A DAYLE Southwell hat-trick secured Grimsby Town’s place in round two of the FA Trophy.
The Mariners were made to work hard for their victory over a Coalville Town side who play three divisions lower in the football pyramid.
But after a 1-1 draw in the initial tie and a goalless first half in this Blundell Park replay, Southwell’s strike on 65 minutes finally sent the hosts on their way towards the second round.
And when the striker doubled Grimsby’s advantage, that proved enough to break Coalville’s resistance once and for all and seal a trip to Barnet on December 14 before he added extra gloss to the scoreline with an added time third goal.
Town boss Paul Hurst made three changes to the XI that started the game in Leicestershire on Saturday, with youngsters Ellis Humble and Caine Winfarah joining Joe Colbeck as the three to come into the side.
James McKeown started in goal, with Paul Bignot, Chris Doig, Humble and Winfarrah forming the back four.
Colbeck, Andi Thanoj, Sam Hatton and Patrick McLaughlin were the midfielders, with Andy Cook and Southwell named as the strikers.
The Grimsby subs were Shaun Pearson, Scott Neilson, Ross Hannah, Paul Walker and Tom Charlesworth.
Coalville made just one change from the initial tie, with Kevin Charley coming in for Liam Kay in defence.
The visitors had the first shot of the evening when midfielder Lee Miveld tried his luck with a 25-yard drive that flew just wide of McKeown’s left-hand post.
Town then had a good chance to grab an early goal when good work by Winfarrah on the left led to Colbeck crossing. His ball was nodded back across goal by Southwell but Hatton could only head wide from eight yards.
The Mariners won the first corner of the game on 13 minutes and after playing a short ball, McLaughlin got it back and crossed for Southwell to loop a header off-target.
Coalville worked an opening two minutes later through Jordan Hempenstall but after he passed to Ben Saunders, the striker could not capitalise.
McLaughlin then sent a shot wide of visiting keeper Sean Bowles’ goal at the other end, before a Coalville corner quickly led to another one when defender Jamie McAteer had a shot deflected out at the far post.
An arrowing shot from Colbeck was deflected away for a Grimsby corner as the game began to warm up and this time, a low delivery led to Southwell having a side-footed shot blocked from 15 yards.
Another flag-kick on 22 minutes was headed clear by Danny Jenno as Doig looked to connect with McLaughlin’s ball.
Cook did well on the left to get into the penalty area soon afterwards but he could not find a team-mate when he pulled the ball back across goal.
Cook was involved again on 27 minutes when he switched play for Colbeck on the right but the winger’s cross was claimed by keeper Bowles.
A shot from Bignot was deflected away for a corner on the left on the half-hour and McAtweer headed it clear but Town worked the ball back for Hatton to curl a shot well over the bar from 20 yards.
Right-back Bignot was shown the first yellow card of the night for a foul on Callum Woodward, who was passed fit to play on after receiving treatment.
Anthony Carney went close to opening the scoring for the away side with a low effort from the edge of the box on 36 minutes but the ball rolled wide of the mark as McKeown dived full-length.
Coalville won a free kick on halfway for a foul by Humble on Hempenstall but the Evo-Stik league side could not make the most of it and the Town keeper was not called into action.
A good run by Southwell led to a shooting chance for Cook on 44 minutes but he could not hit the target with his effort from 25 yards.
One added minute was played at the end of the half and with no further chances for either side, the scores remained level at the break.
No changes were made before the restart and the visitors had the first chance of the second half when a looping cross from Woodward fell for Reece Lester in the box but he could not find the finish and Town escaped.
A Grimsby free kick on the left brought the home side’s first opportunity of the half but Cook could only head over the bar.
Another chance came when Thanoj played a ball through for Southwell and his shot was half-cleared before the ball was worked back for McLaughlin to hit an effort at Bowles.
Coalville could have gone ahead after a nice build-up involving Saunders and Hempenstall on the left. The latter found Charley inside the box but his shot drifted wide.
McLaughlin flashed a shot wide of Bowles’ goal, before the Mariners finally broke the deadlock when a good build-up down the right led to the ball coming across for SOUTHWELL at the far post, who controlled it and shot past Bowles.
The hosts could have doubled their lead when a deep cross from the left was met by Cook but his header dropped wide.
Walker replaced Hatton as Town made the first substitution of the game, with the youngster going to right-back as Bignot moved across to the left.
Southwell could have made it 2-0 when he made a run into the penalty area but he could not beat Bowles, as the stopper dived to block the striker’s left-footed shot.
Grimsby were beginning to dominate but Coalville were inches away from levelling the scores when a cross from the right was met by Anthony Carney but his header hit the bar.
The chance appeared to galvanise the visitors and they had another opportunity soon afterwards, with Charley drilling a shot wide.
Their promising spell was short-lived though, as the Mariners doubled their lead with 15 minutes to go. A cross from Cook on the left dropped for SOUTHWELL at the far post and his downward header beat Bowles.
McLaughlin was replaced by Charlesworth as Hurst opted to give another of his young players a chance to impress for the remainder of the game.
Cook missed a chance to make it 3-0 after the clock had ticked past the 80-minute mark, before the striker was replaced by Neilson with three minutes to go.
Keeper Bowles made a good save from Colbeck at his near post with the Mariners looking to add to their score as the game moved into two minutes of added time.
And they did not have to wait long for number three, as SOUTHWELL completed his hat-trick with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area.
In the end, it was a job well done by the hosts, who now look forward to hosting Northampton Town in the second round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Attendance: 1,102 (104 away)