Grimsby Town's play-off hopes were severely dented while Birmingham's were
enhanced after the Blues' 3-0 victory at Blundell Park.
Goals from Peter Ndlovu, Dele Adebola and Gary Rowett inflicted the Mariners'
heaviest defeat of the season.
Grimsby had just one effort on target throughout the game.
Ndlovu's opener came from 25 yards in the 36th minute.
The Zimbabwean fired goalwards from 25 yards and saw his left-foot shot take a
slight deflection before finding the bottom corner. Substitute Adebola broke
clear five minutes from time before side-footing confidently past Aidan Davison
And then in injury time Rowett rose at the near post to thump home an
unstoppable header from a Bryan Hughes corner.
Grimsby had a great deal of possession but their inability to score, with just
one goal in four games, again proved crucial.
The closest they came was in the 25th minute when Lee Ashcroft's reaction
header from Kingsley Black's left wing cross was well saved by Kevin Poole.
Most of the Mariners chances came from set-pieces and a first half free kick
from Tony Gallimore just cleared the bar.
Kevin Donovan fired just wide with his left foot after cutting in from the
right as Birmingham held on to their lead up to half-time.
Grimsby boss Alan Buckley sent on striker Daryl Clare and midfielder Wayne
Burnett for the second half but it was again from set-pieces that they
threatened the most.
Black came within inches of equalising when his curler over the ball beat
Poole in the 79th minute, but flashed the wrong side of the post.
But Birmingham had chances on the break and Davison had to be at his best to
deny Hughes when the midfielder went through on goal.
And substitute Nicky Forster came close when his header just cleared the bar.
Teams
Grimsby: Davison, McDermott, Gallimore, Smith, Lever (Clare 45),
Coldicott (Widdrington 64), Donovan, Black, Nogan (Burnett 45),
Ashcroft, Groves.
Birmingham: Poole, Bass, Charlton (McCarthy 78), Hyde, Rowett,
Johnson, Grainger, O'Connor, Furlong (Forster 89), Hughes,
Ndlovu (Adebola 71).
Goals: Ndlovu 36, Adebola 85, Rowett 90.
Att: 7,807
Ref: D Laws (Whitley Bay).
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