The Mariners lost on the road for the first time this season as they were beaten 3-0 by Barnet at The Hive.
Town were forced to defend for much of the first half in north-west London against a lively home side but after a series of excellent blocks had kept the score goalless, midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh eventually made a breakthrough three minutes before the interval.
The visitors found genuine chances hard to come by as Barnet remained on top after half-time and two goals in the space of four minutes just after the hour took the game away from Town, as Lee Ndlovu made it 2-0 before Ofoborh’s second of the game wrapped up the three points.
Jamie Walker replaced Kieran Green in the only change to the Grimsby XI from the team that began the Carabao Cup third round victory at Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, with another impressive away following of 1,275 hoping for a similar result against the Bees.
Christy Pym started in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Tyrell Warren, Cameron McJannet and Reece Staunton forming an unchanged defence. George McEachran sat behind Justin Amaluzor, Walker, Evan Khouri and Charles Vernam in midfield, while Jaze Kabia continued to lead the attack.
Jayden Sweeney, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Geza Turi, Darragh Burns, Henry Brown, Clarke Oduor and Charlie Casper were all named on the bench.
Barnet began the day looking to improve on their position of 16th in the Sky Bet League Two table and aiming for back-to-back league wins after a 2-1 away victory at Crewe Alexandra last time out.
Striker Ndlovu would aim to be the chief threat for Dean Brennan’s side as they looked for a fourth victory back in the fourth tier after winning the National League last term.
FIRST HALF
McJannet had to concede the game’s first corner within 30 seconds of the kick-off as Barnet attacked down their right, although Danny Collinge headed it wide at the far post under pressure from Kabia.
Amaluzor blocked a shot from Kane Smith to give the hosts a second corner and it led to Rodgers making a great block from Ofoborh. Barnet kept possession and created more danger until Smith eventually lifted a shot over the bar.
The home side, playing with a strong wind at their backs, had started well and Town were forced to do more defending as winger Idris Kanu headed back across goal from a right-wing cross. Pym got a hand to the ball but it bounced around the penalty area until it was eventually cleared.
Town’s first dangerous attack came on 16 minutes with a quick break which saw Khouri find Vernam on the left. His low cross was slid out for a corner and Vernam’s delivery from the flag found its way through to Warren but he could only turn it wide of the near post.
Amaluzor headed clear from a Ryan Glover long throw, before Kanu’s speed took hm past Rodgers on the home left but his cross was headed wide by Glover at the far post.
A push on Kabia earned Collinge the first yellow card of the afternoon as the striker looked to break into the Barnet half but Staunton’s free kick was caught by home goalkeeper Cieran Slicker.
Ndlovu called Pym into action at the other end soon afterwards with a low shot from 20 yards which the keeper dived to stop, before good defending from Rodgers saw him win the ball against Callum Stead.
Rodgers saw a shot blocked on 26 minutes, then midfielder Mark Shelton was booked for delaying a Town free kick.
Walker fired over the bar after cutting inside from the right and working the space for a shot from the edge of the penalty area, before Warren made a good block from Stead at the other end.
Adam Senior made a block from Vernam following a quickly-taken throw-in which saw Khouri find Kabia to launch an away attack, with the Mariners now coming into the game after being forced to defend for long spells of the opening half-hour.
But Barnet were still pushing forward and they won another corner on the left on 39 minutes. McEachran cleared it at the near post but the hosts kept possession until Glover’s cross was caught by Pym.
Town created a good chance soon afterwards as Khouri played a perfect through-ball into the path of Vernam but as Slicker raced off his line, the winger fired off-target.
Instead, the home side broke the deadlock on 42 minutes, as a corner from Shelton on the right dropped for the unmarked OFOBORH, whose half-volley into the ground looped up and into the far corner of Pym’s net.
Ndlovu had an opportunity to make it 2-0 as the half moved into stoppage time, showing good strength to hold off Warren and go clear into the box, although Vernam did well to narrow the angle for the striker and he missed the target with a low shot.
That proved to be the last chance for either side before half-time, with Town going in a goal down at the break.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart and the hosts had the first opening of the second half when Kanu’s left-wing cross found Glover, who headed wide of the near post.
Senior headed over the bar from another Kanu cross five minutes in, then Rodgers had to put the ball behind for a corner under pressure from Kanu as Barnet continued to look for a second goal. The flag-kick turned into another one on the opposite, left flank but nobody could get on the end of Shelton’s delivery as it flashed all the way across goal and out for a throw-in.
Amaluzor headed a Glover long throw clear as Barnet continued to dominate the early stages of the half, before a foul by the former Altrincham winger gave the home side a free kick on their left. Shelton’s delivery to the far post was comfortably caught by Pym.
Ofoborh stepped in to deny Kabia at the other end, before Warren did well to win the ball back and McEachran played it forward to create another opportunity, which led to Vernam missing the target from 20 yards.
Defender Nikola Tavares headed onto the roof of Pym’s net on the hour as the game moved from end to end, then Pym had to stretch and get fingertips to a deep cross from Kanu to turn the ball away for a corner. Shelton’s ball from the flag was flicked towards goal but Ndlovu could only help it over the bar.
Seconds later, the striker had another chance from close range and this time, he made no mistake. McEachran was dispossessed by Kanu after a heavy pass from Staunton and the winger ran into the box before squaring for NDLOVU to tap in at the far post and double Barnet’s advantage with 64 minutes on the clock.
Burns and Oduor replaced Kabia and Walker after the goal as Town boss David Artell made his first two changes but Barnet remained on top and just four minutes later, they scored a third goal. It came from a corner on the left which was taken short and then played back to OFOBORH, who had the time and space to look up and find the net from 25 yards.
A free kick from Glover on the left was dealt with, then another double-substitution saw Turi and Soonsup-Bell come on in place of Khouri and Vernam.
Staunton did well to get back and challenge Shelton and ensure the ball went through to Pym after a pass from Glover appeared to have sent the midfielder clear, with Barnet looking for a fourth goal.
Emmanuel Osadebe replaced Glover in the home side’s first change on 77 minutes and he was followed onto the pitch by Ryan Galvin, Ollie Hawkins and Ronnie Stutter, with Smith, Ndlovu and Stead making way.
Town were unable to profit from a free kick after Soonsup-Bell was brought down, although they kept pushing forward and an Oduor corner from the left led to Amaluzor heading wide with the aid of a deflection off Senior. That produced another corner, which was cleared.
Barnet’s final change came on 86 minutes and saw Dennis Adeniran replace Shelton, with the Mariners continuing to come forward in search of a consolation goal.
McJannet won another corner on the left as the game moved into at least six minutes of added time but Town could not make it count.
Amaluzor forced Ipswich Town loanee Slicker into action after he got the ball from a Burns throw-in and drove into the box, although the keeper was equal to his low strike.
And that proved to be Town’s final opportunity to get on the scoresheet as Barnet saw out the remainder of the game to collect all three points.
The Mariners are next in action on Saturday, when they host Cheltenham Town at Blundell Park.
Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Staunton (Sweeney 78), McEachran, Amaluzor, Walker (Oduor, 65), Khouri (Turi, 73), Vernam (Soonsup-Bell, 73), Kabia (Burns, 65)
Subs not used: Brown, Casper
