Michael Jolley wants Grimsby to build on impressive FA Cup win

Posted Sunday, November 11, 2018 by PA

Michael Jolley wants Grimsby’s 3-1 FA Cup victory over MK Dons to act as a catalyst to improve their League Two form.

Kieran Agard put the visitors ahead at Blundell Park, before the Mariners booked their place in the second round courtesy of a superb turnaround.

Sunderland loanee Elliot Embleton, Wes Thomas and Charles Vernam were on target for Grimsby, who won their first cup tie in five seasons.

Jolley said: “I think it was a really big win for us. They had only lost one all season in the league and are clearly a good side with a good manager.

“We kept our belief. The players were excellent and that was a really good performance. We defended well and, when we got the chance, we created opportunities.

“I think we are starting to turn our form at Blundell Park and we are improving. We defended resolutely for large parts of the game.

“We need to try and capitalise on the momentum that we have picked up. We can use it as a springboard to try and improve our league form.

“We have shown that we are capable of competing with the better teams in the division, which MK Dons certainly are.”

Dons boss Paul Tisdale said: “It was disappointing for us, especially to be a goal up at half-time. I don’t think the second-half defensive display was us.

“Grimsby deserved it. They had a real intensity to them that maybe we lacked in the second half.

“I have little to criticise in our first-half performance. With a breeze behind us and a good surface we played some good football and probably deserved that goal with the chances we created.

“It can be a little lesson for us really. The opposition will always got something that they can do in the dressing room at half-time, which we are not privy to.

“Grimsby stepped their game up and we probably didn’t respond well enough to that. We kept on doing the same, and we have to learn from it.”