The Easter Weekend saw Grimsby Town fall slightly off the pace, despite remaining unbeaten.
The first match of the extended weekend for The Mariners was at Blundell Park against Gateshead. An eventful game saw Grimsby salvage a point after Craig Disley's 95th minute header rippled the back of the net.
Kevin Saint-Luce put the visitors ahead on the 34th minute mark, after being allowed to waltz through the Grimsby defence. A well struck strike, from 20 yards out, arrowed into the top corner to give Gateshead a half-time lead.
HT: Grimsby Town 0-1 Gateshead
Grimsby came out in the second half with a lot more intent and seemed hungry to take the game to The Heed. This was rewarded after 54 minutes, when Mariners winger, Jack Mackreth, cut inside from the right wing and drilled a superb shot straight past the onlooking Joel Dixon.
Gateshead weren't happy to settle for a draw and showed more drive going forward and this paid off when Saint-Luce rifled The Heed back in front, with 17 minutes left to go.
When Grimsby thought the game was lost, with many Grimsby fans leaving early, assuming that Gateshead would be victorious, Grimsby skipper, Craig Disley met Jack Mackreth's cross and headed home to give The Mariners a well deserved point and keep them in the title race.
FT: Grimsby Town 2-2 Gateshead
Just two days later, The Mariners made the 170 mile round-trip to Alfreton Town.
Grimsby boss, Paul Hurst, made 5 changes to the first team squad that faced Gateshead, including giving Josh Gowling his long-awaited debut. Carl Magnay and Ollie Palmer were dropped to the bench.
Keen to make up for their draw against Gateshead, Grimsby started brightly but just failed to find the net. Lenell John-Lewis squandered several chances while Craig Clay's well-struck volley fell into the hands of Alfreton keeper, Thomas Flynn.
HT: Alfreton Town 0-0 Grimsby Town
After going in at half-time, without a goal, The Mariners upped their tempo and pinned Alfreton into their own half. It was inevitable that Grimsby would score and that occurred when debutant Josh Gowling deflected Jack Mackreth's effort on goal, into the back of the net.
Lenell John-Lewis doubled the scoreline and confirmed the win, just 3 minutes from time, after nodding in Craig Clay's cross.
This sent 2500 following Town fans into absolute elation and provoked a few excited fans to invade the pitch at the end to congratulate the players on a solid win.
FT: Alfreton Town 0-2 Grimsby Town
This now leaves Grimsby 3 points behind leaders Barnet and 2 behind 2nd placed, Bristol Rovers. Still all to play for in the final fixtures.
Team Lineups (Grimsby Town v Gateshead):
Grimsby Town:
1. McKeown
6. Magnay
5. Pearson (Chapell - 86')
22. Nsiala
35. Robertson
4. Brown
7. Mackreth
8. Disley
20. Arnold (Jolley - 78')
14. John-Lewis (Pittman - 79')
33. Palmer
Substitutes:
16. Clay
18. Pittman
19. Parslow
34. Jolley
37. Chapell
Gateshead:
32. Dixon
16. Baxter
5. Curtis
12. Ramshaw (Orrell - 60' )
25. Pattison
9. Shaw
4. Chandler
26. Gjokaj [Sent Off - 2 bookable offences]
23. Rodman
19. Rankine Booked
27. Sainte-Luce
Substitutes:
1. Bartlett
3. Wilson
14. Morse
29. Orrell (Campbell- 96' )
31. Campbell
Team Lineups (Alfreton Town v Grimsby Town):
Alfreton Town:
1 Flynn
05 Graham
03 Rowe-Turner
29 Phillips (Johnston - 78' )
02 Wood
28 Howe
10 Bradley
12 Shaw (Thanoj - 66' )
11 Howell (Ironside - 84' )
07 Speight
23 Hawley
Substitutes:
The first match of the extended weekend for The Mariners was at Blundell Park against Gateshead. An eventful game saw Grimsby salvage a point after Craig Disley's 95th minute header rippled the back of the net.
Kevin Saint-Luce put the visitors ahead on the 34th minute mark, after being allowed to waltz through the Grimsby defence. A well struck strike, from 20 yards out, arrowed into the top corner to give Gateshead a half-time lead.
HT: Grimsby Town 0-1 Gateshead
Grimsby came out in the second half with a lot more intent and seemed hungry to take the game to The Heed. This was rewarded after 54 minutes, when Mariners winger, Jack Mackreth, cut inside from the right wing and drilled a superb shot straight past the onlooking Joel Dixon.
Gateshead weren't happy to settle for a draw and showed more drive going forward and this paid off when Saint-Luce rifled The Heed back in front, with 17 minutes left to go.
When Grimsby thought the game was lost, with many Grimsby fans leaving early, assuming that Gateshead would be victorious, Grimsby skipper, Craig Disley met Jack Mackreth's cross and headed home to give The Mariners a well deserved point and keep them in the title race.
FT: Grimsby Town 2-2 Gateshead
Just two days later, The Mariners made the 170 mile round-trip to Alfreton Town.
Grimsby boss, Paul Hurst, made 5 changes to the first team squad that faced Gateshead, including giving Josh Gowling his long-awaited debut. Carl Magnay and Ollie Palmer were dropped to the bench.
Keen to make up for their draw against Gateshead, Grimsby started brightly but just failed to find the net. Lenell John-Lewis squandered several chances while Craig Clay's well-struck volley fell into the hands of Alfreton keeper, Thomas Flynn.
HT: Alfreton Town 0-0 Grimsby Town
After going in at half-time, without a goal, The Mariners upped their tempo and pinned Alfreton into their own half. It was inevitable that Grimsby would score and that occurred when debutant Josh Gowling deflected Jack Mackreth's effort on goal, into the back of the net.
Lenell John-Lewis doubled the scoreline and confirmed the win, just 3 minutes from time, after nodding in Craig Clay's cross.
This sent 2500 following Town fans into absolute elation and provoked a few excited fans to invade the pitch at the end to congratulate the players on a solid win.
FT: Alfreton Town 0-2 Grimsby Town
This now leaves Grimsby 3 points behind leaders Barnet and 2 behind 2nd placed, Bristol Rovers. Still all to play for in the final fixtures.
Team Lineups (Grimsby Town v Gateshead):
Grimsby Town:
1. McKeown
6. Magnay
5. Pearson (Chapell - 86')
22. Nsiala
35. Robertson
4. Brown
7. Mackreth
8. Disley
20. Arnold (Jolley - 78')
14. John-Lewis (Pittman - 79')
33. Palmer
Substitutes:
16. Clay
18. Pittman
19. Parslow
34. Jolley
37. Chapell
Gateshead:
32. Dixon
16. Baxter
5. Curtis
12. Ramshaw (Orrell - 60' )
25. Pattison
9. Shaw
4. Chandler
26. Gjokaj [Sent Off - 2 bookable offences]
23. Rodman
19. Rankine Booked
27. Sainte-Luce
Substitutes:
1. Bartlett
3. Wilson
14. Morse
29. Orrell (Campbell- 96' )
31. Campbell
Team Lineups (Alfreton Town v Grimsby Town):
Alfreton Town:
1 Flynn
05 Graham
03 Rowe-Turner
29 Phillips (Johnston - 78' )
02 Wood
28 Howe
10 Bradley
12 Shaw (Thanoj - 66' )
11 Howell (Ironside - 84' )
07 Speight
23 Hawley
Substitutes:
- 04 Courtney
- 18 Ironside
- 21 Thanoj
- 25 Lenighan
- 27 Johnston