The Mariners continued their preparations for the new season as they drew 0-0 with Boston United.
After the 5-1 home victory over Lincoln City 24 hours earlier, a Town XI with a mixture of youth and experience took to the pitch at the Jakemans Community Stadium.
The National League hosts, led by former Grimsby boss Paul Hurst, started brightly and forced Town goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright into making a number of saves on his first outing since rejoining the club on loan from Hull City.
The visitors came into the game as the first half went on but could not force a breakthrough and the deadlock remained in place throughout the second period as the game finished level.
New signings Cartwright and Cian Doyle featured for the first time in Town head coach David Artell’s starting XI, with Cartwright lining up in goal as Joe Foulkes, Edon Pruti, Charlie Elliott and Tyler Pratt formed the defence. Kristian Catchpole started behind a midfield of Elliot Smith, Doyle, Lennon Peterson and Henry Brown, while Jaze Kabia led the attack.
Seb Auton, Darius Neagu, Malachi Golding, Henry Chisholm, James Binks, Ted Sharp and Josh Edwards formed a youthful substitutes’ bench.
Boston were playing their penultimate friendly, following on from victories over Alfreton Town and Peterborough United and losses to Lincoln City and Chesterfield.
Hurst named a strong Pilgrims line-up, with ex-Town favourite Lenell John-Lewis among the subs.
FIRST HALF
The hosts won the first corner of the game on five minutes but Jack Holmes’ delivery from the right was headed clear by Pruti.
Cartwright’s first test came soon afterwards when Holmes let fly from the edge of the penalty area and the keeper got down to make a good save.
Foulkes put a low cross behind for another home corner and the pressure continued with a further flag-kick from the left but this time, Pruti headed the ball away.
More danger came with a free kick in a central position, 25 yards out, although Cartwright was not troubled from it as Holmes’ shot flew over the bar.
The home side were on top in the early stages and a trialist had the next opportunity but Cartwright came off his line to block the shot for a corner, which was cleared.
Another save followed, this time from Ben Hammond, before Town’s first corner came on 20 minutes. Catchpole sent it towards the far post from the right but Kabia was unable to connect with a header.
Smith was denied as home keeper Louis Chadwick was called into action for the first time after Doyle won the ball with a strong challenge, then Catchpole lifted a 20-yard strike over the bar as the Mariners continued to come into the game.
A great ball over the top from Catchpole found Smith for the visitors’ best chance so far on 25 minutes, although he could not make it count with a low shot which went just wide of the far post.
Holmes created Boston’s next opportunity with a run from midfield but when he eventually shot from 20 yards, it was straight at Cartwright.
Tom Cursons was off-target with a first-time shot as he met a low cross from a trialist following a patient Boston build-up, before Chadwick got down to parry a powerful low strike from Smith at the other end. The offside flag then went up as Kabia looked to profit from the rebound.
Catchpole was off-target with a shot from distance on 38 minutes, before good defending by Pratt ensured a low cross from the home left was put behind for a corner. Pruti headed Holmes’ ball clear.
No further chances came before the half-time whistle, leaving the game goalless at the break.
SECOND HALF
Auton replaced Cartwright in the only Town change ahead of the restart, while Terrell Agyemang came on in place of Nicholas Pozo for Boston
Kabia was caught offside as he ran onto a ball from Catchpole as the Mariners aimed to create an early chance, then a good interception stopped Brown from getting on the end of a cross-field ball from Kabia.
Auton came off his line to get to the ball ahead of Holmes, before making a good save from a powerful drive by Cursons as Boston attacked again two minutes short of the hour. Foulkes did well to get to the rebound first.
John-Lewis was among the subs to come on as the home side made several changes on the hour, while Sheffield United loanee Sai Sachdev’s first involvement after coming off the bench was to clear a low cross from Foulkes.
Luke Faxon replaced Chadwick in goal for Boston on 74 minutes and Town made three changes at the same time, with Foulkes, Catchpole and Kabia making way for Sharp, Edwards and Golding.
Binks came on for Smith in a further change for the Mariners two minutes later, then a foul on Sharp gave the visitors a free kick in a promising position on the left. Brown’s low delivery into the box was cleared.
Faxon was called into serious action for the first time on 81 minutes to divert a deflected Brown strike around his far post for a corner and when the ball from the flag was not fully dealt with, it eventually broke for Peterson but he could not beat the keeper.
A foul on George Ward gave the hosts an opportunity to create danger from a free kick on the left, although Holmes’ powerful shot landed on the roof of the net.
A stoppage came for Pratt to receive treatment with three minutes to go and he was eventually replaced by Neagu for the remainder of the game.
Town had a chance to win the game as the clock ticked into one added minute, as Sharp met a low cross from the right but sent his first-time shot inches wide of the near post.
And that proved to be the final opportunity for either side to secure a victory as the scores ended level at 0-0.
Town’s next test comes on Saturday, when Wigan Athletic will be the visitors to Blundell Park for their latest pre-season friendly.
Town: Cartwright (Auton, 46), Foulkes (Edwards, 74), Pruti, Elliott, Pratt, Catchpole (Golding, 74), Smith (Binks, 76), Doyle, Peterson, Brown, Kabia (Sharp, 74)
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