Grimsby’s astonishing run of FA Cup upsets continued on Wednesday as Gavan Holohan’s two penalties dumped out Premier League side Southampton.
Paul Hurst’s men, who are 16th in League Two, have now beaten opponents from a higher division in all five rounds to date – the first team ever to do so in the competition proper, according to the cup’s official Twitter feed.
With another Premier League side in the form of Brighton awaiting in the quarter-finals, the PA news agency looks at Grimsby’s run so far.
First round: Plymouth (League One)
Absolutely magnificent! #GTFC https://t.co/xRurV4yh2N
— Grimsby Town F.C. (@officialgtfc) November 5, 2022
Adam Randell’s fifth-minute goal for Argyle was a nightmare start to Grimsby’s cup campaign but on-loan Hull defender Andy Smith equalised in the 10th minute and the Mariners led 4-1 by the break through Michee Efete, Brendan Kiernan’s brilliant backheel and a goal deep in first-half stoppage time from Anthony Driscoll-Glennon. Kiernan added further gloss in the second half but even then there was no hint of the results to come.
Second round: Cambridge (League One)
THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS 🖤 pic.twitter.com/HEaSw7tYzR
— Grimsby Town F.C. (@officialgtfc) November 26, 2022
Otis Khan scored just after the hour mark to give Town the lead. They were heading for a replay after Cambridge substitute Sam Smith’s 81st-minute equaliser but Khan burst through again in the last minute to see his side into round three.
Third round: Burton (League One)
Lewis Richardson stepped off the bench in the second half and got his name in the headlines when he turned home team-mate Harry Clifton’s shot. A couple of key first-half saves by keeper Max Crocombe also contributed to a third successive League One scalp.
Fourth round: Luton (Championship)
A step up in opposition against a side challenging for the Championship play-offs, and Town trailed to goals from Elijah Adebayo and Jordan Clark after Holohan’s opener. Clifton immediately hit back to earn a 2-2 draw and a replay at Blundell Park, where he and Danilo Orsi put Grimsby on top before Danny Amos struck in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time to secure a 3-0 win.
Fifth round: Southampton (Premier League)
Record-breakers 🤯@officialgtfc are the first side in #EmiratesFACup history to eliminate five teams from a higher division than them in a single campaign from the First Round onwards 👏 pic.twitter.com/sTdI6UKViy
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 1, 2023
Holohan punished Lyanco’s handball late in the first half and scored again from the spot early in the second after Duje Caleta-Car’s foolish slap at Orsi. Caleta-Car pulled one back but Town held on and their travelling army of fans wielding inflatable haddocks were left dreaming of a sixth scalp at the Amex Stadium.
