Opposition view: Hurst feels half-time changes were key for Grimsby during Sixfields win

Grimsby manager Paul Hurst felt he was rewarded for making a couple of game-changing substitutions during Saturday’s comeback victory over Northampton at Sixfields.

The Mariners trailed to Sam Hoskins’ 17th goal of the season but Hurst wanted his side to target the wide areas more against Town’s 3-5-2 system and made changes with that in mind, sending on Michee Efete and George Lloyd.

It worked a treat with Josh Emmanuel twice exploiting the Cobblers out wide to deliver crosses for Luke Waterfall and Anthony Glennon as Grimsby grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time win.

"It's a big victory,” said Hurst. “I don't buy into some of the negative things I've read but everyone feels better when you get a victory.

"Northampton are having a difficult period but they are a good side and have still been picking up points and I felt it was like groundhog day at half-time.

"We were on the wrong side of the result but there wasn't a lot in the game and we should have had a penalty for a blatant handball in the first-half. I didn't see it at the time but it has to be a penalty so that was frustrating and I didn't feel we were getting much from the officials out there.

"Thankfully, in the end, we got the goals. They went to three at the back to match us up but I wanted to do something different – but we weren't brave enough on the ball in the first-half.

"We were OK and created some chances but the wide areas are key when you're playing against wing-backs, trying to create overloads, and we didn't do that anywhere near enough.

"I could have left it but I changed it at half-time and the lads did extremely well and it was a real squad effort today."