Grimsby boss didn't think McAtee deserved to start at Brighton as MOTD pundit left 'bemused' by Luton loanee's absence

Grimsby manager Paul Hurst revealed he felt Luton loanee John McAtee didn’t deserve to start for Grimsby Town during their FA Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, after a ‘bemused’ Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy couldn’t understand why he was left on the bench.

The Mariners, who knocked Town out in the fourth round at Blundell Park, headed to the Amex as huge underdogs against an in-form Seagulls side who are flying high in the top flight this term, with Hurst opting to go with Danilo Orsi upfront, naming McAtee, who had scored four goals in 21 matches prior to the contest, as a substitute.

Deniz Undav opened the scoring for the hosts early on, as Grimsby got to the break just 1-0 down when McAtee was introduced for Kieran Green.

Although Brighton quickly made it 2-0 through Evan Ferguson, the sub almost reduced the deficit, denied by a Spanish keeper Robert Sanchez after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area.

Ferguson then notched a second with Solly March also on target, before McAtee against went close to a consolation, another attempt repelled by a diving Sanchez, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side wrapped the victory up through Kaoru Mitoma late on.

McAtee also tried his luck from kick-off too as he had four shots in total, the only four his side managed all afternoon, despite being on for just 45 minutes, as speaking on the BBC after the game, former Liverpool and Charlton midfielder Murphy said: "Watching his performance in the second half, I was really bemused why he didn't start the game.

"He was a goal threat, his link-up was good and he made a real difference to them.

"Maybe there was an injury we don't know - this was the best chance (McAtee denied by Sanchez), if he can loft it over him, that was the moment there where the fans would have been able to celebrate.

"He was a threat and I was a bit bemused why he didn't start because I don't think he started in the midweek either, maybe he was carrying something."

Ex-Brighton and Crystal Palace striker Glen Murray added: "When he came on he just looked a cut above what they had, just in possession, finding teammates and then when he got in front of goal he hit the target and asked questions of Sanchez.

"He nearly got that special moment for them."

However, speaking to Grimsby Live, on not starting McAtee, who had been in the side in the previous rounds against Cambridge, Burton Albion and Southampton, Hurst said: “He didn't because I went with the team that I thought deserved to start and that was that.

"I just don't think he deserved to start and that's the truth of the matter."