SEASIDERS PROVE GRITTY COMPETITION FOR GRIMSBY

- By SAM ALLEN

Charles Vernam opens the scoring Anna Gowthorpe/ Shutterstock

GRIMSBY Town survived a back-and-forth battle with a plucky Weston-Super-Mare side to win 3-2 at Blundell Park and progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Kieran Green's 86th-minute header secured victory for the Mariners after Charles Vernam and Jaze Kabia's earlier goals had been cancelled out, with the visitors' club-record run in the competition coming to an end despite their best efforts.

David Artell made six changes to the starting lineup from the New Year's Day victory away at Fleetwood Town, with Sam Lavelle, Tyrell Warren, Reece Staunton, George McEachran, Jamie Walker and Darragh Burns coming in.

Evan Khouri was given the rare opportunity to skipper the side, with Jackson Smith continuing in goal following confirmation of his loan move until the end of the season from Barnsley in the week.

Town's other January signing to date, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, was on the bench, coming on for his Mariners debut late on after signing on loan from Hull City on Friday.

Town had their first attempt at goal in the fifth minute as they worked it nicely down the right side, with Warren breaking forward from right-back to slide in Burns, who fired just wide of the near post.