Grimsby 1, Athletic 2 : Demar lights up friendly victory

FORMER Grimsby player Jean-Paul Kalala shields the ball for Athletic in the friendly at Blundell Park.

 JAMAICAN international Demar Phillips showed glimpses of an exciting talent as Athletic made it two wins out of two in pre-season.

The Stoke City man is training at Boundary Park with a view to a season-long loan deal, and on his first appearance he displayed pace, work rate, a knack for beating defenders and an eye for the spectacular.

Phillips was the game’s outstanding player during his 68 minutes on the pitch, giving the Grimsby defence a rough ride as he buzzed up and down the left wing.

He certainly impressed 104 away fans at Blundell Park and will have another run-out on Wednesday when Athletic are at home to Derby.

Saturday’s success came via goals from JP Kalala and Deane Smalley, and Athletic got off to a flying start when Kalala, whose English career began at Grimsby, capped his industrious display by scoring after just five minutes.

The home side failed to clear their lines from Andy Liddell’s setpiece and Kalala, waiting for the loose ball 20 yards out, hammered a crisp first-time volley into the bottom corner.

Athletic’s trialist left-back deflected a Ryan Bennett header over the bar, but both Phillips and Chris O’Grady went close at the other end.

And the visitors should have gone two up after 18 minutes as Craig Davies sprung the offside trap to go one against one with ‘keeper Phil Barnes, who denied him twice in a matter of seconds.

Athletic ‘keeper Greg Fleming was also in the action to save from Peter Till, but the resulting corner found his defence at sixes and sevens.

Nobody followed Richard Hope less than eight yards from goal, granting the big centre-half more than enough room to pick his spot beyond Fleming.

The speedy Phillips remained a thorn in Grimsby’s side, his intelligent approach play picking out Davies for a wasted opportunity.

Phillips was one of only three Athletic players to continue into the second half as boss John Sheridan rang the changes, and sub Danny Whitaker could have grabbed his second goal in two games with a shot from 18 yards.

Smalley’s well-executed pass made the next opening as Phillips dashed into space, but the diminutive new arrival steered off target with his final contribution.

League Two Grimsby – without injured former Latics man Danny Boshell – didn’t threaten Athletic’s second-half ‘keeper, Mark Crossley, until the 78th minute when he made a good low save from Andy Taylor.

Crossley soon denied the same man again, but Lee Hughes almost marked his first pre-season appearance with an individual goal.

And Athletic – midweek victors at non-league Rhyl – snatched their deserved winner after 85 minutes as Chris Taylor delivered a far-post cross towards Smalley, who converted from close range.