The Mariners’ build-up to the new season continued with a 1-1 draw in their second friendly against Grimsby Borough.

After opening their pre-season programme with a narrow victory over Cleethorpes Town on Saturday, Town were given another tough test by local opposition in a keenly-contested match at the Bradley Football Development Centre.

Head coach David Artell again named two almost completely different line-ups for either half, with only goalkeeper Seb Auton playing the full game, allowing as many of the squad as possible to get more vital minutes on the pitch.

Town took the lead through an early Alfie Taylor own-goal but the home side hit back when Tom Sawyer levelled the scores.

Both sides created further chances and there was plenty of good football on show but ultimately, nobody could force a winning goal.

Auton started in goal for the Mariners, with youth team defender Alex Graham alongside Doug Tharme and Tyrell Warren in a back three. Darragh Burns and Charles Vernam operated as wing-backs, while Geza Turi, Kieran Green and Jamie Walker made up the midfield and Zak Gilsenan supported Jaze Kabia in attack.

The Borough line-up included several ex-Mariners, with Bradley Wood, Sawyer, Dayle Southwell and Josh Venney all featuring from the start for Dan Barrett’s side.

FIRST HALF

Town started well and took the lead on five minutes. Vernam found Gilsenan down the left and his low pull-back towards Kabia was flicked into the net by defender Taylor.

The home side’s first chance came seven minutes later, when Sawyer headed an Alex Flett free kick from the right towards goal. Auton was equal to it, reaching up to tip the ball over his bar for a corner, which eventually led to a blocked shot from Wood.

Borough were back on level terms soon afterwards though, as SAWYER met a Venney corner to beat the keeper from close range.

AJ Adelakan headed at Auton from another corner, before Green saw a first-time effort saved by home stopper Liam Higton after connecting with a cross from Kabia.

Vernam and Walker linked up to create an opening soon afterwards but Kabia could not find the bottom corner of the net, then Adelakan did well to win a corner on the Borough left. It was cleared as far as Venney, whose 20-yard strike flew over the bar.

Rio Molyneux set off on a run through the middle on 33 minutes but was brought down by Warren before he could reach the penalty area. Taylor’s free kick hit the Town wall.

Gilsenan fired at Higton from 25 yards, then Green had the ball in the net from a rebound after a Vernam strike was parried by the keeper but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and Bailey Wright saw a shot blocked for the hosts after a Flett free kick was headed back.

That proved to be the last opportunity for either side to go in at half-time with the advantage, as it remained 1-1 at the break.

SECOND HALF

Auton was the only one of the first-half XI to remain on the pitch for the Mariners after the restart, with Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Matty Carson now forming the defence. Justin Amaluzor, George McEachran, Evan Khouri, Henry Brown and Reece Staunton were the midfielders, while Cameron Gardner partnered Danny Rose in attack.

Borough, who also made a number of substitutions at half-time, won a corner five minutes in but Venney’s delivery from the right beat everybody.

Molyneux was replaced on 55 minutes in the home side’s latest change, then Rodgers stayed down after a challenge and Fortune Onoh came on in his place on the hour.

A Staunton corner from the right was cleared, before one former Mariner replaced another in the Borough attack as Southwell made way for Edwin Essel.

Town went close to reclaiming the advantage on 74 minutes, when a good move down the right led to Onoh playing a low ball across the six-yard line. Rose connected with it but could only send the ball just wide of the far post.

Reece York watched a powerful drive bounce back off the bar at the other end moments later, before another promising move by the Mariners ended with the ball ricocheting wide off Gardner.

Borough substitute goalkeeper Dec Dennis dived to make a great save from Khouri’s low, 20-yard strike, as the visitors kept looking for a second goal.

A foul on Brown then brought a free kick to the left of the home penalty area with five minutes to go but Town were unable to make it count, as Staunton’s low ball was cleared as far as McEachran and his strike flew over the bar.

Gardner saw a shot blocked from a corner as the clock ticked into added time and with no further chances coming for either side, it ended all-square.

Town are next in pre-season action on Tuesday, July 15th, when they travel to Gainsborough Trinity.

Town (first half): Auton, Graham, Tharme, Warren, Burns, Turi, Green, Walker, Vernam, Gilsenan, Kabia
(Second half): Auton, Rodgers (Onoh, 60), McJannet, Carson, Amaluzor, McEachran, Khouri, Brown, Staunton, Gardner, Rose

UTM