Brighton 5-0 Grimsby: Seagulls cruise to FA Cup semi-finals thanks to Evan Ferguson’s double and strikes from Deniz Undav, Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma… as League Two Mariners’ fairytale run comes to an end

Brighton is now back in the hands of the locals but for a few hours on Sunday, something fishy happened as this city by the seaside fell to an invasion of Harry Haddocks.

Grimsby supporters went everywhere with their inflatable friends, the League Two club’s shop having sold 3,000 for this trip. They descended on the Lanes, they took over the pubs, they commandeered Brighton Pier, which was awash with black and white striped shirts.

Grimsby’s fans were determined to enjoy their day, wary that this was likely to be the end of their FA Cup journey, given they were facing a team positioned 76 places above them.

That turned out to be true, with Brighton mercilessly sticking a pin in their Harry Haddocks, but the visitors did not leave deflated. The players departed the pitch to a standing ovation from both sets of supporters for having embarked on their longest run in this competition since 1939.

For Brighton, two goals from 18-year-old talent Evan Ferguson and the others from Deniz Undav, Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma secured them this five-star win. They will now move on to the semi finals at Wembley Stadium, Roberto De Zerbi having shown his intent with a no-nonsense starting line-up on Sunday.

Grimsby manager Paul Hurst joked half an hour before kick-off that upon the deliverance of the team sheet, he feared Brighton had forgotten they were facing a side sitting 15th in League Two.

De Zerbi, serving a touchline suspension for this tie, fielded a team full of Premier League regulars. That included a chap who helped Lionel Messi win the 2022 World Cup, and a bloke who was subject to a £70million bid from Arsenal in the winter window.

But that only summed up the beauty of the FA Cup. Alexis Mac Allister may be a world champion, but if he wanted to win here, he had to overcome Gavan Holohan in midfield. 

Moises Caicedo may be a wanted man, but to reach Wembley, he had to outplay Kieran Green.

Caicedo was involved in Brighton taking a sixth-minute lead. 

His attempt from 20 yards was spilled by Grimsby goalkeeper Max Crocombe and Undav raced in to tap home the rebound for 1-0.

‘Que sara sara, whatever will be, will be, we’re going to Wembley,’ sang Brighton’s supporters. To which the Grimsby contingent replied: ‘We only sing when we’re fishing.’

Grimsby tried to reel in referee Jarred Gillett in the 32nd minute, hoping for some help.

A long ball needed collecting by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez before Grimsby striker Danilo Orsi got to it. Sanchez took it in his arms, yet Orsi claimed he was outside of his box.

Gillett waited for word from VAR Michael Salisbury, who decided Sanchez was inside. Replays showed it was mightily close.

Brighton should have scored a second goal when Pascal Gross’ cross found Mitoma sliding in at the back post, only for him to miss. 

Mitoma returned the favour when he squared a pass to Gross but with the goal at his mercy, he likewise missed.

By half time, the closest Grimsby had come to threatening Sanchez’s goal was when Lewis Dunk overhit a back pass which needed stopping before it crept over the line.

Otherwise, Grimsby had not attempted a shot, on or off target, and looked like an out-of-sorts League Two team facing an in-form Premier League side. 

You expected Brighton would eventually break down their defence and they did just that in the 51st minute.

Mac Allister’s ball into the box was plucked from the air by Ferguson. It was a beautiful takedown, and the teenager then slotted his shot beyond Crocombe for 2-0.

Brighton thought they had a third when March unselfishly squared the ball to Ferguson but VAR disallowed it for offside, which prompted someone in the away end to let off a party popper.

Then, a rare chance for Grimsby. It was route one as substitute John McAtee broke behind Adam Webster before trying to dink the ball over Sanchez, who palmed it clear. 

Brighton made it 3-0 in the 70th minute after some fast passes and fortunate deflections left Ferguson through on goal. Without hesitation, he found the bottom corner. 

In the 82nd minute, it was 4-0. Brighton’s supporters were chanting ‘ole’ every time they passed the ball and at the end of an exquisite move, a cross by Webster found the head of March.

In the 90th minute, the 5-0 scoreline was completed. It wasn’t the cleanest strike from Mitoma as a deflection from Luke Waterfall fooled Crocombe, but they all count.

Despite the defeat, Grimsby’s players stood in front of the away fans at full time and were welcomed as heroes. They cheered, they danced, they sang along to ‘Sweet Caroline’. 

Brighton’s supporters also sportingly applauded their vanquished opponents off the pitch. After defeating Plymouth, Cambridge, Burton, Luton and Southampton to get here, Grimsby’s FA Cup run is over. But Brighton are still going and De Zerbi may yet get a shiny reward for the slick style of play that he has got this team playing.