A hat trick from Mo Touray ensured the Mariners secured victory from the first game on their new 3G pitch, as they defeated AFC Liverpool 3-2.
Neil Young set his side up in a 4-3-3 formation, reverting back to a defensive four. Mark Howarth partnered Josh Wardle at centre half, while Charley Doyle came into the midfield, alongside Alex Doyle and Callum Harris.
As expected, Marine dominated much of the early proceedings, enjoying the lion’s share of possession but failing to test AFC’s goalkeeper Jack McGovern.
Dale Korie-Butler almost capitalised on a lack of defensive concentration from Marine to give the North West Counties side the lead, but Bayleigh Passant stayed big in goal to keep him out.
Following a half of extended pressure and knocking on the door, the Mariners finally found the breakthrough after a trialist playing in the front three was tripped inside the penalty area. Mo Touray took responsibility and coolly dispatched his effort into the bottom left corner.
Marine added a second just minutes later, as Jack Dunn’s long range effort took the goalkeeper by surprise, allowing a trialist playing at right back to pick up the loose ball and find Touray in space, as he made no mistake with the finish to grab his second.
The forward completed his hat trick with the pick of the bunch six minutes into the second half, as the ball was laid off for him on the edge of the box, allowing Touray to curl an effort into the top right corner.
AFC pulled one back from a corner shortly after, as defender Ben Cartwright rose highest to fire a bullet header past a trialist goalkeeper.
At the other end, the trialist winger for Marine once again proved menacing, as he earned Marine a second penalty of the match, as he was tripped inside the area. Touray once more took ownership of the penalty and targeted the same corner as his previous effort, but could only strike the post on this occasion.
Kyle Schorah set up an exciting conclusion to the encounter, as he converted one-on-one to make it 3-2.
The Northern Premier League side held on, however, securing their second win of pre-season.
Next up for the Mariners is a trip to Witton Albion on Tuesday night.
Starting lineup: Passant, Trialist, Smith, Howarth, Wardle, C Doyle, Harris, A Doyle (C), Dunn, Touray, Trialist
