Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park
GRIMSBY Town fell to their second consecutive home defeat as Rochdale ran out 2-1 winners at Blundell Park.
In a reversal of the game at Rotherham in midweek, Town dominated the first half against Keith Hill's side but faded after half time.
On a Friday evening that saw what was comfortably the largest home crowd of the season so far, the Mariners went behind to an Adam Le Fondre header after 11 minutes.
Town then regrouped and gained in confidence and they got their leveller through Shaleum Logan, the Manchester City loanee netting on his debut and showing why he is so highly rated by those at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Grimsby then controlled the rest of the half but failed to turn their dominance into goals.
And when Glenn Murray put the visitors ahead again on 59 minutes, Alan Buckley's side had no answers.
Two changes were made to the Mariners teamsheet for the game as Grimsby looked to build on the shoot-out success at Millmoor on Tuesday.
Logan came into the Town side for his first start in the black and white stripes after the 19-year-old penned a one-month loan deal yesterday.
He lined up at right back as Ryan Bennett moved inside to join Nick Fenton at centre back, with Justin Whittle dropping to the bench and Tom Newey taking up his usual role at left back.
The other change from the team that won at Rotherham saw Gary Jones start alongside Isaiah Rankin in attack as Alan Buckley decided to go 4-4-2 from the off.
Danny Boshell missed out due to his paternity leave, while the fit-again James Hunt would have to begin the evening on the substitutes' bench.
Jamie Clarke kept his starting berth in midfield alongside Paul Bolland, with Peter Till on the right wing and Ciaran Toner on the left.
Phil Barnes started in goal, while the other Town subs alongside Whittle and Hunt were Andy Taylor, Gary Montgomery and Peter Bore.
Rochdale came to Cleethorpes on the back of two successive home defeats, both to local rivals Bury.A 2-1 reverse in the league last Saturday was followed by a 3-1 loss in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Tuesday.
Together with the recall of loan defender Guy Branston by Peterborough and extensions to the Spotland injury list, the defeats made up what Dale boss Keith Hill described as his worst week as a manager.
Key player Chris Dagnall was one of those in the treatment room, as was former Mariner Simon Ramsden.
That meant the main threats from the away side would come from ex-Stockport striker Adam Le Fondre and midfielder Gary Jones.
Rochdale won the first corner in the second minute but the Mariners defence wasn't troubled as Glenn Murray headed over.
Town's first attack saw Rankin break free before passing to Till.The right winger then attempted to find Toner with a low cross-field ball that just fell short of its target, being cleared by the Dale defence.
Nick Fenton was then penalised for a foul 30 yards from goal but Tom Kennedy's free kick was easily claimed by Barnes.
Town then began to make an impression going forward, with Rankin running out of space in the box before good work by Logan almost led to a goalscoring chance.
When the first genuine opportunity did come, it went the way of Rochdale and as had happened in previous games at Blundell Park, the away side made it count.
Dale were awarded a free kick wide on the right after 11 minutes for a foul by Newey.The left-footed ball was drifted in to the near post, where ADAM LE FONDRE flicked on with his head beyond Barnes and into the net.
After their opener, Rochdale immediately went in search of a second goal, winning a corner three minutes later which Barnes gathered at the second attempt.
But it was Grimsby who were the next to hit the net, and it was a dream start for SHALEUM LOGAN.
Peter Till backheeled to the youngster, who carried the ball forward to the edge of the box before unleashing a drive into the bottom corner from 18 yards on 17 minutes.
It was a quality goal that showed the Premier League class of the youngster and the celebration matched it, with Logan performing a back-flip in front of the Main Stand crowd.
Logan was involved again when Town next attacked.This time it was his back-heel that went to Jones in the box.His shot was blocked, as was Toner's follow-up.
The Mariners had moved the play up several notches since Rochdale's goal and after getting their equaliser, Town were now dominating the game, playing some great football at pace and looking dangerous on the attack.
At the other end, Glenn Murray had a 26th minute shot for the visitors that deflected off Clarke for a corner.
Three minutes later, good play by Till led to Rankin turning and shooting wide from the edge of the area.
Adam rundle won a corner for Rochdale on the half hour but Barnes claimed the ball before throwing to Till.The ex-Birmingham man then got to level with the 18-yard line before being fouled.
Newey took the free kick with his left foot, steering the ball low into the six-yard box before it was put out for a corner.Town couldn't capitalise on it though and Rochdale cleared.
The first yellow card was issued to Rochdale's Gary Jones for a foul on Till and Town created more danger from the resulting free kick, with Bennett having a header cleared off the line.
Despite all of the good play from the Mariners, they were lucky not to fall behind when a cross from Rundle dropped to Le Fondre in front of goal.The Pontoon breathed a sigh of relief as he volleyed over from close range.
41 minutes were on the clock when Logan picked the ball up on the right before looking up and crossing towards Rankin.The striker launched himself towards it, connecting with a diving header that went just wide of James Spencer's goal.
Rochdale made a substitution two minutes before the break after midfielder John Doolan went down injured in front of the dug-outs.He was replaced by Marcus Holness.
Town were looking to take the lead their dominance had deserved and they almost had it after good play by Rankin down the right side.He got to the by-line before crossing. The onrushing Paul Bolland couldn't make contact with the ball as it dropped for a goal kick.
One minute of stoppage time was added before the referee Mr Whitestone brought an end to an entertaining first half that had seen Grimsby dominate after falling behind, getting a deserved equaliser through Logan and threatening more goals to come after the restart.
The first action of the second half saw Rory McArdle booked for a foul on Rankin inside the Rochdale half.The free kick was taken short before Toner's shot was blocked.
Town thought they had kept the ball in and as Jones headed into the net, the Mariners supporters thought their side had taken the lead.The referee had other ideas though, pointing for a corner after ruling the ball had gone out.
Grimsby had another chance to take the lead after Rankin's persistence took him into the box before he lost the ball and then won it back.It fell to Jones, whose snap-shot was brilliantly saved by visiting keeper Spencer.
Rochdale won a free kick for a foul by Toner on the angle of the box on the right side on 54 minutes.The ball was knocked in by Ben Muirhead and cleared for a corner by Bennett.
Le Fondre then outmuscled Fenton to win another corner on the left and this time, Barnes came out of his goal to claim the ball confidently.
Rochdale were threatening and despite Town's attacking play, it was the away side who took the lead on 59 minutes.
Adam Rundle hit a super cross towards the far post, where GLENN MURRAY was waiting to nod past Barnes for 2-1.
Alan Buckley responded to going behind by making two changes in quick succession.First Jamie Clarke was sacrificed to make was for James Hunt, before Andy Taylor was sent on in place of Rankin.
Town won a free kick on 63 minutes after Logan was obstructed and Newey came over to take it.But the left back couldn't create any danger as the ball floated over everybody and went out harmlessly for a goal kick.
Grimsby used their last substitution to introduce Peter Bore in place of Ciaran Toner five minutes later as they looked to rediscover the form shown for much of the first half.
The men from Spotland were still searching for what would surely be a decisive goal too but when they won another corner, it was again comfortably taken by Barnes.
The Mariners won a corner of their own on the right with 15 minutes to go.Again, Town made little of the opportunity as Till's kick was cleared to the half-way line.
Worryingly for Town fans, it was Rochdale who looked the more likely to get the next goal as they continued to push Grimsby back.Town were struggling to create any danger, or even keep possession for any length of time as Rochdale gained in confidence.
And they could have had a third on 80 minutes but David Perkins saw a shot from close range deflected for a corner.
Town were still being given opportunities to create goalscoring chances but they were mostly in the form of free kicks from just inside the Rochdale half.
And try as they might, the Mariners couldn't seem to make them work, with poor deliveries from Newey not troubling the Dale defence or calling 'keeper Spencer into action.
Three minutes were added at the end of the game but despite Town showing so much promise in the first half, it was the 270 supporters who had travelled across the Pennines that were celebrating at the final whistle.
