The Mariners’ season came to an end with a single-goal loss to AFC Wimbledon at Blundell Park.

Town came into the final game of the Sky Bet League Two campaign knowing a victory would take them into the play-offs and as a sold-out crowd roared them on, they were the better side throughout the first half as they chased an opening goal.

But after soaking up the pressure over the first 45 minutes, the visitors started strongly following the restart and they grabbed what turned out to be the only goal seven minutes in through midfielder Sam Hutchinson.

Grimsby poured forward in a bid to get back into what was a winner-takes-all contest but despite the best efforts of David Artell’s men, Wimbledon held firm to ensure their own place in the top seven and extend their season into next week’s semi-finals.

Justin Obikwu replaced Charles Vernam in the only change to the Grimsby starting XI after last week’s goalless draw at Milton Keynes Dons.

Jake Eastwood began in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme and Tyrell Warren forming the back three. Jason Svanthorsson and Denver Hume were the wing-backs, as George McEachran and Evan Khouri lined up behind Kieran Green in the centre of midfield and Obikwu was alongside Danny Rose in attack.

Vernam moved to the bench, where he was joined by Jordan Wright, Callum Ainley, Cameron McJannet, Lewis Cass, Darragh Burns and Luca Barrington.

Wimbledon made the journey north from south-west London requiring a draw or better to secure their place in the top seven and extend their season.

Manager Johnnie Jackson would look to top scorer Matty Stevens to provide the chief attacking threat, while ex-Town loanee James Tilley would also aim to cause problems for the home defence.

FIRST HALF

Warren headed an early cross from the away left clear, before Green won a throw-in near the corner flag at the other end. Tharme sent it into the box but defender Ryan Johnson headed away, although Town worked the ball back into the box for Rose to fire wide at the near post.

Khouri won a free kick on the left after good play by Obikwu and Hume sent a dangerous ball across the six-yard box from it, although Rodgers was unable to get a vital touch to turn it towards goal.

The visitors wo the first corner of the afternoon after Tharme headed behind from a long throw, although the centre-back was in place again to head clear from Tilley’s delivery.

Obikwu won a Town corner seconds later but Hume’s ball beat everybody and landed on the roof of the net.

Another Tharme long throw on 15 minutes led to Green heading wide, then a further throw from the right was ruled to have come off Warren last for a goal kick.

The first good chance of the game came three minutes later when Green sent a cross from the right over for Rose but the striker’s header bounced wide of the far post.

A foul by Khouri then gave the visitors an opportunity to cause problems from a free kick 10 yards inside the Town half. Dons captain Jake Reeves’ ball from it was headed away for a throw-in.

The Mariners were getting on top as the 20-minute mark passed and after a ricochet bounced just past the target for a corner, another long throw was dealt with before McEachran forced goalkeeper Owen Goodman into action for the first time as he dived to stop the midfielder’s low, 25-yard strike.

A foul on Khouri brought another opportunity to put pressure on the away goal with a free kick on the left, although Hume’s delivery was comfortable for Goodman.

Wimbledon were yet to threaten as the half-hour mark passed and defender Johnson saw the first yellow card of the game for bringing Obikwu down on the Town right. This time, Svanthorsson took the free kick but his ball to the edge of the penalty area was headed out for a throw-in.

A home penalty claim was waved away when Obikwu went down inside the box, with the referee giving the decision the other way for a foul by the Coventry City loanee.

Town’ main threat was still coming from Tharme’s long throws, although Khouri fired wide from 25 yards as the hosts continued to go forward.

Striker Marcus Browne saw the yellow card on 42 minutes for kicking the ball away after an offside decision, with Eastwood still untested in the Grimsby goal.

One added minute was played at the end of the half and Town finished it on the attack with a corner on the right. Hume took it but Browne was in place to head clear and the game remained goalless at the interval.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made by either side ahead of the restart and Josh Neufville saw an early shot blocked, before Tilley was denied by a good save from Eastwood at his near post.

A Wimbledon corner from the right was eventually dealt with after Johnson had headed the ball back across goal, then Reeves fired over the bar from distance as the away side started the second half strongly.

Tharme cleared a Johnson cross for a corner and from it, the Dons broke the deadlock. Reeves’ delivery was headed against the post by Riley Harbottle and Hutchinson was first to the rebound to hit the net from close range.

A Neufville cross was cleared by Tharme as the away side looked for a second goal, then Goodman came off his line at the other end to gather the ball after Johnson had done well to stop the run of Obikwu.

Neufville hit the side-netting from a narrow angle after cutting into the box from the left, before Goodman came out on top again as Obikwu stretched for the ball at close range.

Browne went close to doubling the Wimbledon advantage on 65 minutes when he beat the offside trap to go clear on the right but after making his way into the box, he could only send a low strike just past the far post.

McJannet replaced Warren in Town’s first change on 68 minutes, with the Mariners now needing to score twice to ensure a play-off place.

Eastwood gathered at the second attempt as Reeves shot from the edge of the box, then Tharme had to clear a low cross from Brown as Wimbledon kept looking for a second goal.

The away side’s first substitution saw Omar Bugiel replace Browne in attack with 14 minutes to go, before a Town corner from the left was eventually dealt with.

Barrington and Vernam came on for Rodgers and Khouri on 81 minutes, with the hosts adding extra attackers in a bid to change the course of the game.

Another Town corner followed but McJannet could only head over the bar under pressure, then more pressure came with a further two corners from the left but on both occasions, the away defence came out on top.

Goodman denied Obikwu at the expense of yet another corner but again, the Mariners were unable to make it count as the clock ticked down.

Josh Kelly came on for Stevens in the blue of Wimbledon with two minutes remaining and Myles Hippolyte followed him onto the pitch when he replaced Reeves as the game moved into added time.

The Mariners were still looking for a route back into the contest to set up a dramatic finale but ultimately, it was not to be as Wimbledon saw out the remaining time to confirm their play-off place.

For Town, the season finishes here but they can still reflect on an excellent campaign before preparing for the start of another term in League Two in August.

Town: Eastwood, Rodgers (Barrington, 81), Tharme, Warren (McJannet, 68), Svanthorsson, McEachran, Green, Khouri (Vernam, 81), Hume, Rose, Obikwu

Subs not used: Wright, Ainley, Cass, Burns

Attendance, brought to you by Kingsway Hotel Official: 8,369 with 1146 visitors