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Grimsby Town
Conference Premier Playoffs | Semi-Finals
May 3, 2015 at 3.30pm UK
 
Eastleigh

3-0

Palmer (35', 71'), John-Lewis (44')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Grimsby Town ease past Eastleigh to book place in Conference playoff final

Grimsby Town cruise into the Conference Premier playoff final by overcoming Eastleigh 3-0 on the day and 5-1 on aggregate in their semi-final clash.

Grimsby Town have set up a Conference Premier playoff final meeting with Bristol Rovers, having brushed aside Eastleigh 5-1 on aggregate.

Paul Hurst's men held a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, which they successfully built on to cruise through to the Wembley showdown.

Ollie Palmer of Grimsby Town celebrates his second goal during the Vanarama Football Conference League match between Grimsby Town and Eastleigh FC at Blundell Park on May 3, 2015© Getty Images

The home side made a somewhat slow start to things, and it was in fact the Spitfires, who finished four points behind their opponents in the regular league table, who looked the livelier at times.

Ollie Palmer was starved of any service up top, and even when he did get played in at the end of a hoof upfield, he was adjudged to have been offside.

The first-leg goalscorer did manage to find a way through on the 35-minute mark, though, firing home into the roof of the net following some impressive work by teammate Lenell John-Lewis.

Grimsby had not looked like scoring up until that point, but they managed to find a second prior to the interval as John-Lewis bagged a goal of his own.

The 25-year-old used his pace to burst clear before delicately chipping the ball over Ross Flitney and into the back of the net to put his side on the brink of the final.

Eastleigh, who were seeking back-to-back promotions into the Football League, made a triple change at the break to try to get back into the contest, which almost paid dividends when Dan Walker forced a save out of James McKeown on the hour.

The all-decisive third goal of the day fell the way of Town, though, as John-Lewis and Palmer linked up inside the box once more, with the latter rifling home from close range.

John-Lewis felt as though he should have had a penalty when Jamie Turley grabbed a handful of his shirt as the half wore on, but the referee waved away his appeals.

There was still time remaining for Craig Clay to try his luck but, despite failing to find a way through with his shot, Grimsby had done more than enough to get over the line by that point.

Losers at this stage for the past two seasons, Grimsby will now take on Rovers, who beat Forest Green Rovers earlier today, in the Wembley final later this month.

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Nathan Arnold of Grimsby (L) celebrates with team mates after scoring during the Vanarama Football Conference League play off 1st leg match between Eastleigh FC and Grimsby Town at Silverlake Stadium on April 30, 2015
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