Halifax 4 Grimsby 0: Aspin full of praise as Gardner nets double

Two goals from Dan Gardner and one each by Marcus Carver and Adam Smith sealed a superb win for the Shaymen.

The Town boss was particularly pleased with the result as it came only three days after his side’s 2-1 defeat at Forest Green, where they conceded twice in stoppage time.

He said: “It was the perfect response from Saturday and it’s all credit to the players because they’ve had to deal with the disappointment.

“They’ve put in a fantastic performance. We were positive from the kick-off and it was a really good performance.”

Town dominated and capped a bright start when Carver nodded in his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Accrington after Smith’s dinked cross from the right. Gardner then doubled the hosts’ lead with a low shot from 15 yards after some neat footwork left a Grimsby defender trailing in his wake.

Gardner got his second five minutes later when he latched onto Smith’s measured through ball before firing past James McKeown at the second attempt.

A shell-shocked Grimsby didn’t know what hit them as Town continued to control the contest after the restart when Smith grabbed his first for the club when he raced onto Carver’s pass before slamming the ball past McKeown.

Gardner then almost clinched his hat-trick after a delightful one-two with Scott McManus but his drilled shot came back off the far post.

FC Halifax: Glennon, Toulson, Ainge, Roberts, Lowe, Pearson, Marshall, Smith (McReady 69), Gardner (Williams 76), McManus, Carver (Ball 69). Unused substitutes: Senior, Gregory.

Grimsby: McKeown, Bignot, McDonald, Pearson, Goodall, Thanoj (Hannah 36), Kerr, McLaughlin, Rodman (Colbeck 63), John-Lewis, Neilson (Jones 36). Unused substitutes: Doig, Cook.

Referee: D England (South Yorkshire).