Pump up those Harry Haddocks. Grimsby’s fans and their shoals of inflatable mascots are heading for Southampton after this memorable FA Cup scalp.
The practicalities of that midweek 470-mile round trip can wait. For now, the Mariners faithful should revel in this gutting of Championship high-fliers Luton, some 60 rungs higher on the EFL ladder.
The League Two side battered them thanks to first-half goals by Harry Clifton, Danilo Orsi and Danny Amos, offering no route back after the break.
Those blow-up fish are available in the Grimsby club shop for a tenner. They’d better stock up.
Grimsby represent an awkward proposition for Southampton given their struggles at the moment and will have absolutely nothing to lose at St Mary’s in their first fifth round appearance since 1996.
League Two Grimsby Town cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup after seeing off Championship Luton Town 3-0
Harry Clifton got the Mariners off to a great start by opening the scoring inside 10 minutes
Danilo Orsi netted Grimsby’s second with just 28 minutes gone to put his side in dreamland
Danny Amos made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time and his team held on for a famous win
Luton can return to their principal ambition of Premier League pr0motion but this was a dismal performance after Rob Edwards made a few changes.
The original tie was a barnstormer with four goals shared and encouraged by the way they held their own at Kenilworth Road, Grimsby tore into their opponents here as a near full house roared them on.
Their opener arrived just nine minutes in when Luton failed to deal with a succession of Grimsby throw-ins, Orsi forcing his way into the box to tee up Clifton.
His left-footed strike was fierce and Luton keeper Ethan Horvath wasn’t able to block it at his near post.
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Clifton, who scored the equaliser in the first game, has progressed through the ranks from the under-10s here and the crowd serenaded him with appreciative ‘one of our own’ chants.
Grimsby were two up when Orsi was allowed the time and space to drive into the Luton box and lash an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. ‘Sing when we’re fishing,’ sang the delirious home support.
Grimsby’s fans and their shoals of inflatable mascots are heading for Southampton after this memorable FA Cup scalp
Orsi had spoken pre-match about his memories of playing in the first qualifying round of this competition for Cockfosters. Now he’ll be playing at a Premier League ground next month.
Luton tried to respond and Elijah Adebayo met Gabriel Osho’s cross and saw his header become trapped under the feet of home keeper Max Crocombe.
It got even better for the Mariners in first-half stoppage time when Danny Amos curled a wide free-kick over a packed penalty box and in off the far post.
Luton could only improve and Cauley Woodrow’s header from Alfie Doughty’s cross was somehow kept out one-handed by Crocombe.
Edwards sent for the cavalry off the bench and Jordan Clark wasn’t far away as pressure mounted, before Woodrow volleyed well over to ironic cheers.
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu was inches away in the dying minutes but the damage was long since done.