Not good enough clearly, what we did especially in the first half. I think we gave the game to them, clearly, straight away, exactly what they wanted. Win duels, second balls, set plays. We fought back but I think that was the minimum that we could show to the fans that travelled today, for ourselves, for the club, but clearly not good enough.
Paired together for their first meeting since a 1-1 draw in 1948, interest in the tie at Blundell Park was so high that League Two Grimsby's website crashed almost immediately. "We had to put a pause on the website until we regrouped on the Thursday morning," said Bancroft. "My phone went crazy. It was a pinch me moment for everyone connected to Grimsby Town."