Grimsby will host Doncaster in the upcoming round of the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, 7 October.
Will the hosts keep their good for going or will Doncaster show why they're playing in a league above Grimsby? Read our Grimsby vs Doncaster prediction and preview to find out, but remember to also check our other EFL Trophy predictions.
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Grimsby vs Doncaster prediction: Hosts to get the three points
Key Stats
- Doncaster are winless in their last five games in a row, four of which they lost.
- Both teams have scored in four of the last six meetings between Grimsby and Doncaster.
- We saw both teams score in three of the last four games that Grimsby hosted.
Correct score prediction: Grimsby 2-1 Doncaster
While Doncaster play in the league above Grimsby, the two teams aren't too far apart when it comes to their quality. After all, Grimsby are one of the main candidates for promotion to League One this season.
On top of that, Grimsby have simply been in much better form lately, with Doncaster entering this match on a five-game winless streak. All in all, we can see the hosts edging out Doncaster on Tuesday in a close game.
Pre-game odds and win probability: No clear favourites
- HOME: 7/4 (2.75) – 36.40%
- DRAW: 12/5 (3.40) – 29.40%
- AWAY: 13/10 (2.30) – 43.50%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Looking at these Grimsby vs Doncaster odds, we can see that the guests are the expected winners, but only by a small margin, which is understandable if we look at the current forms of both teams.
In any case, if you liked our predictions for this game, remember to also check our betting tips for today.
Most recent H2Hs: A close matchup lately
In the last five meetings between these two teams, we saw Doncaster win three times and Grimsby twice. On top of that, these teams are actually tied when it comes to their overall H2H record: 12-2-12.
England League 2 15/02/25
Doncaster
Grimsby
England League 2 05/10/24
Grimsby
Doncaster
England League 2 17/02/24
Grimsby
Doncaster
England League 2 28/10/23
Doncaster
Grimsby
England League 2 10/04/23
Doncaster
Grimsby
Grimsby preview: Hoping for their first win in the EFL Trophy
This has been a dream season for Grimsby so far, who are currently third in the League Two standings. However, their good form in the league and race for promotion is not a reason why the fans will remember this season – it's their run in the EFL Cup where Grimsby have eliminated Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday so far.
That being said, they did lose their only EFL Trophy game so far, against Bradford City, so they need a win against Doncaster to keep their chances of reaching the next stage alive.
Henry Brown will miss this match to serve a suspension, while Doug Tharme is injured.
Predicted lineup: Pym (GK), Sweeney, McJannet, Warren, Rodgers, McEachran, Oduor, Khouri, Green, Burns & Kabia
Last five matches
- Salford 0-2 Grimsby (League Two)
- Grimsby 7-1 Cheltenham (League Two)
- Barnet 3-0 Grimsby (League Two)
- Sheff Wed 0-1 Grimsby (EFL Cup)
- Grimsby 1-1 Cambridge Utd (League Two)
Doncaster preview: Hoping to stop the bleeding
After winning eight of their first 10 matches of the season, including an impressive 4-0 away win over Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup, things started to fall apart at Doncaster. In the last five matches, Doncaster have lost four in a row before drawing with Burton at home over the weekend. So, they'll be looking to end this winless streak against Grimsby, which won't be an easy task.
Meanwhile, Harry Clifton and Connor O’Riordan are on Doncaster's injury list heading into this game.
Predicted lineup: Lawlor (GK), Maxwell, Pearson, Grehan, Nixon, Close, Bailey, Gibson, Sbarra, Molyneux & Sharp
Last five matches
- Doncaster 1-1 Burton (League One)
- Luton 1-0 Doncaster (League One)
- Tottenham 3-0 Doncaster (EFL Cup)
- Doncaster 1-2 AFC Wimbledon (League One)
- Wigan 3-0 Doncaster (League One)
Player to watch: Jaze Kabia
With five goals in League Two and seven goals overall this season in all competitions, the 25-year-old Irish forward has been in great form for Grimsby and he'll be hoping to keep that up against Doncaster.

In the team's last match outside of League Two, which was against Sheff Wed in the EFL Cup, Kabia scored the winner and we can see him doing well on Tuesday too.