Cameron McJannet’s header was not enough to earn the Mariners a positive result as they were beaten by Bradford City.

In a battle of two teams aiming to end the day in a Sky Bet League Two play-off position, Lewis Richards’ far-post finish and a Richie Smallwood penalty either side of half-time gave the hosts the advantage in West Yorkshire.

McJannet gave Town and their 2,187 travelling fans hope but Bradford went on to seal the points when Alex Pattison made it 3-1.

Four changes were made to the Grimsby team following the New Year’s Day defeat at Accrington Stanley, with Tyrell Warren, Jordan Davies, Luca Barrington and Danny Rose coming in for Lewis Cass, Kieran Green, Jayden Luker and Rekeil Pyke.

Jordan Wright started in goal, as Warren slotted into the back four alongside Harvey Rodgers, McJannet and Denver Hume.  George McEachran, Evan Khouri and Davies were the midfielders, while Barrington and Jason Svanthorsson began either side of striker Rose.

Cass, Luker and Pyke were all named on the bench, along with Seb Auton, Matty Carson, Callum Ainley and Donovan Wilson.

Bradford began the day one place and two points behind the Mariners in the league table and Graham Alexander’s side were looking to move up into the top seven with a victory.

They were without former Town striker Andy Cook, who was injured in the Bantams’ 2-2 draw with Barrow last time out, so Callum Kavanagh was tasked with leading the home attack.

After a cagey start to the game, a foul on Antoni Sarcevic gave Bradford the first opportunity to create danger with a free kick inside the Town half.  It was played low to the left and crossed towards Aden Balwin, who was caught offside.

A short spell of Grimsby pressure followed, although another offside flag stopped a promising attack as Rose linked up with Davies.

Pattison fired harmlessly over Wright’s bar from 20 yards on 11 minutes after Brad Halliday pulled the ball back from the Bradford right, before McJannet had to clear for a corner when Pattison headed a ball from the left back across goal.  Rodgers headed Pointon’s flag-kick away and Davies got to the return ball first.

Halliday won another corner as the hosts looked to be on top but Rose headed Bobby Pointon’s flag-kick clear.  Bradford kept possession though and after they worked the ball back into the penalty area, Wright produced a brilliant save to deny Ciaran Kelly from close range.

The keeper came off his line soon afterwards to get to a through-ball ahead of Kavanagh, then Warren made a good block from Pointon as Bradford continued to attack.

Town were gifted a corner in a defensive mix-up after Rose won the ball in midfield and looked for Svanthorsson, although they were unable to make the flag-kick count.

Pointon earned a corner at the other end soon afterwards but it also failed to cause a problem as the referee spotted an infringement and blew for a Town free kick.

Another free kick moments later gave Hume a chance to send the ball to the edge of the home penalty area, where Rogers met it but headed through to keeper Sam Walker.

A late challenge on McEachran gave Town a further opportunity to attack from inside the Bradford half but the hosts broke from the free kick and a through ball put Sarcevic one-on-one with Wright.  The keeper was equal to the task as he stood tall to block the midfielder’s effort, then completed a superb double-save to deny Pointon from the rebound.

Baldwin saw the first yellow card of the afternoon on 39 minutes and Wright was called into action again soon afterwards when he got down to stop a low, 25-yard drive from Kavanagh, before a free kick for a foul by Warren caused no problems.

A minimum of two added minutes was signalled to be played before half-time and in the first of them, the home side finally made their breakthrough.  Baldwin crossed to the far post and RICHARDS met it to sweep a low finish past Wright and leave Town facing a one-goal deficit at the interval.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made ahead of the restart and Bradford were immediately on the attack again in a flowing move which ended with McJannet clearing a low cross.

The hosts were then given a chance to double their advantage when Pattison went down inside the box under a challenge from McJannet.  After taking a moment to think, the referee pointed to the penalty spot and SMALLWOOD stepped up to confidently beat Wright.

Town’s response saw Rose force a corner when his 20-yard effort was pushed away by Walker.  And from the flag, they were back in the contest as McJANNET met the ball at the near post and sent a looping header into the far corner of the net.

Khouri was booked for a poor challenge on Pattison after the referee had initially let play continue with Bradford on the attack, then Warren also saw the yellow card for bringing Pointon down on the home left.

Hume conceded a corner under pressure from Halliday on 57 minutes but it was well-defended and Smallwood became the next to go into the referee’s notebook when he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Davies.

Davies tested Walker with a strike from outside the box but the keeper got down to stop it, then Kavanagh was allowed to work his way into the penalty area from the left at the other end but dragged his shot wide of the near post.

Cass replaced Warren in Town’s first change on the hour but the home side were now piling pressure on again and Kavanagh headed wide from a left-wing cross at the end of a good possession move.

Ainley and Luker were sent on in place of McEachran and Barrington as Mariners boss David Artell looked to his bench again on 66 minutes.

But Bradford’s two-goal cushion was restored soon afterwards, as PATTTISON worked his way through the middle and hit a low effort from the edge of the box which found the net after hitting the post.

Richards saw a shot blocked and Sarcevic hit the side-netting from the rebound after Pointon sent a corner over from the right, then another corner followed when Rodgers headed a left-wing cross behind.  This time, it was played short and worked across the pitch for Sarcevic, whose cross was headed clear.

Sarcevic sent a first-time effort wide of the far post after another flowing move on 78 minutes, before Town’s final two substitutions saw Pyke and Wilson replace Khouri and Svanthorsson.

Rose fired wide on the turn after good play by Luker as the visitors looked for a way back into the game with four minutes to go.

Vadaine Oliver replaced Kavanagh and George Lapslie came on for Pointon as Bradford made a double-substitution and a Smallwood free kick from the left then led to an offside decision.

Five added minutes were played at the end of the game and Lapslie picked up a yellow card for a foul on Luker in the first of them.

Sarcevic was also booked for a foul on Luker, before Wilson sent a flick wide of the far post as Town kept pushing for a second goal with the clock ticking down.

And the home side saw out the remaining time to collect the points and send the Mariners to defeat.

Town are next in action on Saturday, when Notts County will be the visitors to Blundell Park for a 12.30pm kick-off.

 

Town: Wright, Warren (Cass, 60), Rodgers, McJannet, Hume, McEachran (Ainley, 66), Khouri (Pyke, 80), Davies, Barrington (Luker, 66), Rose, Svanthorsson (Wilson, 80)

Subs not used: Auton, Carson