Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park

GRIMSBY Town were condemned to their second heavy defeat in the space of four days as Darlington ran out 4-0 winners at Blundell Park.

The Quakers took the lead through centre back Alan White with just two minutes on the clock and afterwards, they never looked back.

Greg Blundell doubled the visitors' advantage on 25 minutes before Richie Foran made it 3-0 just after half time.

The Mariners rarely threatened their opponents' goal, although they did have a spell of pressure as the match moved into its closing stages.

But when Mickey Cummins headed over Gary Montgomery in stoppage time to make it four, Town were left staring at their fourth defeat in their last five league outings at Blundell Park and the worst home reverse since Rochdale won here by the same scoreline almost a year ago.

Alan Buckley made two changes to the line-up from Saturday's FA Cup defeat at Huddersfield.

Striker Gary Jones missed out through illness and was replaced by midfielder Danny Boshell, returning from suspension.

The other change saw Paul Bolland make his return to the starting XI in place of Ryan Bennett, who dropped to the bench.

Buckley opted to start with a 4-5-1 formation, with Gary Montgomery keeping his place in goal behind Tom Newey, Nick Fenton, Rob Atkinson and Sam Hird.

Peter Till kept his place on the right wing despite being replaced at half time at the Galpharm Stadium.Bolland and Boshell were joined by James Hunt in a central midfield trio and Ciaran Toner started on the left wing.

Danny North began as a lone striker, while the bench consisted of Bennett, Andy Taylor, Isaiah Rankin, Phil Barnes and Jamie Clarke.

Darlington began the night in second place in the league table and came to Blundell Park with a host of familiar names in their starting line-up.

Ex-Town midfielder Ricky Ravenhill lined up in the centre of the park, while former Boston goalscorer Julian Joachim would be looking to cut in and create danger fro the right wing.

Former Scunthorpe defensive duo Steve Foster and Lee Ridley were also named in manager Dave Penney's XI, while Pawel Abbot would be a useful option from the bench if goals were needed later in the game.

Grimsby would be looking to forget about the FA Cup result by getting three much-needed league points against the Quakers.

But with only one home League Two victory all season, the Mariners would be sure to find it tough against a side that had only conceded ten goals all campaign - and half of those came in the same game, a 5-1 defeat at Hereford.

Darlington were the first to mount an attack when Joachim's cross was cut out for a corner by Atkinson.

And from that corner, they took the lead when ALAN WHITE powered a header past Montgomery with the first chance of the game and with just two minutes on the clock.

Town responded with a Newey free kick that went harmlessly through to keeper David Stockdale and a shot from 20 yards by Toner that was off target, flying comfortably wide.

But it was the visitors from the north-east who looked comfortable in the opening ten minutes, opening the scoring and playing attacking football with the confidence one would expect from a side in the automatic promotion places.

Town were struggling to make an impact on the game and should have gone further behind on ten minutes when Gregg Blundell ran into the box before standing the ball up to the far post.

His strike partner Tommy Wright looked certain to send it into the net from close range but somehow managed to fire over the bar in front of the Pontoon Stand.

Montgomery made his first save of the night on 17 minutes after Ridley was given the space to shoot from 20 yards.

Town were struggling to create anything at the other end, with Rob Purdie and Alan White dominant in the air against the Mariners' one striker and all of the attacking traffic was heading in the direction of Montgomery's goal.

The next action saw Ravenhill head towards goal after a cross by Mickey Cummins from the left.Montgomery gathered comfortably.

Then on 25 minutes, the visitors extended their lead, and deservedly so.

Joachim was allowed to run down the right before passing to Cummins.He hit a low ball to BLUNDELL, who pivoted before firing into the net from inside the area.

Alan Buckley's response was to abandon his 4-5-1 system, with Hunt coming off to be replaced by Andy Taylor.

Then soon afterwards, the Mariners boss made a second change, sending on Ryan Bennett in place of Hird at right back.

It signalled the end of an opening half-hour that had been completely one-sided, with the away side in total control and the Mariners reduced to defending in their own half of the field.

Town were looking short of confidence and going two goals down wouldn't have helped that.Grimsby had struggled throughout the opening period and hadn't managed to trouble the away defence at all.

Ravenhill powered a shot in from 30 yards on 36 minutes that swerved in front of Montgomery, but the Town stopper managed to beat the ball away before it was cleared.

The Mariners finally had an opportunity to attack when Bolland was fouled by Foster near the half-way line.The Darlington man was booked for the foul but Grimsby couldn't forge a goalscoring chance from Newey's free kick.

Then Toner sidefooted wide from 20 yards after North had capitalised on a missed header by White in the centre circle.

Two minutes of added time were allowed at the end of a first half that had belonged to the visitors.

Darlington had dominated and scored the two goals to reflect their superiority.They could have had a third in the second of those added minutes but Ravenhill's low cross was cleared by Boshell.

Town finished the half on the attack as they looked to take at least something into the break.

But when Taylor's low cross flashed across the six-yard box, no Mariners attacker could get near the ball and as referee Keith Hill blew for half time, the home supporters let their feelings be known.

Grimsby had been poor over the first half, with the team looking low on confidence and unable to create anything to worry Stockdale or his defenders.

Town made their final substitution before the restart, with Isaiah Rankin making his return to the Mariners side in place of Peter Till, who was taken off at half time for the second consecutive game.

But it was the visitors who had the first opportunity of the second half.

Atkinson failed to clear inside his own box and Tommy Wright moved in to shoot wide from the left side of the goal.

Town, with the words of Buckley no doubt ringing in their ears, moved forward with Taylor getting into promising positions early on.

But it was Darlington who increased their advantage with their next attack.

Wright picked up the ball on the left and beat Fenton before crossing.Montgomery managed to push the ball away from goal but unfortunately for the Mariners, he sent it into the path of RICHIE FORAN, who had an easy task to stroke the ball into the net.

Blundell was yellow-carded for a challenge on North out on the Mariners right near the half-way line.But yet again, Stockdale was not troubled as he collected the ball following Toner's free kick.

Wright almost profited as he flicked a header just wide of Montgomery's goal from six yards out after a long throw.

Town won a corner on 58 minutes but Fenton's header was cleared upfield.

Then four minutes later, a blast from Toner from the right of the area was deflected over the bar by Bennett.

Bolland also had a shot deflected wide from inside the box as the Mariners looked to get a goal back.

And a Newey free kick resulted in Fenton having a shot saved by Stockdale after Taylor had headed on after 68 minutes.

The Mariners were finally beginning to put some pressure on the Darlington goal but they still weren't seriously threatening to reduce the deficit.

At the other end, the away side won a corner after Fenton had won a challenge with Wright.

Montgomery looked to have dropped the ball after the inswinger from Purdie but the referee gave the Town keeper the benefit of the doubt and awarded a free kick in his favour.

Dave Penney made a double substitution after 74 minutes, bringing on Pawel Abbot and Joe Colebeck for Blundell and Foran.

Town were awarded a free kick soon afterwards when Ravenhill fouled North just inside the Darlington half.The former-Mariners midfielder was booked for the challenge and North was able to play on after receiving treatment.

Fenton shot over the bar on 79 minutes after Rankin had headed the ball on inside the box.

Then Fenton was involved in a clash of heads with Wright midway inside the Town half.Both players were fit to continue after the physios had once again been called into action.

Grimsby had their best chance so far after 81 minutes when North ran into the box before slipping the ball past Stockdale.But it wouldn't go into the net and instead, rolled agonisingly wide.

Taylor then won a corner after his progress had been stopped by Purdie.But Town couldn't create a chance to pull a goal back from it and the ball was cleared to the half-way line.

Darlington's next move was to replace Ravenhill with Neil Austin before Wright mis-hit a shot that went well wide from 18 yards.

As two minutes of added time were signalled, the away side won a corner and Montgomery had to be at his best to keep out a 30-yard rocket from Austin.

The next forward move saw Town's miserable evening completed when CUMMINS headed over Montgomery from 15 yards after a cross from Wright.

That was the last action on a poor night for the Mariners, where the scoreline didn't really flatter the visitors.And with results elsewhere going against Town, they were plunged back into the danger zone.