Grimsby boss explains FA Cup celebrations ahead of Brighton trip

Paul Hurst hailed his history makers after Grimsby reached the FA Cup quarter-finals with a shock 2-1 success over Premier League strugglers Southampton.

Gavan Holohan converted two penalties at St Mary’s to fire the League Two visitors into the last eight of the competition for the first time since the Second World War.

Duje Caleta-Car pulled one back for the top-flight’s bottom side but Town held on for a memorable victory to the delight of more than 4,200 travelling fans, setting up a trip to Brighton in the next round.

The south-coast upset ensured the Mariners became the first team to defeat five teams from higher divisions in a single FA Cup campaign.

Manager Hurst, who guided the club to promotion from the National League through the play-offs last term, revealed there were some stunned faces in the dressing room.

“They deserve to have maybe more celebrations than what they will get,” he said of his squad, who travel to Carlisle on Saturday.

“There’s quite a bit of the group that enjoyed that experience of winning promotion and getting back in the league.

“They did enjoy it in the dressing room. Looking around at a few of their faces, they were in shock, probably very tired as well.

“But there were a few songs and a bit of music. I’m just pleased for them.

“It’s a memory for them, for the owners, for the supporters and we go down in history because of the way we’ve got to the quarter-finals.”

Grimsby defeated League One clubs Plymouth, Cambridge and Burton and Championship side Luton en route to the fifth round.

Hurst said Irish midfielder Holohan only became designated penalty taker following Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient after Anthony Glennon joined Mariners team-mate John McAtee in missing from 12 yards this term.

Asked about the significance of the result, he continued: “I’m not putting it down because, as a one-off in terms of opposition, it’s probably the best.

“But last season we were obviously promoted in an incredible sequence of games that will never be topped. It’s certainly right up there.”