A cold and wet wintry evening with a breeze blowing straight off the North Sea was what the seaside offered for tonight's Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Area Quarter Final against Grimsby Town. The Rovers made seven (7) changes from Saturday's starting line-up at Oldham, Ben Smith, Steve Roberts, Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Mark Wilson, Sam Hird and Matt Mills all starting. In the Grimsby line-up was Nick Fenton, formerly with the Rovers. The Rovers defended the end where their supporters were seated facing the driving rain, which had started minutes before the kick-off.

The first incident of note came in the 6th minute when a back pass from Steve Roberts was short of pace but Smith did enough to put North off and the ball went wide. Woods, for the Rovers, put a free kick from 25 yards just wide minutes later but in the 13th minute came the shock of a goal - to Grimsby. Till, on the right for the home team, put a low cross into the middle and all BOSHELL had to do was sidefoot into the net. The home team were buoyed by this and minutes later North got into the Rovers penalty area and shot as Roberts tackled him enabling Smith to save. The Rovers worked their way back into the game and on 25 minutes GUY robbed Bennett halfway into the Grimsby half, ran on and slotted the ball past Barnes in the home goal. Immediately Grimsby went on the attack through Boshell who turned inside Hird and fired into Smith's midriff from the edge of the penalty area. Past the half hour and Grimsby won the first corner of the game. On 35 minutes, Green put Coppinger down the right, his cross was met by the head of Heffernan and going into the top corner of the net but somehow Barnes got his fingers to it, pushed it on to the post and away.Minutes later, Mills, on the Rovers right, gave to Heffernan, who fed Guy but Barnes reacted quickly to get to the ball first. The Rovers were having the better of things at this stage but on 43 minutes disaster struck for the Rovers. Smith cleared a pass back that went high, was caught by the stiff wind and blown back. MILLS met it with a header back to Smith and watched helplessly as the wind carried it over the keeper and into the net. The Rovers then went down their left and Woods put a high cross to the far post that Barnes only just managed to get to and catch. The Mariners went in holding a one goal lead but would have to face the stiffening wind in the second half.

A corner apiece in the first five minutes of the second half seemed to suggest an even game but the Rovers began to have the better of things and on 57 minutes, after a good build up, Heffernan hit a fierce drive that Barnes could only stand and watch as it hit a post and was eventually cleared. Play evened out, with substitutions made as the game moved on. Then, after 79 minutes, drama as the referee awarded the Rovers a penalty against Fenton for pushing down on McCammon as they battled for a high ball. HEFFERNAN put the ball on the spot and slammed it high into the roof of the net for an equalising goal. The Rovers piled on the pressure as the minutes ticked down to a penalty shoot-out. Heffernan shot over from 15 yards, a couple of corners were won and Wellens was shut out as he shot from close range and in added on time Guy had a shot saved. Time ran out and penalties were now the order of the day.

PENALTIES - ROVERS first  - Green saved   Boshell scored     0 - 1     Wilson scored North scored    1-2    Heffernan scored   Hunt scored   2 - 3   Wellens scored   Jarman scored     3 - 4

                                                      Greer scored   Bolland saved. Referee ordered re-take  scored.     4-5.

Grimsby Town won 5-4 on penalties.                                                     

Teams - Grimsby Town - Phil Barnes; Ryan Bennett, James Hunt, Nick Fenton, Peter Till,Gary Jones, Nick Hegarty, Danny Boshell, Paul Bolland, Danny North, Jamie Clarke

Subs used - Nathan Jarman for Jones 39 mins; Justin Whittle for Till 60 mins; Peter Bore for Clarke  84 mins.

Subs not used - Andy Taylor, Gary Montgomery gk

Cautions - Bennett,

ROVERS - Ben Smith; Sam Hird, Matt Mills, Steve Roberts, Gordon Greer; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Mark Wilson, Martin Woods; Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan

Subs used - Mark McCammon for Steve Roberts 58 mins; Richie Wellens for Coppinger 68 mins; Craig Nelthorpe for Hird 75 mins;

Subs not used - James Hayter, Neil Sullivan gk

Cautions - Greer,