Grimsby Town 5 Barnet 0

Last updated : 21 April 2007 By Footymad Previewer
A young Grimsby side thrashed Barnet 5-0 as they coasted to their biggest home win of the season at Blundell Park.

Ironically, the last time they lost 4-0 away at Torquay, Grimsby responded with a 6-0 victory at Boston and this time they put behind them a 4-1 reverse at Accrington Stanley to hammer Barnet.

It was a day to remember for young striker Danny North, sporting a new severe looking haircut. He grabbed his first senior hat-trick completed with a last minute penalty for which nobody tried to wrestle the ball from him.

For the first time in several home games, Grimsby started with a 4-4-2 line-up which included 17-year-old Ryan Bennett, making his full debut at the back.

Strikers North and Gary Jones had a field day and Jones opened the scoring on 26 minutes with a header from a Peter Till cross.

Substitute Nick Heggarty, who replaced the injured Ciaran Toner, set up North for his first goal on 39 minutes and was to provide two second-half goals with his corners.

There was no further scoring until the 72nd minute although, at the start of the second half, Grimsby missed a string of easy chances.

But once they scored again with a cheeky North back heel, the floodgates opened and Barnet had no answer.

Central defender Nick Fenton ploughed through a group of players to crash a header in to make it 4-0 on 80 minutes and, when sub Andy Taylor was pushed over in the box, North blasted home the penalty.

While Barnet were poor defensively, some of their attacking play was lively with Adam Burchall always a handful.

They ought to have scored near the end when winger Jason Puncheon was twice denied, firstly by keeper Phil Barnes and then by the woodwork.