Grimsby Town shared the points with Boreham Wood after a goalless draw at Meadow Park.

The Mariners had the better chances in a game between two teams pushing for National League play-off places but were ultimately unable to make a breakthrough.

After a tight first 45 minutes with few opportunities for either side, Town were on top for much of the second half but two good saves by home keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond from John McAtee and substitute Jordan Maguire-Drew kept the scores level.

Boreham Wood found it difficult to put together sustained spells of pressure, although former Mariners defender Jamal Fyfield hit the side-netting with a header from a corner and substitute Scott Boden missed the target with a volley in added time.

Town continued to push forward as they aimed to become the first team to beat the Hertfordshire side at home in the league this season but the visitors were eventually forced to settle for a point.

Three changes were made to the Grimsby starting XI following last week’s win at Yeovil, with Giles Coke replacing Callum Jones, Erico Sousa coming in for Sean Scannell and Ryan Taylor returning to the team in place of Emmanuel Dieseruvwe.

Max Crocombe started in goal, with Michee Efete, Andy Smith, Luke Waterfall and Danny Amos in defence.  Sousa, Coke, Scott Burgess and Harry Clifton formed the midfield, with John McAtee supporting Taylor in attack.

Dieseruvwe and Scannell were named on the bench, along with Shaun Pearson, Maguire-Drew and Tristan Abrahams.

Boreham Wood came into the game sitting fifth in the table but looking to get back to winning ways after losing to local rivals Barnet last time out.

But they were yet to taste defeat on home turf this season, with a record of 10 wins and six draws.

Town began brightly, with keeper Ashby-Hammond called into action to stop a shot from distance by McAtee on six minutes as the visitors registered the first attempt on target.

A foul by Efete gave the home side a free kick on their left, halfway inside the Grimsby half, but the ball from it was cleared for a throw-in after David Stephens had won the initial header.

McAtee was brought down by Frankie Raymond on 15 minutes and it eventually led to a shot from Coke being blocked after Boreham Wood struggled to clear their lines when Amos sent the ball towards the penalty area.

Waterfall became the first to see the referee’s yellow card when he fouled Tyrone Marsh two minutes later to stop a home counter-attack and the game’s first corner came soon afterwards when a shot was blocked by Efete.  The ball from the flag was cleared.

A cross from Dennon Lewis was cleared by Smith for a throw-in, before a cross by Jacob Mendy Mendy was well watched by Crocombe, who claimed the ball.

Coke saw another shot blocked on 23 minutes and the ball came to Clifton but his delivery into the box was too strong and it went out of play.

A home corner came on the half-hour but the ball from it was cleared after it had been headed back across goal.

Chances had been few and far between over an evenly matched opening 30 minutes but Town were given an opportunity to create danger from a free-kick for a foul on Sousa.  They were unable to make the most of it though.

A stoppage came when Efete and Mendy Mendy both stayed down after a challenge but they were both passed fit to continue after receiving treatment.

Gus Mafuta escaped a booking after bringing Amos down on 41 minutes, although a free-kick was given and McAtee’s ball from it was headed clear.

Another foul came as the half moved into two added minutes and this time, Stephens was booked for his challenge on Clifton.   Amos floated the ball into the box and Ashby-Hammond came off his line to catch it.

It had been a scrappy, stop-start first half where neither side had established a grip on the game and with no further chances, it remained goalless at the interval.

No changes were made before the restart and another Amos free kick for Town was headed clear after Clifton had done well at the other end to see the ball through for Crocombe.

Good play by Efete down the right led to a cross which Clifton got a touch to but could not divert towards goal.

Another opportunity came on 53 minutes when Taylor threaded a ball through for Amos but after cutting inside, he could not beat Ashby-Hammond in the Boreham Wood goal.

Town’s positive start to the half continued with a corner a minute later and after the initial delivery was half-cleared, the ball came back to Amos and his shot was blocked at the far post.  It fell for Waterfall but he could only fire over the bar.

Crocombe did well to come out and clear the danger after a mistake by Smith on the hour, before an Amos cross was headed away at the other end.

The hosts won a corner on 62 minutes and it was headed over his own bar by Taylor for another one.  This time, Boreham Wood captain Fyfield met it with a free header but could only find the side-netting with what was their best chance of the game so far.

McAtee sent a shot just wide after he was found by Clifton following good play by Sousa, then McAtee was denied by a good save from Ashby-Hammond after a quick break as Town kept up the pressure.

A foul on Coke earned Fyfield a yellow card and brought another opportunity to get the ball into the danger zone, although Amos’ delivery was dealt with by the home defence.

Dieseruvwe replaced Taylor as Town made the first substitution with 15 minutes to go, before a shot from Sousa went through to the keeper.

Boreham Wood made a double-change two minutes later, with James Comley replacing Raymond and Boden coming on for Danilo Orsi.

Maguire-Drew made his return from injury as he replaced Sousa on 79 minutes, with the game still goalless and the points there to be won.

A Town free kick was cleared after Mafuta had been booked for a foul on Dieseruvwe, before  a header at the other end was deflected away for a Boreham Wood corner.  Crocombe punched the ball from it clear.

Adrian Clifton came on for Marsh for the hosts and soon afterwards, Maguire-Drew almost gave the Mariners the lead when he whipped a shot towards the top corner of the net.  Ashby-Hammond was equal to it though as he tipped the ball away for a corner, which was cleared.

Town were still pushing forward as the game moved into five added minutes and they won a corner but it was punched clear by Ashby-Hammond.  The ball came out to Maguire-Drew, although his shot was blocked for a throw-in.

Boreham Wood had shown few signs of making a breakthrough themselves but they could have won the game in the dying seconds when a quick break led to Josh Rees crossing for Boden at the far post.  Town survived though as his volley flew off-target and with that went the last opportunity for either side to win it.

The Mariners may have been disappointed not to be celebrating a victory after being the better side for much of the contest but their efforts were at least rewarded with a point and they will now look ahead to Tuesday’s clash with fellow play-off contenders Solihull Moors at Blundell Park.