The Mariners were beaten on the road for the first time since January 25 as Crewe Alexandra edged a close game at the Mornflake Stadium.

Chris Long struck from close range to put the hosts ahead just before the quarter-hour mark and defender Mickey Demetriou sealed the points with a stoppage-time header.

Town worked hard throughout the contest but it was not to be their night in Cheshire as their five-match unbeaten away run came to an end.

Jayden Luker replaced Danny Rose in the only change to the Grimsby starting XI following Friday’s victory over Colchester United.

Jordan Wright was in goal, with Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme and Tyrell Warren forming an unchanged defence.  Jason Svanthorsson and Denver Hume operated as wing-backs, while George McEachran and Evan Khouri lined up behind Kieran Green in midfield.  Luca Barrington and Luker led the attack.

Callum Ainley came into the matchday squad to join Jake Eastwood, Cameron McJannet, Curtis Thompson, Geza Turi, Jordan Davies and Darragh Burns on the bench.

Crewe were without a win in their previous five outings, the latest of which saw them lose at home to local rivals Port Vale on Saturday in another game between two teams pushing for promotion from Sky Bet League Two.

Former Mariners fans’ favourite Omar Bogle led the attack for Lee Bell’s side as one of three changes to their team following the weekend defeat.

FIRST HALF

After a quiet opening to the game, a foul by Warren on Bogle gave Crewe a free kick on their right, although the delivery into the penalty area from it was too close to Wright and he caught it comfortably.

Long slipped as he appeared to have an opening at the end of a neat move by the home side, before Svanthorsson was caught offside as Town attacked for the first time on seven minutes.

A snap-shot from Svanthorsson was well-held by keeper Filip Marschall, before Tharme headed a Ryan Cooney cross away at the other end.

The deadlock was broken on 14 minutes and it was Crewe who grabbed the lead.  A long throw from the home left was not fully dealt with and after Demetriou headed the ball back into the box, LONG turned and beat Wright from close range.

Svanthorsson fired wide after bursting into the box as Town looked for a reply, then Jack Lankester shot at Wright as the game moved from end to end at pace.

A Town corner was won by Barrington soon afterwards but Marschall came off his line to claim the ball from it.

Tharme had to get a vital touch to a cross from Cooney after Tom Lowery picked out the right wing-back with a cross-field ball, then Khouri made an important interception to stop a counter-attack as Crewe broke following a Hume free kick.

Demetriou saw the first yellow card of the evening just after the half-hour for bringing Luker down inside the Crewe half.  The free kick was played short to McEachran but when he chipped the ball towards the far post, Tharme could only head it out for a goal kick.

Wright got down to stop a low strike by Lankester on 35 minutes, then Hume won a corner at the other end after he recycled a low cross from Svanthorsson.  The ball from the flag went through to Luker but he could not work an opening for a shot and eventually picked up a booking for a foul.

Another long throw from Cooney looked to have caused problems when it was headed on for Long but this time, he was flagged offside as he lifted the ball over the bar.

Town were looking for an equaliser as half-time loomed and Barrington won a free kick in a promising position on the right when he was brought down by Demetriou.  Hume sent it to the far post but Demetriou got to the ball first to head it away from goal.

One added minute was played at the end of the first half and with no further chances coming for either side, Crewe’s single-goal advantage remained in place at the break.

SECOND HALF

Max Sanders replaced Matus Holicek for the home side before the restart and Lankester saw a penalty appeal waved away two minutes in when he went down at the end of a driving run into the box.

Cooney got to a low cross from Green ahead of Khouri at the near post to slide the ball out for a corner and the flag-kick turned into another one when Tharme’s header was adjudged to have taken a deflection.  This time, Tharme headed wide for a goal kick.

A foul on Warren by Bogle gave Town a free kick on the left on 52 minutes but they were unable to profit despite Marschall missing Hume’s delivery, as the keeper recovered to dive on the ball from Green’s header.

Svanthorsson hit the side-netting after being found by Green as the Mariners continued to show positive signs, before McEachran saw the yellow card for a trip on Long.  Tharme was first to Lankester’s free kick and the offside flag meant a chance to relieve the pressure.

Another Grimsby free kick came soon afterwards, this time much further up the pitch when Khouri was brought down by Cooney, who became the latest to be booked.   Barrington’s shot hit the Crewe wall and the hosts eventually cleared.

Thompson and McJannet replaced McEachran and Warren on the hour as Town made a double-substitution, then an indirect free kick was given inside the Town penalty area after a high foot by Khouri on Cooney, with Crewe’s penalty appeals again waved away.

A big decision went in Town’s favour on 66 minutes when the hosts had the ball in the net for a second time from a Cooney long throw on the left.  After a lengthy discussion with his assistant on the opposite side of the pitch, however, the referee ruled the ball had not been touched on its way past Wright and the goal was ruled out, with Crewe’s lead remaining at 1-0.

Lankester fired high and wide from a corner as the home side kept pushing for a second goal, before Davies came on for Luker in the black and white of the Mariners with 20 minutes remaining.

Hume could only find the gloves of Marschall at the end of a neat attacking move, then a stoppage came for Tharme to receive treatment after a clash of heads.

Calum Agius came on for goalscorer Long on 76 minutes  and Lankester sent a curling effort wide from the edge of the box moments later.

Barrington was just wide with a low, 20-yard strike after a run from halfway and it proved to be the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee’s last opening as he was replaced by Burns with eight minutes to go.

Wright claimed the ball when a home free kick was headed back across goal by Demetriou, then a foul on McJannet earned Lankester a yellow card. Hume’s free kick was headed clear.

Another Town free kick was given seconds later, with Agius booked for a foul.  This time, Tharme won the header from Hume’s free kick and although the ball was headed away, McJannet sent it back into the box and Davies was penalised for a foul on the keeper as he headed wide.

Lankester and Cooney made way for Kane Hemmings and Lewis Billington in the red of Crewe as the game moved into at least 10 added minutes.

But any hopes the Mariners had of getting back into the contest in the additional time were put to an end when the hosts made it 2-0 three minutes in.  A corner from the left was played to the far post by Lowery and DEMETRIOU met to send a firm header past Wright.

Bogle made way for Jamie Knight-Lebel with three minutes left and Crewe saw out the remaining time to collect the points and move back up to eighth in the league table, a point behind the Mariners who remain in the final play-off place.

Town are next in action on Saturday, when they face Morecambe at Blundell Park.

Town: Wright, Rodgers, Tharme, Warren (McJannet, 60), Svanthorsson, McEachran (Thompson, 60), Green, Khouri, Hume, Barrington (Burns, 82), Luker (Davies, 70)

Subs not used: Eastwood, Turi, Ainley