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Both managers were almost stuck for words after the games but both were at least able to lavish praise on their forward players. Grimsby boss Paul Groves said:
"We’ve won tonight, we’ve got the three points and that’s the main thing. I thought we played some decent football when we had the opportunity to get it down and pass it and we scored some good goals. I’m pleased with that side of things.
"I think there were a few flutters, it was certainly a one off as far as the game went, it was one of those that could have gone either way.
"As for the referee I thought he had a good game tonight and he had the best view on the penalties."
Stan was still stunned after the game and said:
"I’m lost for words to be quite honest with you, the defending was shambolic. It’s the first time in my career that anything like that has happened and I’m gobsmacked and I don’t really know what to say.
"The defending was just non existent and we came to try and keep it nice and tidy for the first twenty minutes. Then we got back into it at 4-4 but then they have a free header from a corner and it was a harsh penalty against us. I’m not allowed to criticise referees.
"Having said that we scored five goals away from home in a decent game of football but you can’t go away from home and have to score seven goals to win a game of football.
"We created a lot of chances and I thought it might have been 6-6 but it’s very frustrating and disappointing.
"If Arthur was injured it was only between his ears. I took him off because he had cost us three goals! I took him off before he gave any more away, it was ridiculous. They didn't score a good goal all night. Graham Branch went in there and he has done extremely well when I needed someone in there."
Grimsby hold on to win thriller
Ron Gubba (Daily Telegraph)
Grimsby secured only their third win of the season in an incredible 11-goal thriller at Blundell Park, in which there was a penalty for both sides but not a single yellow card.
Steve Kabba began the scoring, rifling home in the third minute after Arthur Gnohere had slipped attempting to cut out Darren Barnard's left-wing cross. However, Burnley struck back in the 22nd minute through Gareth Taylor's stooping header.
The home fans were on their feet again six minutes later when Steve Livingstone, who only recently recovered from a fractured skull, headed his first goal of the season from another Barnard cross. Within two minutes though, Burnley were level again, when Ian Moore volleyed home Lee Briscoe's cross.
Whatever Grimsby may lack in quality they more than make up for in spirit and, within a minute, they had regained the lead, when Kabba, on loan from Crystal Palace, scored his second of the night after receiving from Terry Cooke. And it was Cooke with another cross from the right who again provided the assist to enable Stuart Campbell to give Grimsby a two-goal cushion with a tap-in at the far post, only for Robbie Blake to reduce Burnley's deficit to a single goal on the stroke of half-time.
Taylor brought Burnley level for a third time, four minutes after the break, but Alan Pouton put Grimsby back in front from the penalty spot after Mark McGregor was harshly adjudged to have handled.
As the pendulum of this riveting contest continued to swing back and forth, Steve Davis looked set to level the scores for a fourth time when he burst into the Grimsby box, only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Danny Coyne. Central defender Simon Ford re-established Grimsby's two-goal cushion, when he headed in from a corner, but Blake again reduced the deficit with a penalty after substitute Dimi Papadopoulos had been tripped.