Harvey Rodgers’ last-minute header earned the Mariners their first away win of the season as they came from behind to beat Carlisle United at Brunton Park.

Centre-back Sam Lavelle headed home from a corner to give the Cumbrians the lead and although Luca Barrington restored parity, Town were level for just three minutes until Dominic Sadi put the hosts ahead again.

Carlisle were on top for the majority of the first half and Grimsby also lost goalkeeper Jake Eastwood to injury, with youth team stopper Seb Auton coming on in his place.

But the visitors were much-improved after the break and Lewis Cass made it 2-2 with nine minutes to go, before Rodgers grabbed the decisive goal to ensure all three points would be coming back to North East Lincolnshire.

After keeping the same team for the previous two home games, Town boss David Artell was forced into making changes for the long trip to the north-west, with Kieran Green suspended and Charles Vernam out due to injury. Jason Svanthorsson also came out of the starting XI following the victory over Bromley, with Doug Tharme, Barrington and Donovan Wilson coming in.

Eastwood started in goal, as Tharme made his first start of the season at the heart of a back three alongside Rodgers and Cameron McJannet. Tyrell Warren and Denver Hume operated as wing-backs, while George McEachran, Evan Khouri and Barrington made up the midfield and Wilson joined Danny Rose in attack.

Svanthorsson was named on the bench and he was joined there by Auton, Cass, Matty Carson, Callum Ainley, Cameron Gardner and Rekeil Pyke.

Carlisle were playing their first home game under new manager Mike Williamson, who made a winning start with a victory on the road at Swindon Town last week.

Town survived an early penalty appeal when Charlie Wyke went down under a challenge from McEachran, although neither goalkeeper was called into action during a quiet first 10 minutes.

Rose was unable to connect with a header from a Hume cross in what was the away side’s first opportunity, then Tharme headed behind for a corner at the other end on 12 minutes after a cross from Sadi. From it, the hosts took the lead, as Cameron Harper’s right-wing delivery was headed into the net by Lavelle at the near post.

Eastwood stayed down after the goal and was unable to continue, so after a lengthy stoppage as he was treated and carried from the pitch on a stretcher, Auton was introduced for his senior debut.

A Jordan Jones cross was headed out by McJannet for another corner, this time on the left, although it was headed away and a foul on Hume gave the visitors a free kick.

Wyke sent a deflected shot through to Auton on 22 minutes, before an attempt by Josh Vela was blocked as Carlisle looked for a second goal.

Town had found openings hard to come by so far but they grabbed a superb equaliser against the run of play on 24 minutes. Hume played an excellent, defence-splitting ball for BARRINGTON and he went clear before calmly slotting past keeper Harry Lewis.

But the Mariners were only level for three minutes until their hosts regained the advantage. Right-back Archie Davies found time and space inside the penalty area to work an opening and chip a cross to the far post, where Sadi finished from close range.

Wilson could not connect with a Hume cross at the end of an excellent Town move just after the half-hour, then Warren forced a corner on 39 minutes when his low cross was blocked. The low delivery to the near post was cleared by Harrison Biggins.

Grimsby were coming back into the game as half-time loomed but Carlisle had another corner when Hume got to a left-wing cross ahead of Armstrong at the far post. Harper’s delivery from the flag was headed away by Rose and the ball was worked back for Sadi to fire over the bar from 20 yards.

A foul on Jones brought a free kick on the home left but it was dealt with and Town launched a counter-attack as the half moved into at least five added minutes.

Carlisle finished the half on the attack but Auton comfortably stopped two shots from Sadi to ensure the Mariners’ remained just one goal behind at the interval.

SECOND HALF

Cass replaced Warren before the restart and an early Town free kick was played into the box but McJannet could only divert it over the bar.

A great chance came four minutes in as Wilson beat the offside trap to go through on goal but the striker hesitated and Lewis came off his line to make a block.

A free kick was cleared after Cass had headed it towards goal as Grimsby’s positive opening to the second half continued, before the first yellow card of the game was shown to Vela for a foul on Khouri. The free kick was punched away by Lewis and eventually cleared.

The yellow card came out again on 57 minutes, this time for Sadi after a show of dissent, and Ben Barclay soon followed him into the referee’s notebook for a trip on McEachran. The resulting free kick was held up on the edge of the box for Rose but his strike was held by Lewis.

Jones won a home corner on 63 minutes after Wyke had done well to keep the ball in, although the flag-kick was headed away from goal and Hume completed the clearance.

Town had looked much brighter since half-time but they were forced into another substitution when Barrington went down on 67 minutes. He was replaced by Ainley.

Cass could not get on the end of a Hume cross after another promising move, then a foul by Cass brought a free kick in a dangerous position at the other end. Jones’ 30-yard strike hit the away wall.

A Tharme long throw from the Town right led to a corner after the ball was flicked on at the near post, although Hume’s flag-kick was cleared and another long throw soon afterwards was also dealt with.

Svanthorsson and Gardner replaced Wilson and Tharme in the away side’s final changes and the two combined within seconds as Svanthorsson found Gardner but his strike was saved by Lewis.

The Mariners were not to be denied for much longer though, as they levelled the scores on 81 minutes. Hume sent another great cross over from the left and Cass met it to head past Lewis and into the net.

Khouri was narrowly wide from the edge of the box as Town pushed forward in a bid to turn their momentum into a winning goal.

Vela then lifted a shot over the bar at the other end after a Harper free kick from the right was not fully dealt with.

Jon Mellish and Terrell Thomas came on for Biggins and Sadi with four minutes to go as Carlisle aimed to snatch the lead back again.

But Town won a corner in the last minute and from it, the turnaround was complete as the ball was played short and then crossed from deep for Rodgers to head past Lewis and make it 3-2.

Four added minutes were played and the home side pushed forward in a bid to rescue a point but the Mariners held firm to secure a brilliant victory.

Town are next in action on Tuesday, when they travel to Gillingham.

Town: Eastwood (Auton, 15), Rodgers, Tharme (Gardner, 79), McJannet, Warren (Cass, 46), McEachran, Khouri, Barrington (Ainley, 67), Hume, Rose, Wilson (Svanthorsson, 79)

Subs not used: Carson, Pyke