Match report by David Elliott at Sincil Bank
GRIMSBY Town earned their first league victory over Lincoln City at Sincil Bank in 50 years and in doing so, secured their first three point haul of the season.
Lincoln had the better of the first 19 minutes before Justin Whittle put Town ahead with a looping shot into the top corner.
The Mariners then dominated the half but went in level at the break after Jamie Forrester's 38th minute equaliser.
The Grimsby advantage was restored five minutes into the second half when Ciaran Toner converted a penalty after Rankin had been brought down inside the box.
Town had to survive a scare when Lincoln had a goal disallowed with 13 minutes to go, but the Mariners held on to send their 1,124 travelling supporters home happy.
Alan Buckley made just one change to the team that drew with Stockport last Saturday as the Mariners looked for their first league win here since 1957.
Dave Mulligan came in at right back to replace the injured Ryan Bennett, with Nick Fenton, Justin Whittle and Tom Newey making up the back four.
Buckley again preferred to use a five-man midfield, with Peter Till, Paul Bolland, Danny Boshell, James Hunt and former Imp Ciaran Toner the names on the teamsheet.
Isaiah Rankin was again used as a lone striker, with Jamie Clarke, Peter Bore, Gary Jones, Andy Taylor and Gary Montgomery on the bench.
Lincoln included former Town striker Jamie Forrester in their starting XI, paired with ex-Scunthorpe forward Steve Torpey.Further firepower would come from the pacy Dany N'Guessan, while there was another familiar face for Grimsby fans in the Imps side as well, with Gary Croft lining up at left back.
Alan Marriott started in goal for City, behind a back four of Croft, Adie Moses, Nat Brown and Lee Beevers.N'Guessan was joined in midfield by Louis Dodds, Lee Frecklington and Jamie Hand, while manager John Schofield named Mark Stallard, Scott Kerr, Ryan Amoo, Ollie Ryan and Owain Warlow as his substitutes.
The referee was Darren Deadman of Cambridgeshire.
Town wore their light blue away kit for the first time in the league to avoid clashing with the red and white stripes of Lincoln.
The match began at a slow pace, with neither side creating any real opportunities in the opening five minutes.
Town won a free kick on halfway after nine minutes when Jamie Hand fouled Hunt.The Lincoln man received a talking to but Town couldn't make an opening out of the free kick, with Rankin slipping over by the corner flag.
Lincoln had the first half chance of the game two minutes later.A mistake by Mulligan let Forrester into the box but his cross was cut out and cleared for a corner.
Then on 12 minutes, the lively N'Guessan picked the ball up and got to the by-line before beating Till to move into the box.He stood the ball up to the far post but luckily for Town, there were no City attackers to head it home.
Town had their first chance when Newey was fouled right on the edge of the box.The referee blew for a free kick but Mulligan's effort hit the Lincoln wall before being cleared.
Town won their first corner on 18 minutes and it led to their first goal.Boshell's kick was partially cleared before being delivered back into the box from the other side of the pitch.It fell to JUSTIN WHITTLE 15 yards out, and the centre-back stabbed the ball over the head of Marriott and into the top corner for 1-0.
After grabbing the opener against the run of play, Town began to dominate the game and could have snatched a second soon afterwards.Marriott's attempted clearance was charged down by Bolland but he didn't have the space necessary to steer the ball back and into the net.
Lincoln won their first free kick in an attacking area on 22 minutes after N'Guessan was fouled.Frecklington's inswinging kick was well dealt with by Barnes before being cleared.
The pace of the game had gone up several notches since the goal, with both sides now creating chances, although shots on goal were still few and far between.
Town had another opportunity on 31 minutes when they forced a corner. Boshell's ball in was headed towards goal by Fenton but Marriott saved to his right.
By now, all of the attacking was being done by the Mariners, with Lincoln only getting forward sporadically.Town were looking comfortable and were good value for their lead.
Lincoln, who had been the better side until Whittle's opener, had seemed to struggle to recover from going behind and had done very little to worry Barnes and the Town back four.
But then, in the 38th minute, Grimsby and their supporters were given a reminder of how quickly games can change.
Bolland's ball up into the air fell Lincoln's way and JAMIE FORRESTER picked it up on the edge of the Town box.He took a touch, moved into the area and curled an unstoppable shot beyond Barnes to level the match at 1-1.
After their equaliser, the Imps grew in confidence and began to launch more frequent attacks on the Town goal.The Mariners managed to deal with them all without too many problems and made sure Barnes didn't have to be called into action.
Two minutes of stoppage time were added before Mr Deadman ended a half which Town will feel they should have won.The Mariners had bossed the game after opening the scoring, playing the better football and spending large amounts of time in the Lincoln half.
But although they only had one real chance in the opening 45 minutes, City took it well and made sure they went in level at the break.
The half time entertainment was provided by a 'crossbar challenge' between City media manager John Vickers and one of the travelling Town supporters.It finished all square, with each hitting the bar once from three attempts and so was yet another 1-1 draw for the Mariners.Would this be an omen for when the 'real' action restarted?
Lincoln had the first corner of the second period after Justin Whittle had put the ball out under pressure from N'Guessan.The Frenchman's header from the resulting kick went comfortably wide.
Town were awarded a penalty five minutes after the restart after Rankin picked the ball up on the left and went on a solo run into the box.His progress was halted by Adie Moses and CIARAN TONER stepped up to confidently shoot into the bottom right corner and restore the Mariners' lead.
Lincoln had an almost immediate chance to get back on level terms when Louis Dodds got the ball 12 yards from goal.He'll feel he should have done better though, after dragging his shot wide.
Town could have gone further in front after a corner from the right went all the way across the pitch to Toner, who cut in before hitting a curling shot from the angle which went narrowly over the bar.
Lincoln boss John Schofield made his first tactical move straight afterwards, with Mark Stallard and Ryan Amoo replacing Steve Torpey and Gary Croft.
The match was then held up when Fenton and Hunt collided in the centre of the pitch, with both requiring treatment before being able to play on.
Hunt was still feeling the effects of his injury though and was replaced by Jamie Clarke on 63 minutes.
Lincoln were trying to force their way back into the contest and they almost got their second equaliser when Mark Stallard headed powerfully towards goal a minute later.Phil Barnes, having not had much to do, sprang into action and dived to his right to claw the ball away superbly.
At the other end, a good move involving Till and Bolland ended with Clarke shooting wide from 25 yards.
Town had a huge let off after 70 minutes when a long Lincoln throw was missed by everybody and fell to Forrester on the edge of the six yard box.Luck was on the side of the Mariners though as the striker blazed his shot over the bar when he had looked almost certain to score.
Jamie Clarke appeared to have fouled Lee Beevers on the half way line in the 73rd minute but after the referee allowed play to go on, Town launched another attack that ended with Till firing over from 18 yards.
Lincoln continued to press forward and thought they were back on level terms thirteen minutes from time when N'Guessan's cross was headed into the Town net by Nat Brown.Again though, fortune favoured Town as the referee spotted a push on a defender and blew for a free kick to the Mariners.
Alan Buckley then shuffled his pack again, sending on Gary Jones in place of the hardworking Rankin before Lincoln responded, replacing Lee Frecklington with Ollie Ryan.
Grimsby could have stretched their lead with four minutes to go after Jones was slid in by Till to go one on one with Marriott.The keeper managed to stop the shot from the Town striker, pushing it out as far as Bolland on the edge of the box.Marriott then got back up to stop his effort too.
The home side and their supporters were given renewed hope of getting something out of the game when five minutes of stoppage time were signalled by fourth official Paul Thompson.
But it was Town who should have put the game to bed in the third of those added minutes.Till beat his man in front of the Mariners supporters before pulling the ball back to Bolland near the penalty spot.Again, Bolland couldn't find a finish, firing his shot over.
Nick Fenton saw a yellow card for a foul on Stallard but City couldn't make the resulting free kick count and as Mr Deadman blew for full time, Town took the acclaim of their 1,000-plus supporters, who saluted a deserved, and much needed, victory.
