Gunners down Grimsby

Wiltord's second-half goal ended Grimsby's hopes

Arsenal 2-0 Grimsby
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Goals from Edu and Sylvain Wiltord helped Arsenal ease past Grimsby into the last eight of the Worthington Cup.

It also ended a gallant cup run by Grimsby, who defeated a strong Liverpool side in the previous round.

The Premiership side took the lead with their first real attack after just three minutes when Jermaine Pennant crossed to the far post and Edu outjumped Allan Neilsen to head home.

Roared on by their vocal support, Grimsby had their moments, but the outcome was sealed on 74 minutes when Wiltord headed Arsenal's second with Pennant again the provider.

We cannot come to places like this and shoot ourselves in the foot

Lennie Lawrence

The Gunners made 10 changes from the starting line-up in Sunday's 3-1 win over Manchester United for an event which clearly held little interest for them.

Dennis Bergkamp, Wiltord, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Edu and Martin Keown were all fielded in front of Highbury's lowest crowd of the season - just 16,197 despite more than 4,000 Mariners.

Despite the Gunners' flying started though Edu's goal, the home side never seriously troubled Grimsby goalkeeper Danny Coyne again in a sterile first period.

Bergkamp and van Bronckhorst strolled through the first half, while Junichi Inamoto, the £4m Japanese midfielder in his first senior start, looked desperately short of sharpness and confidence

Inamoto's mistake forced Martin Keown to make a last-ditch interception on the edge of the box to prevent Bradley Allen going clear in search of a 28th-minute equaliser.

Grimsby, third-bottom of the First Division after a dismal run of 15 games which have included just one win, came out fighting in the second half and Arsenal were made to work for their win

But the visitors lacked the finishing flair needed to embarrass their hosts and finally 16 minutes from the end Wiltord confirmed their passage into the next round.

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Arsenal: Taylor, Edu, Keown, Stepanovs, Maldondo-Duarte, van Bronckhorst, Inamoto, Tavlaridis, Pennant, Bergkamp, Wiltord. Subs: Kanu, Aliadiere, Halls, Stack, Svard.

Grimsby: Coyne, Broomes, Neilson, Burnett, Campbell, Groves, Butterfield, Willems, Allen, Jevons, Chapman. Subs: David Smith, Raven, Coldicott, Ermes, Boulding.

Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).