Morton at the double as slick Cobblers cruise to comfortable victory over Grimsby

The two sides were in contrasting form going into this game but you wouldn't have guessed Town had lost five of their six matches from their accomplished and dominant performance at a wet and windy Blundell Park.

Manager Keith Curle made some bold calls with his team selection and they paid off handsomely as his side raced out of the blocks for the third time in a week with Charlie Goode thumping home inside eight minutes.

Cobblers never looked back from that moment and the impressive Morton finished superbly later in the first-half to put the visitors into a dreaded 2-0 lead.

But there was no chance Town were going to let slip this lead and after managing the game well for most of the second-half, they sealed the deal when Morton poked home his second and Town's third late on.

That ensured a swift return to winning ways after Tuesday's defeat and lifted Cobblers up a place to sixth in Sky Bet League Two, six points off the top three.

Curle rolled the dice with his team selection at Blundell Park and one of his five changes saw first-choice goalkeeper David Cornell dropped in favour of Steve Arnold.

Alan McCormack made his first start of 2020 and Mark Marshall, Scott Wharton and Vadaine Oliver also all returned to the team, while striker Harry Smith was back on the bench following two months out with injury.

The pitch survived two inspections before it go the all clear and Town were grateful for that when they scored an early goal for the third game running.

They needed just eight minutes to break the deadlock on this occasion when a bright start to the game paid dividends thanks to skipper Goode, who blasted home following a scramble from a corner.

Grimsby barely had a kick before the goal but improved after it and almost netted a quick leveller when Billy Clarke directed his free header straight at Arnold.

Sam Russell saved from Sam Hoskins from a Town counter-attack and that was rather indicative of a very open and stretched first-half as the two teams constantly hit each other on the break.

More goals were only a matter of time and that came to pass on 26 minutes when Cobblers moved two to the good. Hoskins did well in the build-up, skipping past a couple of defenders before the dropped fell to Morton inside the box and he clinically drove a low effort into the bottom corner.

The visitors had been excellent for the first half-hour and deserved their two-goal lead, but they wobbled a little in the remaining 15 minutes of the first-half and Grimsby three times went close to halving the deficit.

Elliot Grandin squandered a golden chance on the break when wastefully curling wide while Matt Green was denied by the sharp reactions of Arnold before he then flicked a header just wide of the far post.

Goode shot into the side-netting after a lung-busting run early in the second-half before Grimsby went up the other end and Clarke screwed wide from the edge of the box.

Cobblers managed the game relatively well for most of the second-half and had the better chances to extend their lead with Jordan Turnbull and Scott Pollock not far off with long-range attempts.

The visitors restricted their hosts to few clear chances but they did have one golden opportunity to give Cobblers a few jitters with 10 minutes left as Clarke missed virtually an open goal after Arnold dropped a cross.

But the game was done and dusted just 90 seconds later as Morton grabbed his second. Cobblers had pressed Grimsby's back-line well all afternoon and it paid off when a terrible back pass was pounced on by Morton and he drove into the box before stabbing under Russell.

That put the seal on an impressive and fully deserved away victory.

Grimsby: Russell, Hendrie (c), Ohman (Garmston 45), Waterfall, Grandin (Vernam 45), Clifton, Clarke, Benson, Tilley, Glennon, Hanson (Green 26)

Subs not used: McKeown, Whitehouse, Rose, Hewitt

Cobblers: Arnold, Goode (c), Wharton, Turnbull, McCormack (Pollock 60), Watson, Hoskins, Marshall (Harriman 80), Adams, Morton, Oliver (Lines 60)

Subs not used: Cornell, Jones, Roberts, Smith

Referee: James Oldham

Attendance: 4,879

Cobblers fans: 303