The Mariners return to Blundell Park this Saturday lunchtime as Town welcome York City for a Sky Bet League Two fixture, with kick-off scheduled for 12:30pm.
David Artell’s side will be looking to build on an impressive 4-1 victory away at Gillingham last weekend as they return to home action. Meanwhile, the Minstermen arrive in Cleethorpes looking to respond after suffering a 3-1 defeat away at Barnet in midweek.
York currently sit fifth in Sky Bet League Two with 20 points from their opening fixtures, while Town occupy 11th place with 17 points. The visitors secured promotion from the National League last season after finishing as champions and have made an encouraging start to life back in the EFL.
Saturday’s encounter will be the first Football League meeting between the sides since December 1997, adding another chapter to a long-running fixture between the two clubs.
The Opposition
York City currently sit fifth in Sky Bet League Two, having collected 20 points from their opening league fixtures following their promotion from the National League last season.
The Minstermen were crowned National League champions in 2025/26 after an impressive campaign, securing their return to the Football League. Their promotion followed a second-place finish in 2024/25, having narrowly missed out on the title before going one better last season.
York are now managed by Scott Lindsey, who took charge following Stuart Maynard’s departure after the club secured the National League title. Lindsey brings considerable experience from across the football pyramid, having worked his way through the coaching ranks before establishing himself in the EFL. His coaching career began at Folkestone Invicta, where he combined playing and coaching duties, before joining Chris Sutton’s backroom staff at Lincoln City. A spell with Chatham Town followed, ahead of a series of roles at Swindon Town, Crawley Town and MK Dons.
His time at Crawley proved particularly successful, guiding the Red Devils to promotion to League One through the 2024 play-offs. He now faces the challenge of building on York’s title-winning campaign and establishing the club back in the Football League. As a player, Lindsey spent much of his career in non-league football, representing clubs including Stafford Rangers, Dover Athletic, Gravesend & Northfleet and Folkestone Invicta. He also made 13 appearances for Gillingham during the 1994/95 season.
York have experienced a mixed run of results in recent weeks, beginning with a 3-0 victory over Gillingham before drawing 1-1 with Northampton Town and Newport County. A 1-1 draw away at Accrington Stanley followed, before the Minstermen recorded a 2-0 home victory over Port Vale. However, their most recent outing saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat away at Barnet on Tuesday evening.
Despite that setback, Lindsey’s side have made a positive start to their return to League Two and currently sit inside the play-off places. They will arrive at Blundell Park looking to get back to winning ways and maintain their position towards the top of the table.
Mariners’ Start
Town return to Blundell Park looking to build on their best attacking performance of the season so far, having recorded an impressive 4-1 victory away at Gillingham last Saturday.
The Mariners produced an excellent display at Priestfield, taking the lead through Harvey Rodgers before Iwan Morgan restored Town’s advantage after the hosts had drawn level. Geza David Turi added a third, before assisting Sonny Finch for his first Mariners goal to wrap the game up in Kent.
The result provided a welcome response following a difficult spell of league form and lifted David Artell’s side to 11th in the table, with 17 points from their opening fixtures. Town have scored 19 goals in their league campaign so far, demonstrating their attacking capabilities, and will be hoping to carry that threat into Saturday’s lunchtime encounter.
Artell’s side face a York team who have made an encouraging start following promotion, but the Mariners will be confident of making home advantage count as they look to record back-to-back league victories. A positive performance at Blundell Park would provide another opportunity for Town to build momentum and close the gap on the sides above them.
Head-to-Head
Saturday’s fixture will mark the 55th competitive meeting between Grimsby Town and York City, with the Mariners holding the historical advantage. Town have recorded 26 victories, compared with 11 wins for the Minstermen, while 17 encounters have ended in draws.
The sides first met in an FA Cup Second Round tie on 11th December 1926, when Grimsby claimed a 2-1 victory. However, more recent history has favoured the visitors, who have won five of the last six meetings between the clubs. York have also enjoyed success on their previous visits to Cleethorpes, with their most recent trip to Blundell Park ending in a 3-2 victory in March 2012.
Town’s last victory over York came on 3rd February 1990, when the Mariners recorded a 3-0 win. They had also beaten the Minstermen 2-1 at Bootham Crescent in November 1989.
The two sides have since gone nine consecutive meetings without a Grimsby victory, with the most recent Football League encounters taking place during the 1997/98 campaign. Both fixtures that season ended goalless, including the meeting at Blundell Park on 9th September 1997.
Saturday will therefore mark the first Football League meeting between the clubs since December 1997, with the Mariners hoping to end their long wait for a league victory over the Minstermen.
Last Time We Met
The most recent meeting between the sides came on Tuesday 13th March 2012, when York City secured a dramatic 3-2 victory at Blundell Park.
The Minstermen took control early on, with Jamie Reed opening the scoring with a 20-yard effort before Chris Smith doubled their advantage, converting Patrick McLaughlin’s corner. Town responded after the break, with Anthony Elding heading home before Michael Coulson also found the net with a header to bring the Mariners level.
However, York had the final say in stoppage time when Jamal Fyfield struck from 25 yards to secure all three points for the visitors and move them back into the play-off places. Fyfield would later spend a brief spell with the Mariners, making 10 appearances between February and May 2014.
The defeat brought a frustrating end to an entertaining contest, with the Mariners unable to complete their comeback despite recovering from two goals down.
Ones to Watch
Natural Goalscorer – Ollie Pearce
Leading the line for York City is prolific striker Ollie Pearce, whose remarkable goalscoring record has made him one of the most dangerous forwards in the division. The 31-year-old has already found the net six times in 15 appearances this season, including four goals in his last six matches.
Pearce began his senior career at Bognor Regis Town, scoring 64 goals in 199 appearances, before taking his game to another level during a six-year spell with Worthing. He registered an astonishing 117 goals across his final three seasons, including 46 in 51 appearances during the 2023/24 campaign.
His performances earned him a move to York in 2024, and he immediately continued where he left off, scoring 33 goals in 50 appearances in his first season before registering 35 in 49 during 2025/26. His consistency has been recognised with successive National League Team of the Season selections in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
The Mariners will need to keep a close eye on a forward who has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to find the back of the net.
Flying Wing-Back – Harry Boyes
York’s summer signing Harry Boyes offers an attacking threat from the flank, combining defensive responsibilities with the ability to create opportunities in the final third. The 24-year-old arrived from Southend United after an impressive campaign at Roots Hall, where he featured in all but two of the club’s National League fixtures.
Boyes began his development with Manchester City and Sheffield United, turning professional with the latter before gaining valuable experience through loan spells at Bradford Park Avenue, Solihull Moors, Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers.
Following his departure from Sheffield United, he joined Southend ahead of the 2025/26 season, playing an important role in the Shrimpers’ campaign and helping them lift the FA Trophy after a penalty shoot-out victory over Wealdstone. His performances earned him a move to York, where he has already contributed two goals and six assists in 13 appearances.
Both goals came in the 3-2 victory over Bristol Rovers, while his form also earned him the League Two Player of the Month award for August. His pace and attacking output make him a key player for the Minstermen and another threat the Mariners will need to manage on Saturday.
The Numbers
- This will be the first Football League meeting between Grimsby Town and York City since December 1997, with each of their two clashes during the 1997-98 third tier campaign finishing goalless.
- York City are winless across their last 14 Football League games against Grimsby Town (D4 L10), since a 2-1 away victory in March 1974.
- Grimsby have lost their last two home league games, one more defeat than across their prior 17 fixtures at Blundell Park combined beforehand.
- York have failed to win any of their last five Football League games played on Halloween (D2 L3), losing each of their last three in succession.
Match Officials
Aaron Jackson will take charge of Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two fixture between Grimsby Town and York City at Blundell Park, with kick-off scheduled for 12:30pm. Jackson will be assisted by Matthew McGrath and Paul Newhouse, while Stuart Morland has been appointed as the fourth official.
During the 2026/27 season, Jackson has officiated 11 matches across all competitions, issuing 31 yellow cards and awarding four penalties. He has yet to issue a red card this campaign. His appointments so far this season have included two League Two fixtures, in which he has issued three yellow cards. This season is the first campaign where he’s officiated Football League games.
Last season, Jackson officiated 30 matches across various competitions, issuing 129 yellow cards, one second-yellow-card dismissal and five straight red cards, while awarding 11 penalties.
His most recent match involving the Mariners was a 2-1 victory away at Notts County on 5th February 2022 in the National League.
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