Grimsby Town were forced to settle for a point as they were held to a goalless draw by relegation-threatened Weymouth.

The Mariners created several chances at the Bob Lucas Stadium but were unable to find a breakthrough.

Jordan Maguire-Drew had an opportunity to open the scoring in the first half but could not beat Ross Fitzsimons from close range, then the winger was denied again after half-time by the home keeper, who made a fingertip save, and Andy Smith saw a strike cleared off the line.

Town controlled the majority of the game but Weymouth also had their chances, with Ben Greenwood hitting the post from a free kick and Brandon Goodship sending a late header straight to Max Crocombe as the hosts tried to snatch a win.

Grimsby were unchanged after last week’s 4-1 demolition of Chesterfield, with goalkeeper Crocombe lining up behind a defence of Jordan Cropper, Smith, Luke Waterfall and Danny Amos.  Maguire-Drew, Gavan Holohan, Joey Jones and Harry Clifton were the midfielders, with John McAtee behind Ryan Taylor in attack.

The bench also remained unchanged as Shaun Pearson, Ben Fox, Sean Scannell, Tristan Abrahams and Emmanuel Dueseruvwe were named as the substitutes.

Weymouth began the day second from bottom of the National League table and knowing they would remain there at the end of the game regardless of the result, with King’s Lynn Town six points ahead of them at kick-off and a nine-point gap to the safety zone.

The Terras were aiming to end a poor run of form which had brought just one league win since October by earning a vital three points to get themselves back into the fight to stay in the division.

The hosts made a bright start and won the first corner on two minutes, which led to Tyler Cordner heading just wide.

Taylor was penalised for a foul as a promising Mariners attack came to an end after a good diagonal ball from Holohan, before Cordner sliced a shot wide from distance for Weymouth.

Cropper got the first opportunity to use his long throw on eight minutes when a Maguire-Drew cross was cleared but it caused no problems as the ball went through to home keeper Fitzsimons after being flicked on.

Town’s first corner of the game also posed no threat, then Weymouth won their second corner after a cross from Aaron Drewe was headed behind by Smith.  Town cleared the danger from it and brought the ball forward, with Clifton playing a diagonal pass wide to McAtee on the right.  The Mariners then worked it into the box for Maguire-Drew but he could not beat Fitzsimons from the edge of the six-yard box.

Another home corner came on 17 minutes and it quickly turned into a fourth flag-kick, although this time, the ball from it was caught by Crocombe.

Tom Bearwish and Matt Buse got in each other’s way after Crocombe punched the ball clear from a cross, before a cross from Cropper at the other end went out of play.

A good spell of Town possession eventually came to an end when a cross by Maguire-Drew was flicked out for a home throw, then McAtee saw a shot blocked.

Another shot by McAtee was blocked after Waterfall had got his head to the ball from a throw-in,  before a flowing move led to McAtee crossing for Clifton but the midfielder could not hit the target.

An overhead kick by McAtee flew well wide on 29 minutes as Town continued to create chances, having taken a grip on the game after Weymouth’s positive opening.

An away corner three minutes later eventually led to Waterfall volleying over the bar, before another attack led to Holohan chipping a cross into the penalty area but the ball was cleared.

A cross from Sean Shields proved too heavy as Weymouth looked to create some danger of their own, before a trip by Holohan gave the hosts a free kick in a dangerous position on 44 minutes.  Greenwood shot from it and went the closest so far to opening the scoring as his 25-yard strike bounced back off the post.

One added minute was played at the end of the half and after a free kick from Maguire-Drew was headed clear, the referee’s whistle brought a goalless first 45 minutes to an end.

Cameron Murray came on to make his 100th appearance for Weymouth as he replaced Bearwish before the restart and the hosts had an early chance when a misplaced pass by Crocombe fell for Buse.  He failed to take advantage though as his shot was saved by the keeper.

A home free kick was eventually cleared by Taylor after Crocombe seemed to be caught out by the delivery, then a cross from Amos at the other end was also cleared.

A switch from Jones started another Town attack which led to a shot by Clifton being blocked for a corner.  After it was played short to Amos, his cross was cleared but Town kept possession and another delivery into the box picked out Waterfall, who headed just wide.

McAtee shot straight at keeper Fitzsimons from 25 yards after driving forward through the middle, then a Weymouth attack ended when the referee blew for a foul on Crocombe.

A push by McAtee brought another away attack to an end as Town kept pressing in search of a breakthrough, then a mistake in midfield by Jones gave Ash a route towards the penalty area but he could only shoot at Crocombe.

A long throw from Cropper beat everybody and went out for a goal kick on 63 minutes, before a shot by McAtee was deflected through to the keeper after he launched a break.

McAtee was involved again soon afterwards as he linked up with Maguire-Drew on the right  but his cross was just ahead of Clifton.

Clifton cut inside and hit a shot which Fitzsimons had to dive to stop on 68 minutes as Town kept up the pressure, then a long throw from Cropper led to a corner but the ball from it was claimed by the keeper.

Scannell replaced Cropper with 19 minutes remaining, in a move which saw Clifton switch to right-back.  Weymouth responded with a substitution of their own, as Ben Thomson replaced Alexander McBurnie.

Dieseruvwe was sent on in place of Taylor soon afterwards and there was almost an opportunity for him when a cross from Maguire-Drew was dropped by Fitzsimons, although the striker was unable to take full advantage as his shot was blocked.

Holohan fired over the bar, before Maguire-Drew cut inside and shot but a great save by Fitzsimons got the ball away for a corner.  From the flag, Waterfall headed back across goal but after the ball dropped for Smith, he was denied by a goal-line clearance from defender Haji Mnoga.

A stoppage came for Waterfall to receive treatment after taking a knock and after he was passed fit to continue, the game restarted with a Maguire-Drew corner which failed to cause any problems.

Amos was the next to try his luck after good play by Scannell but the left back’s half-volley was saved.

Goodship had a chance to win the game for Weymouth after a break by the hosts on 86 minutes but after meeting a cross from Thomson in plenty of space inside the box, he could only head straight at Crocombe.

Goodship was replaced by Manasse Mampala in the home side’s final substitution shortly before the game moved into six added minutes, with Town then sending Abrahams on in place of Maguire-Drew.

Shields slipped as Weymouth looked to have created a promising position before Abrahams drove forward for the Mariners but could only win a corner.  From it, the ball was headed through to Fitzsimons.

Another opportunity came with a late corner but Waterfall’s header from it went up and over the bar.

And with that went the Mariners’ final chance to get the goal which would have rewarded a good performance with a win.

Instead, Town were left with just one point to show for their efforts in Dorset and they will now look ahead to Good Friday’s home clash with league leaders Stockport County.