Grimsby Town’s season came to a heartbreaking end despite a stirring fightback in their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final as Salford City won the tie after extra time at the Peninsula Stadium.

Trailing 2-1 after the first leg at Blundell Park, the Mariners travelled across the Pennines still very much in the contest but knowing they would have to win on the night to stand a chance of reaching the Wembley final.

After a low-key first half of few chances, Town’s task was made tougher when Dan Udoh’s volley eight minutes after the break gave Salford a two-goal aggregate lead.

But as they have done so many times over the course of the season, David Artell’s men once again refused to give in and after Kieran Green’s header brought them level on the night, substitute Jaze Kabia struck from close range to spark huge celebrations in the away end as Town made it 3-3 overall and set up an additional half-hour.

Both sides had opportunities to grab a winner in the extra time but with a penalty shoot-out looming, Kallum Cesay struck the decisive blow for Salford with three minutes remaining.

Three changes were made to the Grimsby starting XI after Sunday’s first leg, with Darragh Burns, Jamie Walker and Charles Vernam coming in for Justin Amaluzor, Clarke Oduor and Kabia.  There were also welcome returns from injury on the bench for Doug Tharme and George McEachran.

Jackson Smith continued in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Maldini Kacurri, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming an unchanged defence.  Geza Turi sat behind Burns, Green, Walker and Vernam in midfield, while Andy Cook was again chosen to lead the attack.

Amaluzor, Oduor and Kabia were all named as substitutes, joining Tharme, McEachran, Christy Pym and Tyrell Warren on the bench.

Salford were unchanged from the XI which began the game at Blundell Park, with Kelly N’Mai and Cesay again aiming to threaten from the wings as strikers Ryan Graydon and Udoh looked to get the goals.

FIRST HALF

Cesay headed through to Smith from a Haji Mnoga throw-in as the hosts were the first to attack, before a Staunton free kick was cleared at the other end.

Cook had the first shooting opportunity for Town but was unable to test goalkeeper Matt Young, then Turi did well to win the ball from N’Mai as Salford looked to go forward on their left.

McJannet won the game’s first corner on 10 minutes after a Staunton free kick from halfway was cleared as far as Walker.  Mnoga headed Vernam’s delivery behind for another one, which was eventually cleared by Cesay.

Town were controlling possession in the early stages as they aimed to get themselves level in the tie but N’Mai created the first big chance of the evening when he beat Kacurri and played the ball to Graydon inside the penalty area.  The striker aimed to place a shot from 12 yards but it did not have enough power to beat Smith, who made a comfortable stop.

Graydon won Salford’s first corner on 18 minutes after a sweeping move from left to right, although Smith confidently claimed the ball from Luke Garbutt’s delivery.

A foul on Burns gave Town a free kick inside the home half on 25 minutes but Vernam’s low cross was cleared after Staunton played the ball to the winger on the left.

Goalmouth action was still at a premium as the half-hour mark passed, although good pressure by Cook forced Young to show quick feet to get to a back-pass first and clear.

Staunton and Vernam linked up well on the left soon afterwards but Young caught the winger’s cross, then Brandon Cooper was penalised for a foul on Kacurri as they challenged for the ball from a cross at the other end.

Good covering by Rodgers saw him get back to clear for a throw-in after N’Mai cut in from the left, then Burns did well to win a goal kick as the Salford winger looked to cause more problems.

Town were struggling to create danger of their own as half-time loomed and McJannet had to head a Cesay cross clear as the hosts continued to go forward.

Young caught a cross from Staunton as the Mariners kept looking for a way to level the tie before the break.

But after two added minutes brought no further chances, the second leg remained goalless, with Salford’s slim aggregate advantage still intact.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made ahead of the restart and after a cagey opening to the second half, McJannet had to concede a corner eight minutes in under pressure from N’Mai.  From  it, Salford broke the deadlock on the night as Garbutt’s delivery fell for UDOH at the far post and he rifled a volley past Smith.

That meant Town would need to score twice to force extra time or find three goals without reply to win the tie within the 90 minutes.

A foul on Turi gave the visitors an opportunity to create danger with a free kick from halfway but they were unable to turn it into a chance in front of goal.

At the other end, the hosts were pushing for more goals and Rodgers had to head a cross from Matt Butcher behind for a corner.  Garbutt’s delivery led to another one on the opposite, right flank and this time, Salford were inches away from a second goal as Ademola Olowu’s header bounced back off the post.

Kabia and Amaluzor replaced Turi and Burns just after the hour as Town looked to their bench for the first time in a bid to change the course of the tie.

Amaluzor looked to have created an opening as he cut into the box from the right but his low pull-back was blocked and the home side brought the ball clear.

At this point, Salford were looking the more likely to add to the scoring and Olowu saw a header blocked after Cesay’s deflected strike brought another home corner.

Smith caught a free kick from Garbutt, then a foul on McJannet gave Town a platform to create danger from inside the home half.  Staunton’s chip to the far post was cleared as far as Walker, who saw a shot blocked.

Vernam was booked for a foul on Cesay after a quick break by the hosts, although Garbutt’s free kick was comfortably dealt with.

McEachran came on for Walker after a foul on Kabia gave Town another free kick but again, they were unable to make the set-piece opportunity count.

The pressure continued though, as Garbutt touched a Staunton cross behind for a corner on the right and this time, the Mariners grabbed their lifeline as Staunton’s ball found GREEN to head past Young for 1-1 on the night with 17 minutes to go.

Kadeen Harris replaced N’Mai in Salford’s first substitution after the goal and his first contribution was a run down the left which eventually led to Cesay firing wide from the edge of the box.

Moments later, the Mariners were level on aggregate.  Vernam played the ball out to Green on the right and his low cross found KABIA to finish from close range.

Kabia headed a Garbutt corner as Salford pushed forward in a bid to snatch the lead back but after scoring two goals in four minutes to wipe out their deficit, the momentum was now suddenly with the men in black and white and the noise was coming from the 564 away fans.

A strike from Butcher was blocked for the latest Salford corner and after it was headed clear by Kacurri, Harris was narrowly off-target with an attempt from distance.

The referee spotted a foul in Town’s favour as Garbutt sent another corner across from the right, then Mnoga could only turn a high, looping cross from the left behind for a goal kick.

A Vernam cross was headed away as the visitors looked for a vital third goal, with Ben Woodburn coming on for Josh Austerfield as the hosts made a further change with two minutes remaining.

The teams were given a minimum of six added minutes to find a winner and avoid extra time and Salford were the first to threaten as Garbutt let fly from 20 yards but Smith got down to stop his shot.

Green headed clear after Cesay was first to a free kick from keeper Young and the midfielder was also in place to head away when Butcher sent the ball back into the penalty area.

That proved to be the last opportunity for either side to win the game in normal time so with the aggregate score level at 3-3, an additional 30 minutes was needed in a bid to separate them.

EXTRA TIME

Fabio Borini came on for Graydon in the Salford attack before the restart and a foul on Mnoga two minutes in earned Green a yellow card.  Woodburn sent the free kick into the box from midway inside the Town half but Green headed clear.

Kabia fired just wide of the far post from the right as the Mariners launched their first attack of the extra time, then a free kick from the home left eventually led to Woodburn going down inside the box under pressure from Staunton, who earned a goal kick.

Green sent a first-time shot wide of the target after a flick-on by Cook, before Young came off his line to claim the ball from a Staunton free kick.

Smith got back to make a catch after Borini tried his luck with an ambitious attempt from distance, then Cook linked up well with Amaluzor but the Bradford City loanee could only volley wide from 20 yards in what turned out to be the final action of the first period of extra time, with the teams turning around still level at 3-3 overall.

Warren came on for Rodgers before the game resumed and an early long throw from Mnoga was cleared, before a low cross from Staunton broke for Amaluzor but he could not beat Young.

Green went down with an injury with 11 minutes to play and was unable to continue, so Oduor came on in his place.

Staunton got to a Garbutt cross first, then Warren made a superb block to deny Borini at the far post after Woodburn sent the ball back into the danger zone.

Striker Cole Stockton came on for Butcher as Salford looked for a winning goal and moments later, they made their breakthrough.  A long throw down the left by Mnoga was not dealt with and when the ball broke for CESAY, he held off the challenge of Warren and kept his nerve to slot past Smith and put the hosts ahead again with just three minutes remaining.

Tharme came on for Kacurri in a last roll of the dice for the Mariners and he was given the opportunity to use his long throw as the game moved into added time, although Young was first to the ball to punch clear.

A free kick inside the Salford half gave Town a final opportunity to take the tie to penalties but an offside decision brought the attack to an end.

The Mariners kept pushing forward but Salford held firm to record a 4-3 aggregate victory and seal their place in the final, where they will face Notts County at the national stadium on Monday, May 25.

Town are now left to reflect on a season of progress and plenty of memorable moments before regrouping ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Town: Smith, Rodgers (Warren, 106), Kacurri (Tharme, 117), McJannet, Staunton, Turi (Kabia, 61), Burns (Amaluzor, 61), Green (Oduor, 110), Walker (McEachran, 72), Vernam, Cook

Sub not used: Pym

UTM