A second-half fightback proved not to be enough as Grimsby Town were beaten by Bradford City at Blundell Park.
The Mariners started brightly but fell behind when Lee Novak opened the scoring with an overhead kick, before Levi Sutton doubled the visitors’ advantage just before half-time.
Harry Clifton halved the deficit four minutes after the break but although they kept pressing in search of an equaliser, Town were unable to force a share of the spoils as Bradford held firm.
Just one change was made to the Grimsby starting XI following the morale-boosting derby victory over Scunthorpe United at the weekend.
Luke Waterfall was the one to return to the team after serving a one-match ban, as he replaced Saturday’s goalscorer Mattie Pollock in the centre of defence.
James McKeown continued in goal, with Luke Hendrie, Elliott Hewitt, Waterfall and Danny Preston making up the back four.
Filipe Morais, Clifton, Luke Spokes and Kyle Bennett were the midfielders, with Ira Jackson and Montel Gibson lining up in attack.
The substitutes were Sam Russell, Joe Starbuck, James Tilley, Danny Rose, Owura Edwards, Duncan Idehen and Matt Green.
Bradford were also looking for back-to-back wins after registering a 1-0 home victory over Cambridge on Saturday.
Caretaker manager Mark Trueman named an unchanged line-up which included former Town attacker Billy Clarke and ex-Mariners loanee goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell.
An early away corner was cleared, before a cross from Morais on the right was headed away at the other end.
A low shot from Hendrie on seven minutes went through to O’Donnell, then another Morais cross from the right was headed behind for a corner, which led to Spokes volleying wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Spokes was fouled inside the Bradford half on 13 minutes but Bennett’s free-kick was headed clear. Town kept possession though and they won a corner on the right, which saw Gibson head over the bar.
The Mariners had been the better side in the opening exchanges but they fell behind on 21 minutes when NOVAK controlled a ball from Callum Cooke with his back to goal and beat McKeown with an overhead kick that looped into the top corner of the net.
Town’s response saw them win another corner on the right and from it, Waterfall’s header was deflected wide for another one. This time, the ball was headed clear.
Gibson did well to work the space for a shot from inside the box on the half-hour but he was unable to get enough power on the effort to trouble O’Donnell.
A cross from Preston on the left was headed clear before Gibson could get on the end of it, before a shot by Sutton was blocked for a Bradford corner.
The visitors doubled their lead a minute before the break when a good ball over the top from Clarke found SUTTON, who lifted it over McKeown and into the net from 20 yards.
One added minute was played before half-time and after the Mariners had looked to have made the better start to the game, it was their visitors who were in control at the interval.
Edwards and Green replaced Jackson and Gibson in the home attack before the restart and Town were back in the contest within four minutes when they made it 2-1. A cross from Bennett on the left was controlled and pulled back by Edwards at the far post and CLIFTON applied the finish from close range.
A foul on Edwards inside the Bradford half brought an opportunity to get the ball into the box again from a free-kick but Waterfall was flagged offside as he headed Bennett’s delivery on.
Morais won a corner on the right on 62 minutes but Waterfall’s header from it flew over the bar.
Tilley came on in place of Bennett soon afterwards, before Cooke drilled a shot wide for the visitors after a great ball from Clarke had been held up by Harry Pritchard.
Pritchard was replaced by Gareth Evans and Kurtis Guthrie came on for Clarke as Bradford made a double-substitution on 68 minutes.
Hendrie lifted a shot over the bar after a good move down the right as the Mariners kept looking for an equaliser.
A stoppage came when Spokes went down injured but he was passed fit to play on after receiving treatment.
Clayton Donaldson came on in place of Novak for Bradford with eight minutes to go, before Starbuck and Rose were sent on for Morais and Preston for Town.
McKeown kept the Mariners in the game with a great save from Cooke on 87 minutes after a cross from Guthrie on the left fell for the midfielder.
Four added minutes were played at the end of the game, with Tyler Trench replacing Cooke for the away side in the latest substitution.
Town kept pushing forward but they could not find a way through as Bradford saw out the remainder of the game to secure all three points.
The Mariners are next in action on Boxing Day, when they travel to Morecambe.
Town
- James McKeown (C)
- Luke Hendrie DF
- Danny Preston
- Elliott Hewitt
- Luke Waterfall
- Harry Clifton
- Filipe Morais
- Luke Spokes
- Kyle Bennett
- Ira Jackson Jr
- Montel Gibson
Substitutes
- Sam Russell
- Duncan Idehen
- Owura Edwards
- Danny Rose
- Joseph Starbuck
- James Tilley
- Matt Green
Bradford
- James McKeown (C)
- Luke Hendrie
- Danny Preston
- Elliott Hewitt
- Luke Waterfall
- Harry Clifton
- Filipe Morais
- Luke Spokes
- Kyle Bennett
- Ira Jackson Jr
- Montel Gibson
Substitutes
- Sam Russell
- Duncan Idehen
- Owura Edwards
- Danny Rose
- Joseph Starbuck
- James Tilley
- Matt Green
Referee: John Busby
Next Up: Morecambe (A)
