The Mariners claimed a point from a goalless draw with Milton Keynes Dons at Stadium MK to ensure their aim of reaching the Sky Bet League Two play-offs remains in their own hands with one game to play.
On a tense afternoon in Buckinghamshire for more than 2,000 travelling supporters, genuine chances proved to be few and far between for both sides.
Town had the ball in the net twice through Danny Rose but the celebrations were short-lived on both occasions as the offside flag and a foul on goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray meant both goals were ruled out.
Kieran Green hit the post with a late free kick and a solid defensive display at the other end ensured David Artell’s side would return to North East Lincolnshire with a clean sheet.
And despite results elsewhere meaning they dropped out of the division’s top seven, a victory over AFC Wimbledon at Blundell Park next week would ensure a place in the play-offs at the London side’s expense.
Grimsby were unchanged following the Easter Monday draw at Port Vale, so Jake Eastwood kept his place in goal and Tyrell Warren again lined up alongside Harvey Rodgers and Doug Tharme in the back three.
Jason Svanthorsson and Denver Hume had wing-back roles as George McEachran and Evan Khouri started behind Green in midfield, with Charles Vernam partnering skipper Rose in attack.
Lewis Cass replaced Jayden Luker on the bench, as Jordan Wright, Justin Obikwu, Luca Barrington, Callum Ainley, Cameron McJannet and Darragh Burns were also named as substitutes.
MK Dons were looking to end a disappointing season on a positive note and came into the game aiming to make it three games unbeaten under new manager Paul Warne.
Left-back Dean Lewington was given a start in his final home fixture before retirement, while former Mariners striker Danilo Orsi had to be content with a place on the bench.
FIRST HALF
Svanthorsson made a good challenge to stop Joe Tomlinson as the hosts were first to attack, then a foul on Hume gave Town their first opportunity to create danger with a free kick 30 yards out. It was eventually played to Vernam and his shot took a deflection for the game’s first corner, which was headed away.
Tharme’s first long throw-in came moments later and after finding Warren from it, the defender’s dangerous-looking low cross eventually broke for Rose but his attempt was blocked.
A home free kick from Liam Kelly resulted in an offside decision, then Jonathan Leko curled a strike wide of the far post from the Dons’ left after McEachran looked to have been fouled in the build-up.
A corner followed on 16 minutes but Rodgers headed clear from Tomlinson’s left-wing delivery, before Warren did well to keep the ball in and win a corner at the other end. Vernam looked for Svanthorsson with a low delivery into the penalty area from it but the home defence cleared.
Eastwood had to tip the ball over his bar when Connor Lemonheigh-Evans cut into the box from the left and let fly, then the keeper came off his line to confidently claim it from the resulting corner.
Warren earned a free kick soon afterwards as the game moved from end to end, although Hume’s delivery was too close to home keeper MacGillivray.
Tharme cleared a cross from the right after Lemonheigh-Evans created another opening on 26 minutes, before striker Scott Hogan fired over the bar from 20 yards at the end of a neat attacking move, with a deflection off Warren taking the ball out for a corner. The flag-kick caused no problems as the referee spotted a foul and blew for a Town free kick.
A low cross from Vernam was just behind the run of Rose as the Mariners looked for a breakthrough just after the half-hour, then Green linked up with Rodgers on the right but the centre-back could not pick out a team-mate with his cross.
Kelly drilled a low strike just wide at the other end moments later, before Town had the ball in the net when Rose tapped home following great play by Hume, only for the offside flag to go up against the striker.
Lemonheigh-Evans volleyed wide from the Dons’ next chance and Eastwood caught another cross from the right as the Mariners continued to keep their hosts at bay.
A foul on Green then gave the visitors a free kick in a promising position on the right but nobody in blue could get to Vernam’s delivery.
Two added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with neither side able to create any further opportunities, it remained goalless at the break.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart and Vernam won the first corner of the second half three minutes in. His flag-kick was claimed by MacGillivray but the Town fans thought they had taken the lead seconds later, although Rose was ruled to have kicked the ball out of the keeper’s hands before rolling it into the net.
Eastwood got down to stop a powerful, low strike from Lemonheigh-Evans as the home side created an opening for the first time since the break, before the Mariners made the first substitution as Obikwu replaced Vernam on 52 minutes.
Khouri won a free kick on the left soon afterwards but MacGillivray reached up to catch Hume’s far-post delivery.
Hogan called Eastwood into action to stop a low strike from the edge of the box and it turned out to be the striker’s last involvement as he went down with an injury and had to come off. Callum Hendry was sent on in his place, while Orsi replaced Leko at the same time.
Svanthorsson won a free kick on the right edge of the penalty area but Town were unable to make it count, then Lemonheigh-Evans met a cross from Aaron Nemane on the Dons’ right but could not steer his header towards goal.
A foul by Hume on Nemane gave the home side a free kick just outside the Town box but they, too were unable to convert it into a chance in front of goal as the referee blew for a foul by Jack Sanders on Green at the far post.
The Dons won a corner on 67 minutes as they started to get on top but Eastwood punched it clear and as Svanthorsson aimed to launch a break, Hendry won the ball but Tomlinson fired over the bar from distance.
Laurence Maguire replaced Lewington two minutes later, with the 40-year-old home captain leaving the pitch to a standing ovation.
Warren headed wide after a flick-on from a Tharme long throw, before a foul on Khouri brought another free kick in a promising position. Hume chipped it to the far post but MacGillivray was there to make a catch.
Tommi O’Reilly and Joe White replaced Nemane and Kelly in another double-substitution by the Dons on 76 minutes.
Both sides were looking to win the game and Kane Thompson-Sommers looked to have created a chance when he made his way into the penalty area from the home right but after hesitating, he was eventually crowded out.
Another Tharme long throw was dealt with, before the defender had to get to a low cross first at the other end to deny Orsi, at the expense of a corner. From it, the Dons went close to taking the lead as Henry headed towards the far post but Lemonheigh-Evans could not get a vital touch to turn it into the net.
Hume sent a shot over the bar from a Town corner soon afterwards, then Hendry saw the yellow card for two fouls on Khouri and McEachran in quick succession.
A foul on Svanthorsson gave Town a free kick 20 yards from goal on 88 minutes and from it, they were inches away from a winning goal but Green could only watch his low, curling strike bounce back off the post to safety.
A corner at the other end failed to cause a problem as the game moved into at least eight added minutes and Eastwood caught a header from Sanders when the ball was sent back into the box from the right.
Hume won a corner as Town pushed forward in search of a vital goal but Warren could only head through to MacGillivray from the flag-kick.
Khouri turned a shot wide as the Mariners attacked again, then the hosts were given an opportunity with a free kick on their right. White sent it towards the penalty spot, where defender Luke Offord stooped to head wide.
Rodgers made a block from Hendry as the Dons looked for a last-gasp winner but that proved to be the final action of the contest as both sides claimed a point.
The Mariners will now head into their final game of the campaign at home to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, knowing a victory would extend their season into the play-offs.
Town: Eastwood, Rodgers, Tharme, Warren, Svanthorsson, McEachran, Green, Khouri, Hume, Rose, Vernam (Obikwu, 52)
Subs not used: Wright, Cass, Barrington, Ainley, McJannet, Burns
