Grimsby Town lost at home for the first time this season as Barrow held on to win at Blundell Park.

Two first-half goals from set pieces put the visitors in control as Sam Foley and Theo Vassell both headed home from corners.

Bu the momentum shifted towards the Mariners when Kieran Green’s header in stoppage time before the break brought them back into the contest.

Town pushed forward after the restart and Danny Rose saw a goal disallowed for offside, before a brilliant goal-line clearance from Tyrell Warren at the other end kept the home side’s hopes alive.

But in the end, neither side was able to add to the score and Barrow took all three points.

Jake Eastwood replaced Jordan Wright in goal in the only change to the Grimsby starting XI following last week’s narrow defeat at Chesterfield.

Warren, Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Denver Hume formed the defence in front of Eastwood, while George McEachran, Green and Evan Khouri were the midfielders as Jason Svanthorsson and Charles Vernam lined up either side of striker Rose.

Wright was named on the bench, alongside Lewis Cass, Matty Carson, Luca Barrington, Callum Ainley, Cameron Gardner and Donovan Wilson.

Barrow made the long journey from Cumbria looking to maintain what had been an excellent start to the season for them, with Stephen Clemence’s men sitting fourth in the Sky Bet League Two table at kick-off.

Town created the first opening after Khouri drove forward from midfield and found Rose, although his low ball into the penalty area proved just too far ahead of Vernam.

Dean Campbell was shown the first yellow card on four minutes after Khouri was brought down, before Ged Garner had Barrow’s first chance but shot wide of the far post.

A foul by Warren on Foley gave the visitors a free kick on their left and after it was initially headed away by Rose, Chris Popov’s 20-yard strike was deflected behind for a corner. From it, the away side took the lead, as Ben Jackson’s far-post delivery was met by FOLEY and his header beat Eastwood.

Elliot Newby headed over the bar from a Popov cross as Barrow looked for a second goal, before Eastwood kept out a low effort from Newby.

A Popov shot ricocheted behind for a corner on 20 minutes but this time, Jackson’s delivery was headed clear and Town launched a counter-attack.

Barrow were given another corner after a mix-up between Eastwood and McJannet and from it, Town were made to pay for the mistake as Jackson’s right-wing delivery was headed home at the near post by Vassell.

Green saw two penalty appeals waved away in quick succession just before the half-hour mark, although a free kick was given for a foul on Khouri. Vernam’s ball from it was headed clear at the edge of the box.

Another Jackson corner was headed clear on 34 minutes, then a low ball into the box from Khouri at the other end was cleared.

Eastwood stopped a low strike from Newby after the winger had been found by Garner as the away side continued to look the more dangerous, with Town struggling to create openings.

But Vernam won a corner after cutting into the box from the left and letting fly with a shot and after the flag-kick was dealt with, Town came forward again and a low effort from Warren was stopped.

Green was also denied when his near-post strike from a narrow angle was saved by Barrow keeper Wyll Stanway.

Three added minutes were played at the end of the first half and another Town penalty appeal was waved away when Vernam went down.

The hosts had looked much brighter as the interval approached and in the last of the added minutes, the complexion of the game changed as the Mariners made their pressure tell. Svanthorsson sent a brilliant cross over from the right and GREEN met it to head past Stanway and make it 2-1.

SECOND HALF

No changes were made before the restart and it looked like Town had drawn level within a minute as a strike by Green was not held by Stanway and Rose followed up to find the net, only for the goal to be ruled out by the offside flag.

Hume did well to win a goal kick when he came out on top in a duel with Popov, before a Khouri cross at the other end was cleared.

Katia Kouyate replaced Popov for Barrow in the game’s first substitution on 53 minutes and the visitors won a corner three minutes later through Garner on the right. Jackson’s delivery was headed away and a free kick was given for a foul on McJannet.

Hume won a corner at the other end after the Mariners attacked at pace, although they were unable to make it count.

Another Town corner came after more good play by Green and this time, Hume linked up with McEachran to create an opening but the left-back’s low strike went just wide of the near post.

Dom Telford replaced Garner in the away attack on 63 minutes, before a cross-shot from Green was claimed by Stanway.

Rose had to head over his own bar for a corner as Barrow enjoyed a spell of pressure but when the ball was sent over from the flag, it went through for a goal kick.

Wilson replaced Rose in Grimsby’s first change on 68 minutes, then there was an opportunity for Kouyate after he intercepted a ball from McJannet but after taking it into the box, he could only run it out for a goal kick.

Barrow were inches away from restoring their two-goal cushion when Newby sent a rebound towards goal after his initial strike was saved by Eastwood but Warren managed to get back and make a fantastic block on the line to keep the score at 2-1.

Green was booked for a late challenge, before a triple-substitution saw Barrington, Ainley and Carson come on for Vernam, Svanthorsson and Hume.

Barrington won a corner after another run from Green on the right but McJannet’s near-post header went away from goal and Barrow broke, although Kouyate was held up by Barrington and Khouri got back to make a good challenge.

Town were still pushing for an equaliser and hey had a corner when a Carson cross from the left was blocked. Gardner replaced Khouri before it was taken but the flag-kick did not lead to a chance in front of goal.

Ainley was booked after he was adjudged to have brought Kouyate down near the halfway line but Town were now the team on the attack and they won another corner through Wilson, although they could not profit from it.

Emile Acquah replaced Kian Spence for the visitors as the game moved into a minimum of four added minutes.

Town poured forward and they almost had their leveller when Niall Canavan headed back towards his own goal, only for Stanway to stretch up and make a superb save, tipping the ball over the bar.

That proved to be the Mariners’ final opportunity to salvage a positive result from the game and they were left to reflect on a first defeat of the campaign on home turf.

Town are next in action on Saturday with another home game, as Bromley make the trip to Blundell Park.

Town: Eastwood, Warren, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume (Carson, 77), McEachran, Green, Khouri (Gardner, 85), Svanthorsson (Ainley, 77), Rose (Wilson, 68), Vernam (Barrington, 77)
Subs not used: Jordan Wright, Lewis Cass