Grimsby Town talking points as Paul Hurst faced with selection headache for games ahead

Grimsby Town hit their stride on Tuesday night as they swept aside Crewe Alexandra in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Four goals, a clean sheet, more minutes in the tank and chemistry built on a near-perfect night for Paul Hurst and his team.

The Grimsby manager only made three changes from the team that started the game against Northampton Town on Saturday but slightly re-jigged the shape, which worked a charm on the night.

It also leaves Hurst with much to ponder ahead of the trip to Rochdale next weekend, with certain players staking their claim to come into the starting picture and others showing they may be more proficient in different roles than Hurst first envisioned.

It would be dishonest to say that Kieran Green had not had the greatest start to his Grimsby career before Tuesday night, but Green showed his quality against Crewe, playing a more advanced role in the midfield.

The 25-year-old scored a brilliant volley in the first half and had other chances to add to his account with some incisive running from deep in midfield. He, Bryn Morris and Gavan Holohan are really starting to find their feet as a midfield trio, and their fortunes are key to the team’s overall success.

His most recent performance suggests he may be better suited to playing a more progressive, box-to-box role within the midfield moving forward.

New signing Stephen Wearne has been limited to second-half cameos in the first two league games, with Hurst admitting that he didn’t feel he was ready from a fitness standpoint to start.

However, Wearne was given that chance against Crewe and grabbed the opportunity with both hands playing off the right-hand side. His late goal was a just reward for his overall performance, especially in the first