Grimsby Town's improbable Carabao Cup run continues, as the League Two side pulled off another shock victory, this time against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, with a 1-0 win at Hillsborough. This marks the first time in 24 years that Grimsby has advanced to the fourth round of the competition.
The decisive moment came in the 49th minute when Jaze Kabia headed home from a corner. It appeared the ball may have deflected off Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Rio Shipston before finding the top corner. Grimsby's victory was well-deserved, as they overcame a youthful Owls team that included eight academy players in the starting XI.
The victory comes on the heels of Grimsby's sensational upset of Manchester United in the previous round. Their Carabao Cup journey has been nothing short of a fairytale. Grimsby has only lost one of their first eight matches.
Approximately 6,000 Grimsby fans made the trip to Hillsborough, outnumbering the home support, who are currently boycotting games in protest of club owner Dejphon Chansiri. The travelling fans reveled in the spotlight as they watched their team secure a place in the fourth round.
Sheffield Wednesday, managed by Henrik Pedersen, have had a difficult start to their Championship campaign, with only one point from their opening five games. Pedersen opted to start with nine of the fringe players who had previously played against Leeds. While the Owls had moments, including a chance for George Brown that was thwarted by a Tyrell Warren tackle, they generally struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a resolute Grimsby defense.
After Kabia's goal, Grimsby continued to press, with Jamie Walker firing a shot wide and Horvath, Sheffield Wednesday's goalkeeper, being called into action to deny Kabia and Evan Khouri. Wednesday brought on Barry Bannan and Ike Ugbo in an attempt to salvage the match, but they were unable to break down Grimsby's defense. Christy Pym, Grimsby's goalkeeper, was not seriously tested.
Grimsby will be in the draw for the fourth round, which will be held on September 24, with matches to be played during the week beginning October 27.
