Grimsby Town Reserves 3-2 Scunthorpe United Reserves
Report from Blundell Park

United's reserves were beaten 3-2 by their Grimsby counterparts in the totesport.com Central East Division at a blustery Blundell Park on Wednesday night.

Garry Thompson scored twice, but goals from Peter Bore (two) and trialist Chris Ramsey secured the win for the Mariners.

Thompson's first goal came after Ian Morris put him through, and the winger finished well.

He added a second from the penalty spot after he had been brought down in the area by Mariners goalkeeper Leigh Overton.

The match saw a number of players on the fringes of the first team play, in addition to Andrew Wright and Kenny Milne who were both returning from injury.

Wright played the full game as he recovers from a broken metatarsal, while Milne got a 32 minute run-out as he continued his comeback from the two knee operations which have ruled him out for the last 13 months.

Assistant manager Andy Crosby said: "It was pre-planned that we would give Kenny around half an hour.

"He started the game, did very well and it's all part of his rehabilitation. We're pleased with him.

"Andrew Wright came through it well and managed to play the full 90 minutes so that's very encouraging.

"Ben May came off with an ankle injury after 16 minutes though and that was bad news for us."

Sam Slocombe played in goal for Scunthorpe, with the defence consisting of Cliff Byrne, Niall Canavan, Milne and Morris.

Thompson, Wright and second year youth trainee Jack Cross, who Crosby hailed as outstanding on the night, formed the midfield, with Peter Winn providing support for May and Adam Boyes up front.

First year trainee Ashley Palmer replaced Milne, while youth team captain Joe Maguire was on for May, when the two players came off.

Scunthorpe started brightest, with Wright striking a low effort wide across the face of goal early on. Thompson then came close with a curled effort shortly after,

Jammal Shahin came close with a header from Grimsby, and it was them who went ahead on the half-hour mark.

Ramsey sped down the wing and sent in a cross for Bore to fire home from close range.

Thompson soon levelled with a chipped effort shortly after, but the Mariners went back ahead when Bore got on the end of a long clearance by Overton and volleyed a fine shot in off the post.

The Iron almost equalised again before half-time, but Thompson curled a free-kick from 25 yards over the crossbar.

Slocombe was called into action early in the second half when he superbly tipped out a strike by former Luton man Michael Leary.

It was on 60 minutes when Thompson levelled from the penalty spot, and home defender Matt Heywood had to head clear off his goal-line after a cross looked like reaching an Iron attacker.

With 10 minutes left, the Mariners scored the winning goal. Ramsey was fed by Mark Gray, and cut inside before curling past Slocombe from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Towards the end, Maguire had a late chance for Scunthorpe as his cross-cum-shot was beaten away by Overton.