Substitute George Lloyd nets late winner as Grimsby fight back at Doncaster

Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2023 by PA

Substitute George Lloyd ended Grimsby’s longest winless run of the season as his stoppage-time strike secured a 2-1 League Two comeback victory at Doncaster.

Lloyd pounced in the sixth minute of time added on following a nasty injury to home defender Ben Nelson as Paul Hurst’s men picked up their first win in seven matches in all competitions and a first in Doncaster since 1989.

The Mariners had only levelled the scores in the 85th minute when centre-back Niall Maher had cancelled out Aidan Barlow’s first-half opener – his second goal in 46 outings for struggling Rovers.

Barlow’s 26th-minute strike was the highlight of the match for the hosts as the former Manchester United Under-23 hopeful bent a 20-yard effort into Max Crocombe’s top-left corner after being teed up by Luke Molyneux.

Doncaster almost doubled their advantage before the break with Ben Close’s rising drive rattling an upright, but the second half belonged to the Mariners, as they kicked towards their noisy 2,900 following.

The visitors grabbed a deserved equaliser when home goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell’s weak near-post punch from Anthony Glennon’s inswinging corner saw Danilo Orsi win an aerial ball in the home six-yard box before Maher stabbed in from close to the goal line.

Victory was then secured at the death when Mitchell could only parry a Harry Clifton shot and Lloyd gleefully found an inviting net from seven yards.