Grimsby Town fought back from two goals down to earn a draw with Milton Keynes Dons at Blundell Park and extend their unbeaten sequence in Sky Bet League Two to seven games.

After winning each of their last five league matches, the Mariners looked in danger of falling to a first defeat of 2026 as their visitors established a 2-0 half-time lead when a Callum Paterson penalty was added to by Marvin Ekpiteta.

But in a lunchtime thriller in front of the live Sky Sports cameras, Town once again showed great character to stage a superb comeback after the break, with Jaze Kabia scoring twice to cancel the Dons’ advantage out and secure a point.

Head coach David Artell made five changes to his Grimsby starting line-up following the midweek away victory at Colchester United, with Jayden Sweeney, Jamie Walker, George McEachran and Kabia all returning to the team as Andy Cook was given his first start since rejoining the club.  They replaced Reece Staunton, Geza Turi, Darragh Burns, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Kieran Green.

Jackson Smith continued in goal, with Harvey Rodgers wearing the captain’s armband as he lined up alongside Sam Lavelle, Cameron McJannet and Sweeney in the back four.  McEachran, Walker and Evan Khouri made up a central midfield trio, while Kabia and Charles Vernam pushed forward in support of striker Cook.

Staunton, Turi and Burns were all named on the bench, where they were joined by Justin Amaluzor, Tyrell Warren, Clarke Oduor and Tyrell Sellars-Fleming.

The Dons arrived in Cleethorpes on an excellent run of form themselves, with Paul Warne’s men sitting second in the league table after three straight wins.  They would be looking for another victory to close the gap to leaders Bromley to three points ahead of the division’s other fixtures later in the afternoon.

FIRST HALF

The visitors created the first chance of the game inside the opening minute, as Ben Wiles played a through-ball into the penalty area for Aaron Collins but the striker could not hit the target with his shot.

Wiles then appeared to have got the better of Sweeney to reach a ball over the top, although the left-back recovered well and eased the midfielder off the ball.

Wiles was involved again on eight minutes as his first-time strike from 20 yards was blocked for a throw-in, before the away side won the first corner as their bright start continued.  Lavelle and McJannet both needed treatment before it was taken, leaving Town without both of their centre-backs for the set piece, but it did not come at a cost as Walker headed the flag-kick clear.

Smith came off his line to get to a low ball across the box from Wiles ahead of Paterson, then McJannet had to be alert to get back and get the ball away for a corner after quick thinking from a Dons throw looked to have led to an opening for Collins.

Town were yet to create an opportunity in front of goal as the 15-minute mark passed, although a clever ball from Walker called goalkeeper Craig Macgillivray into action as he came off his line to beat Cook to it.

But the visitors had made the better start and they were given an opportunity to make it count with a penalty on 22 minutes.  Lavelle brought Collins down and after the referee pointed to the spot, the Dons’ leading scorer PATERSON stepped up to calmly roll the ball past Smith.

The Mariners went close to an almost instant response as Rodgers pulled the ball back for Walker on the edge of the box but his strike flashed wide of the target.

Smith confidently claimed the ball from a right-wing corner, before Staunton replaced Sweeney as Town made the first substitution on 26 minutes.

But the Dons doubled their advantage two minutes later, as a Paterson long throw from the right was not fully dealt with and EKPITETA fired through a crowd to find the far corner of the net via a deflection and make it 2-0.

The Mariners had a spell of pressure soon afterwards as they looked to get back into the contest and after a Khouri flick from a Staunton cross was dealt with, a shirt-pull on Khouri brought a free kick in a dangerous position on the left.  From it, the ball was in the net from a training ground move as Vernam pulled it back for McEachran and he sent it to the far post, where Kabia powered a header past Macgillivray.  The celebrations were short-lived though, as the offside flag ruled the goal out.

Vernam saw the first yellow card of the afternoon for pulling Gethin Jones down on the halfway line, although Smith got to the ball after the resulting free kick had been flicked on inside the box.

Vernam fired high over the bar on 40 minutes after Walker had done well to win the ball back in midfield, then Cook went down inside the box under pressure as he aimed to meet a cross from Walker on the right, although his penalty claims were waved away.

Cook headed just wide from another Walker cross as the Mariners kept searching to get a goal back before half-time.

After they were given at least six additional minutes to force their way back into the game, a free kick from Smith was headed on by Lavelle for Kabia but the striker was crowded out on the edge of the box.

Town finished the half on the attack but their visitors remained solid at the back to ensure they went in with a two-goal advantage at the break.

SECOND HALF

No further changes were made ahead of the restart and Town had the first opportunity when a throw-in on the left led to McEachran crossing for Cook but his header across goal was caught by Macgillivray.

Khouri lifted a shot over the bar from eight yards, then Kabia won a corner as the hosts’ purposeful start to the second half continued.  The ball was worked to Walker from the flag but his 25-yard strike did not trouble the keeper.

Staunton headed a cross from the away left clear after the referee had played an advantage following a tussle between McJannet and Collins, before a free kick for a foul by Khouri saw Collins head across goal, although Smith rose highest to claim the ball.

A Vernam corner from the Town left was headed clear but the home pressure continued and Kabia and Cook both saw efforts blocked in quick succession, the latter for a corner which led to Walker shooting over the bar.

Good battling by Walker looked to have created another opportunity but defender Luke Offord did well to block the midfielder and when the ball broke for Rodgers, he slipped as he shaped to shoot.

But soon afterwards, the pressure told as the Mariners halved their deficit.  Khouri battled well to win the ball on the left and Vernam then linked up with McEachran, whose ball to the far post was finished well by KABIA to make it 2-1.

Rodgers won a corner on the right as the volume went up around Blundell Park, with the hosts now looking to get themselves back on level terms.  The ball from the flag broke for Cook, whose overhead kick dropped just wide.

McJannet cleared Paterson’s low pull-back after the striker had beaten Lavelle on the away left and it turned out to be Patterson’s last contribution as he was replaced by Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.  Liam Kelly made way for Connor Lemonheigh-Evans at the same time.

Town forced another corner on the right soon afterwards and it produced the equalising goal on 72 minutes, as Staunton’s delivery fell perfectly for KABIA to head past Macgillivray.

Offord was booked for bringing Walker down on the halfway line as Town now looked to complete a remarkable turnaround.  The free kick was played to Staunton and he found Cook but the striker could only head through to the keeper.

Town were firmly on top and the Dons had offered little in attack since the interval but they won a corner on the right on 76 minutes.  It was met by defender Curtis Nelson but his header was blocked for another corner, this time on the left.  This time, Cook headed the ball away.

Vernam won a corner at the other end soon afterwards but the Mariners were unable to make it count.

Warren replaced Lavelle in the hosts’ second change on 79 minutes, before substitute Lemonheigh-Evans himself had to be replaced after he was unable to continue following a clash of heads.  Ex-Town loanee Jay Matete was sent on in his place.

More Grimsby changes followed with four minutes to go, as Cook and Walker made way for Amaluzor and Turi.

John Mellish won a corner for the away side when his low cross from the left was cut out but McEachran headed Wiles’ delivery from the flag clear.

Both teams were given extra opportunity to find a winning goal as a minimum of 10 added minutes was signalled and a ricochet off Turi almost dropped for Kabia, only for Macgillivray to come off his line and get to the ball first.

Sellars-Fleming came on for Vernam with four of the extra minutes remaining and his first involvement was to win a throw-in on the left after a brillianr touch by Kabia.

Great work by Khouri saw him draw a foul inside the Dons half and after Matete was booked for the challenge, the danger from the free kick was eventually dealt with.

Town were not finished and another free kick came moments later, on the left.  Staunton’s ball was headed clear.

Kabia won a corner as the late pressure continued to build but after McJannet headed Staunton’s delivery across goal, nobody could get on the end of it.

And that proved to be the final chance of an entertaining contest, with both sides forced to settle for a point.

Town are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to face Newport County.

Town: Smith, Rodgers, Lavelle (Warren, 79), McJannet, Sweeney (Staunton, 27), Walker (Turi, 86), McEachran, Khouri, Kabia, Cook (Amaluzor, 86), Vernam (Sellars-Fleming, 90+6)

Subs not used: Burns, Oduor