The Mariners will have to come from behind if they are to reach the Sky Bet League Two play-off final after Salford City edged to a 2-1 advantage in the semi-final first leg at Blundell Park.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Cleethorpes, Town made a dream start as Reece Staunton’s stunning volley opened the scoring within the first 30 seconds.

Salford’s response was swift, however, and they hit back through Kallum Cesay to make it 1-1 with still only four minutes on the clock.

The visitors went on to complete the turnaround five minutes before the break as defender Ademola Olowu’s header put them ahead.

Neither side could strike a further blow in the second half, leaving the tie firmly in the balance as the teams head to Greater Manchester for Friday’s second leg, with a place in the Wembley final on the line.

Four changes were made to the Grimsby starting XI after the draw at Tranmere Rovers on the last day of the regular season, as head coach David Artell reverted to the team that secured a play-off place by beating Swindon Town in the previous game.

That meant Harvey Rodgers, Staunton, Clarke Oduor and Jaze Kabia all returned, with Tyrell Warren, Jayden Sweeney, Jamie Walker and Charles Vernam making way.

Jackson Smith continued in goal, with Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Staunton forming the defence.  Geza Turi sat behind a midfield of Justin Amaluzor, Kieran Green, Oduor and Kabia, while Andy Cook led the attack.

Sweeney, Walker, Warren and Vernam were all named on the bench, alongside Christy Pym, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Darragh Burns.

Salford’s goalless draw at Crawley Town last time out meant they missed out on automatic promotion but Karl Robison’s side still came into the play-offs as the highest-placed team.

Robinson made three changes to his starting line-up, with Kelly N’Mai, Haji Mnoga and Cesay all coming into the XI.

 

FIRST HALF

 

Town were on the attack from the kick-off and within half a minute, they were ahead.  A cross from Rodgers on the right was headed away as far as STAUNTON, whose cushioned, 25-yard volley flew into the top corner of the net to lift the roof off a sold-out Blundell Park.

But the visitors were behind for just three minutes until they hit back with a quickfire equaliser.  A throw-in from the left was headed on by N’Mai and Dan Udoh’s touch found CESAY, who worked an opening before beating Smith with a low finish from inside the penalty area.

Cook did well to chase a long ball down and thought he had won the game’s first corner but the assistant referee on the far side ruled he had taken it out of play for a goal kick.

Soon afterwards, N’Mai made his way into the box at the other end and went down under a challenge from Turi, only for the referee to wave the winger’s penalty claim away.

Smith caught a header from Udoh, before a free kick from the away right was dealt with and Staunton won a foul near the right corner flag after the visitors went forward again.

Salford had been on top since levelling the scores and both Cesay and N’Mai got their heads to a cross from the right on 18 minutes but neither could turn the ball towards goal.

Luke Garbutt saw the first yellow card for a shirt-pull on Amaluzor near the halfway line and from the resulting free kick, Green won a corner on the right but the Mariners were unable to make it count.

N’Mai won Salford’s first corner on 22 minutes but Cook headed Garbutt’s flag-kick clear, then a Town free kick from Staunton on the right was cleared at the edge of the box by Josh Austerfield.

Cook saw a shot deflected wide for a corner after Green had done well to win the ball on the edge of the Salford penalty area and after Staunton’s delivery was headed away, it broke for Turi, whose low cross from the right led to Kabia sending a near-post flick just wide.

The momentum was swinging back Town’s way as the half-hour mark passed, although the visitors created a chance on 33 minutes which led to Matt Butcher volleying straight at Smith.

Ryan Graydon was just wide of the far post with a low attempt from the right soon afterwards, then Turi won a Grimsby corner but Amaluzor headed Staunton’s ball over the bar.

N’Mai won a corner on the Salford left on 40 minutes and from it, they grabbed the lead.  Garbutt’s delivery was met by OLOWU and his header took a deflection on its way past Smith.  The Town players and staff appealed for offside against Haji Mnoga, who was stood in front of the keeper, but the goal stood.

Two added minutes were played at the end of the first half as the hosts went forward in search of an equaliser before the break but an offside decision against Rodgers brought their final attack to an end and Salford went into the dressing rooms with the advantage.

 

SECOND HALF

 

No changes were made before the restart and an early, 20-yard strike by Kabia proved comfortable for goalkeeper Matt Young.

Amaluzor almost had an opening six minutes in after a good ball by Green from the left but good defending by Garbutt saw him get the ball back to the keeper.

A low, driven cross from Rodgers was dealt with, then Kabia fired off-target from the edge of the box as Town’s promising start to the second half continued.

Olowu headed over the bar from the away side’s first opportunity since the interval, then Austerfield was booked for a foul on Amaluzor.

A foul on Kabia gave Town a free kick in a dangerous position on 63 minutes, although Staunton’s shot was gathered at the second attempt by Young.

Smith came off his line to get to the ball ahead of Udoh at the other end, before Rosaire Longelo replaced N’Mai as Salford made the first substitution.

Vernam and Burns came on for Kabia and Amaluzor in Town’s first changes moments later, before a free kick from halfway was dealt with by the away defence.

The substitutions continued as Austerfield made way for Ben Woodburn on 72 minutes, then Green and Vernam both saw shots blocked from distance as Town kept looking for a way of getting themselves level.

Oduor made way for Walker as the Mariners made a third substitution with 11 minutes to go and Staunton had to concede a corner three minutes later as he blocked a cross from Cesay.  The ball from the flag was cleared.

Cole Stockton and Fabio Borini were sent on in place of Udoh and Graydon on 88 minutes as Salford sensed there could be an opportunity to grab a third goal to take into the return leg.

Town were still looking for their own chance to add to the scoresheet and Burns won a corner on the right but the hosts were unable to turn it into a goalscoring opportunity.

Seven added minutes brought renewed hope for the home fans and Burns created an opening for Green but the midfielder could not beat Young.

Woodburn won a corner on the away right but Butcher’s delivery was cleared by McJannet and with no further chances coming for either side, Salford’s narrow advantage remained intact as the final whistle signalled the halfway point in the tie.

The two teams will now meet again at the Peninsula Stadium in Salford on Friday evening, where the Mariners will aim to overturn their one-goal deficit and secure a place in the play-off final.

 

Town: Smith, Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton, Turi, Amaluzor (Burns, 68), Green, Oduor (Walker, 79), Kabia (Vernam, 68), Cook

Subs not used: Pym, Sweeney, Soonsup-Bell, Warren