The Mariners were handed their first defeat of the pre-season programme as they were beaten by York City at the LNER Community Stadium.
The friendly against the National League Minstermen represented a significant step up in opposition for David Artell’s side as the countdown to the start of the season gathers pace and the hosts took the lead within two minutes through Billy Chadwick.
Town were made to toil for much of the first half in hot conditions as a sharp York outfit created several opportunities but the visitors were level at the break, courtesy of a Ricky Aguiar own-goal.
Both teams made wholesale changes in the second half to give playing time to as many as possible and Cameron Gardner and Henry Brown both had opportunities to complete the turnaround in front of the 692 travelling fans.
But when the game’s decisive goal came on 76 minutes, it was former Town favourite Lenell John-Lewis who headed home to settle the contest in York’s favour.
Jordan Wright started in goal for Grimsby, behind a back four of Lewis Cass, a trialist, Cameron McJannet and Matty Carson. Kieran Green sat behind Jason Dadi Svanthorsson, George McEachran, Evan Khouri and a second trialist in midfield, with a further trialist leading the attack.
York named former Mariners Alex Hunt, John-Lewis and Paddy McLaughlin among their substitutes, with Dipo Akinyemi expected to provide their main attacking threat from the start.
Akinyemi won the game’s first corner inside the opening minute and from it, the home side opened tthe scoring as the ball from the flag was flicked on for CHADWICK to convert at the far post.
Wright was first to a low cross from Chadwick at the end of a slick York attacking move on eight minutes, before McJannet did well to stop Marvin Armstrong from getting on the end of a low ball through the middle.
Armstrong fired narrowly wide after being found by Akinyemi as the hosts continued to threaten, then another opening came when a loose ball fell for Akinyemi, although his pass was too far ahead of Tyrese Sinclair.
Town were yet to create an opportunity as the half-hour loomed but they were gifted an equaliser in bizarre circumstances when an attempted back-pass from Aguiar, under no pressure, beat goalkeeper Rory Watson and rolled into the net for an own-goal.
York were back on the attack when a foul on Sinclair gave them a free kick inside the away half and the ball was worked out to Joe Felix on the right. His cross was not held by Wright but the danger was cleared.
Seconds later, Armstrong got on the end of a low ball from the left but could only divert it wide at the far post, then a low cross from Felix was well cut-out when the hosts went forward again on 38 minutes.
A Green cross from the right was claimed by Watson as Town looked for an opening before half-time but after two additional minutes were played, the scores remained level at the interval.
SECOND HALF
Cameron Gardner replaced Svanthorsson for the Mariners before the restart and the substitute had the first chance of the second half, receiving the ball 25 yards out after a neat move but seeing his low shot curl just wide of the target.
Sinclair made progress through the middle at the other end soon afterwards but was unable to generate enough power on his strike to trouble Wright from 18 yards.
The hour mark brought a number of changes for both sides, with Town sending Jake Eastwood, Harvey Rodgers, Curtis Thompson, Henry Brown, Callum Ainley and Donovan Wilson on in place of Wright, McEachran, Green, Khouri, McJannet and one of the trialists. Hunt, McLaughlin and John-Lewis were among those coming on for York.
Brown had an early opening after a through-ball by Wilson but he was unable to make it count.
Vernam and Cribb replaced Cass and another of the trialists on 70 minutes, then a stoppage came when Thompson went down with an injury as York won a corner. When the flag-kick was taken, the hosts grabbed the advantage back as JOHN-LEWIS powered a header past Eastwood. Thompson was then replaced by Charlie Clements.
A foul by Gardner on York substitute Ashley Nathaniel-George gave the home side a free kick in a dangerous position on the left on 81 minutes, although nobody could get on the end of Hunt’s floated delivery.
Hunt tried a first-time shot from distance with five minutes to go but it was straight at Eastwood.
Four added minutes were played but Town were unable to find an equaliser as York saw out the remainder of the game to secure their win.
The Mariners are next in pre-season action on Saturday, when they travel to South Shields.
Town: Wright (Eastwood, 60), Cass (Vernam, 70), Carson, Green (Ainley, 60), Svanthorsson (Gardner, 46), McJannet (Rodgers, 60), McEachran (Thompson, 60 (Clements, 76)), Trialist B (Cribb, 70), Trialist C (Wilson, 60), Trialist A, Khouri (Brown, 60)
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