GRIMSBY Town swept into the final of the Lincolnshire Senior Cup with an impressive 4-2 victory over Lincoln City last night.

A remarkable first-half at a wet Blundell Park saw all six goals as the game went from one end to the other to the delight of the 1,561 hardy souls in attendance.

The result gives the Mariners an extra pre-season match, on Tuesday night, as they take on Scunthorpe United for the first piece of silverware of the season.

Town boss Neil Woods was again forced to shuffle his pack with a raft of Mariners' first-teamers unavailable – mainly due to injury.

Kenny Arthur, Nick Colgan, Lee Peacock, Mark Hudson, Charles Ademeno and Lee Ridley all sat this one out.

On a brighter note, last season's Player of the Year Peter Bore returned to the starting 11 having recovered from a hamstring strain.

Youth team stopper Rob Peet deputised in goal, while trialist Dwayne Samuels, previously of West Brom, had a chance to impress at right-back.

The other unfamiliar face was ex-Norwich City winger Robert Eagle, who began on the left of midfield.

Newly-appointed assistant manager Dave Moore took the Town players through their paces in the pre-match warm-up.

But it was the visitors who had the first effort on goal, when Delroy Facey lashed a left-footer well over.

Town responded and two minutes later a smart move between Coulson and Alan Connell gave the former a chance to have a shot, which was blocked by City's Andrew Hutchinson.

Seven minutes in and Facey's strike partner Gavin McCallum forced Peet into a save with a powerful left-foot volley from the edge of the box, before Bore lashed a 25-yarder just wide.

Chances were coming thick and fast and it was Lincoln who broke the deadlock in embarrassing circumstances for Town. A low corner from the right evaded everyone in the box and was side-footed home at the far post by McCallum in acres of space.

It should have been two moments later as a fine cross from the left was met powerfully by the head of Hutchinson – Peet parrying the ball away well at full stretch.

The Mariners had an opportunity to hit back almost immediately as Scott Garner squared the ball in the box for an unmarked Connell. Unfortunately, the former Bournemouth man scuffed his shot and the danger was cleared.

Connell came close again twice in the 20th minute, testing Lincoln keeper Paul Musselwhite with a chip from the edge of the area, before hammering a shot wide from 25 yards.

Building on this pressure, Town were level a minute later as new-boy Eagle fed Michael Coulson, who in turn played a threaded ball for Bore to run onto. The right-midfielder fired the ball past Musselwhite with aplomb.

It was 2-1 to the hosts on 25 minutes when a superb piece of build-up play ended with Samuels clipping in an excellent cross from the right and Connell nodding the ball into the net from six yards.

The Mariners' joy was shortlived however, as they fell for the same trick again – Nathan Adams' corner from the right being met by an unmarked McCallum at the far post to nod home.

The goals kept flowing and on 31 minutes Town were ahead again as Garner bundled home a corner.

Remarkably, a minute later and it was 4-2 to the Mariners. More slick build-up play between Connell and Coulson laid a chance on a plate for the onrushing Micky Cummins to plant home from close range.

Lincoln could have found a way back into the game in the 35th minute when Hutchinson touched the ball past Bradley Wood and had his heels clipped by the Town youngster. But referee Ross waved away City's claims for a spot-kick.

The all-out attacking continued in the run-up to half-time, with Facey forcing Peet into a smart save from a tight angle. And Connell guided a header wide from 15 yards, before the sides trudged off for a well-earned rest after six goals and non-stop goal-mouth action.

The hosts started the second period brightly with Connell and Coulson continuing to offer a constant threat to the Imps' backline.

And Town had the first effort on goal when Eagle drilled a low right-footer on target in the 50th minute – Musselwhite getting down well to his right to push it around the post.

Coulson blasted another decent chance over from 20 yards after more creative play by the highly impressive Connell.

Despite this dominance, the lively McCallum continued to be a threat to Town's defence and found space to drill a left-foot shot just wide in the 56th minute.

Musselwhite was back in action again soon though, tipping over a Kempson piledriver from 15 yards following a Town corner.

Up the other end, Hutchinson prodded wide from eight yards after a Clarke Keltie shot was charged down and fell into his path.

Woods freshened things up in the 66th minute with his first substitution of the night – Nathan Dixon replacing the superb Connell.

Michael Leary saw a left-footer fly over from 25 yards and Musselwhite needed to be on his toes to acrobatically push away a sliced effort from team-mate Kern Miller.

Cummins went close shortly after as Town forced a succession of corners, before Josh Fuller came on for Bore 16 minutes from time.

Wood was required to head a Hutchinson shot off the Town line as City reminded the hosts of their attacking threat.

Young Tom Corner was brought on up top for Coulson as the game entered its final ten minutes, and Samuels was next to have a try from distance, lashing over from 25 yards.

Despite that, the second-half was always going to struggle to match the first, and the match gradually petered out, with Town comfortably holding onto their two-goal advantage, and proceeding to the final.

Much of Town's attacking play throughout the 90 minutes was superb, with Connell and Coulson linking up well, well supported by a hard-working midfield marshalled by Cummins.

Elsewhere, trialists Eagle and Samuels were impressive and have given Woods much to ponder over the next few days. Both could be snapped up given their fine performances.

Town's inability to defend corners will be the one main concern for the Mariners' boss, with both of the visitors' goals coming from simple set-pieces from the right-hand side.

But that shouldn't overshadow a fine all-round performance against Chris Sutton's League Two side and Town's fans can be encouraged by the progress made from the Mariners' last outing at Gainsborough Trinity.