March 01, (THEWILL) – In a stunning upset, League Two team, Grimsby Town, shocked English Premier League strugglers, Southampton, with two penalties on either side of halftime to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 84 years.
Referee Thomas Bramall awarded the first penalty just before halftime after ruling that Lyanco had blocked Josh Emmanuel’s cross with his arm. Grimsby’s Gavan Holohan stepped up to convert the penalty and give the visitors the lead.
Southampton’s troubles continued after the restart, as defender Duje Caleta-Car, caught Danilo Orsi, with a flailing hand, leading to another penalty for Grimsby. Holohan calmly converted the second penalty of the game to give the Mariners a two-goal cushion. Despite Caleta-Car’s close-range finish that gave the Saints hope, Grimsby held on to win the game and spark scenes of mass celebration among their 4,000 travelling fans.
Grimsby’s historic win made them only the sixth team from the fourth tier or below to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals since the division’s introduction in 1958/1959, and the first since National League side, Lincoln City shocked EPL club, Burnley in 2017.
Additionally, Grimsby became the 13th side from the fourth division or below to have beaten top-flight opponents in the competition since the Football League’s rebranding at the start of the 2004/2005 campaign. Joe Aribo came on as a 67th-minute substitute for the Saints but Paul Onuachu was not included in the lineup.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
