Dave Challinor was delighted at how his table-topping Stockport adapted to their calculated game-plan during a 3-1 victory over Grimsby.
Goals from Antoni Sarcevic, Isaac Olaofe and Lewis Cass – on his Stockport debut – did the damage to keep the leaders four points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two.
Grimsby winger Abo Eisa replied to those first-half strikes with a consolation upon the restart, but it proved too little, too late at Blundell Park.
David Artell’s strugglers have now failed to win in their last five matches.
Stockport manager Challinor said: “It was a brilliant start to the game for us to get into a winning position.
“We knew this would be a tough game as we have got three tough away games in these 14 days that won’t be season-defining, but are tough places to go.
“Coming here, we had to do what was needed and rolled our sleeves up.
“Some of the stuff we played in the first half (was pleasing), especially with David (Artell) coming in here and having a different way of playing.
“That suited what we wanted to do. We got on top of them and challenged them when the majority of their supporters weren’t agreeing with those principles.”
Sarcevic opened the scoring for Stockport in the eighth minute when he latched on to a loose pass from Harvey Cartwright before keeping his cool and slotting past the onrushing Grimsby goalkeeper.
It was 2-0 six minutes later when Olaofe finished off a sweeping breakaway move that involved Nick Powell and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.
Cass then nodded a third into the Grimsby net in the 28th minute when the on-loan defender was picked out by a Sarcevic cross.
Eisa offered Grimsby hope shortly after the restart when he netted from point-blank range from Charles Vernam’s initial shot but, while they pushed and probed for the remainder, struggling Grimsby were unable to make further inroads.
Stockport are now eight points above fourth-placed Barrow in their ongoing bid for promotion to League One.
Grimsby manager Artell added: “We shot ourselves in the foot twice – three times probably – against a good team who are top of the league.
“You knew then it was going to be a long afternoon.
“In the second half we showed more intent, with the ball and without the ball, and scored a good goal with much more impetus in our play.
“We had more initiative and work-rate, but the game is done by then with our own carelessness and not just with the first goal.
“It was a difficult afternoon and we have got a lot to learn, but that’s the way that I want us to play and we shouldn’t change making that first mistake.”
