LUCAS AKINS scored a dramatic late winner to give delighted Town Juniors a warm Youth Cup glow at freezing Blundell Park last night.

Grimsby's lively Centre of Excellence side pushed Town's Academy Under 18s all the way in a keenly-contested first round tie, but Akins delivered the killer blow with extra-time looming and the north sea chill factor taking ever more icy effect.

Only four minutes remained when Alex Hallam made another probing left-wing break and, with Daniel Broadbent on a dummy run, the cross fell to Akins just inside the box.

He did well to control the ball as defenders closed in but, after his initial effort had been well blocked by a sliding Grant Normington, Akins smashed the rebound high into the net.

It was a crushing blow to the home side, who had gone close on several occasions in the first half through the pacy Andy Taylor, but it rewarded a strong second-half display from Town which underlined their determination, fitness and organisation.

Graham Mitchell's side now await the outcome of tonight's tie between Mansfield and Northampton as they visit the winners in the second round, and Academy manager Gerry Murphy will undertake a scouting mission at Field Mill.

"Our lads worked really hard and got their rewards in the end, but I think Grimsby deserve tremendous credit as well because they played superbly," said Murphy.

"We knew it would be hard and it was hard - to be honest, Grimsby had one or two good chances - but our boys stuck to the task well.

"We were strong, and I think a little bit of quality showed through in the end, but it's all about goals and we had to work really hard to get the one which made the difference.

"Daniel Broadbent was a threat all night and he was very unlucky with his shot against the woodwork, while Lucas Akins finished his chance really well when it came."

Murphy added: "This will have been very good experience for the young lads against a very lively and useful Grimsby side, especially David Pickering from the Under 16s who did extremely well at right-back."

Town's most unsettling moments came against the fleet-footed Taylor, who already has half a dozen League II appearances and a goal to his credit this season, and he was denied by keeper Simon Eastwood and centre-back Shane Killock in the first 10 minutes.

Killock and skipper Joe Skarz, fresh from his Town senior debut, anchored the defence well, although Skarz did well to get back and tidy up after a slip on the greasy surface had given Taylor another run at goal in the 38th minute.

In between times, Broadbent tried his luck with a tremendous dipping long-range shot and Akins headed just wide, while James Berrett and Mitchell Bailey did their best to prompt in a busy midfield as Pickering offered solid support to Curtis Roberts down the right.

Daniel Codman and Hallam also had some joy down the left, having one strong penalty appeal turned down, but it wasn't until the second half - when Broadbent also appeared to be tripped by Grimsby keeper Kevin Morton in the box - that Town really assumed control.

Broadbent's clever running was again a feature and, after a fine pass from Bailey, it looked like he'd given Town a 73rd-minute lead with a curling effort past Morton, but the ball rebounded to safety off the keeper's lefthand post.

Watching manager Peter Jackson was, therefore, ready to join in the pep-talk for extra-time when Akins notched the decider, just moments after defender Luke Foulkes had gone closest for Grimsby with a cracking drive just inches wide.

Town - Eastwood, Pickering, Codman, Berrett, Killock, Skarz, Roberts (Heagney 90), Bailey, Akins, Broadbent, Hallam. Subs not used: Jackson, Smithies, Harris, Hunt.