Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park

AN IMPROVED Grimsby Town display was not enough to prevent defeat by play-off chasing Wycombe Wanderers at Blundell Park.

As on Saturday against Rotherham, a single goal was enough to seal the three points, with Sergio Torres' first half strike proving decisive.

The visitors dominated the first half in front of the smallest league crowd at Blundell park for some years and they played some attractive football as they looked to consolidate their seventh place in the table.

Town came back into the game after half-time but they struggled to make an impact in front of goal and visiting goalkeeper Frank Fielding enjoyed a quiet evening.

Wycombe had chances to increase their lead, with Phil Barnes having to save well from Scott McGleish midway through the half.

Grimsby never conceded defeat and fought to the finish in search of an equaliser but none was forthcoming.

It was another much-changed Town team that took the field, with Alan Buckley making three alterations after Saturday's home defeat by Rotherham.

Paul Bolland and Rob Atkinson came back into the side after absences through injury, while Nathan Jarman was given a second chance to impress after serving the one-match suspension that came as a result of his red card at Rochdale.

Phil Barnes started in goal, while Jamie Clarke dropped back to right-back after starting Saturday's game in the centre of midfield.

Atkinson, Nick Fenton, Tom Newey and Nick Hegarty made up the rest of the back five, while Bolland was joined by Danny Boshell and Peter Till in midfield.

Jarman led the line with Martin Butler and the Mariners substitutes were Gary Montgomery, Matthew Bird, Andy Taylor, Peter Bore and Ciaran Toner.

Wycombe's main goal threat would come from their top scorer Scott McGleish.He had plundered 24 goals from 42 starts in the league prior to this game, while the Chairboys next top marksman was substitute John Sutton, who had netted only six times.

The visitors came to Cleethorpes with everything to play for, starting the match in the final play-off position and with their eyes firmly fixed on the end-of-season promotion lottery.

Their recent record suggested they still had some work to do if they were to hit the jackpot though, with just two wins from their previous six games sitting alongside three draws and a defeat.

Town's season had hit the buffers of late, although the Mariners would still be looking to end a run of five defeats from their previous seven league outings by putting a dent in the League One aspirations of Paul Lambert's side.

Grimsby almost took the lead on three minutes when Jarman did well on the right before sliding the ball through to Butler.He shot from six yards but the effort was deflected for a corner.

Wycombe's first sight at goal came seconds later when McGleish hit a speculative shot on the turn from 35 yards after the ball was flicked on by his strike partner Delroy Facey.The ball looped up and back into the arms of barnes, who made a comfortable save.

Facey himself was the next to try his luck, this time shooting just wide from 18 yards on six minutes.

The visitors had enjoyed the better of the opening ten minutes, attacking with purpose as they chased an opening goal, yet without troubling Barnes in the early stages.

Apart from the early chance for Butler, the Mariners didn't threaten the goal guarded by Frank Fielding until Till made a run down the right and into the box on 14 minutes.The former Birmingham man ran out of steam as he neared the by-line and the ball was cleared for a corner, which was eventually headed wide by Fenton.

The visitors won a corner when McGleish skipped into the Town box before being thwarted by Barnes.

Boshell cleared the flag-kick but seconds later, gave away a free kick for a foul on the right.Facey was the main beneficiary as he headed goalwards from the set-piece but Barnes produced a fine save to tip the ball away for a corner.

Town were riding their luck as Wycombe dominated and with 19 minutes gone, the away side took the lead.

SERGIO TORRES combined with Facey before creating some space for himself inside the box and slotting past Barnes to register the goal that Wycombe's superior start had deserved.

Town won a corner on 25 minutes but they couldn't create a chance from it as referee Russell Booth awarded the visitors a free kick for pushing as Hegarty's ball was delivered towards the box.

Barnes was forced into action again when Russell Martin found Tommy Doherty with a long pass on 33 minutes.The Mariners stopper pushed the midfielder's shot away before gathering the ball at the second attempt as Torres closed in.

Martin won a corner after beating Bolland two minutes later but this time it was Wycombe's turn to be penalised for a foul as the ball was sent towards the penalty area.

Grimsby then had a brief spell with the ball inside their opponents' half, with Till beating his man but failing to get a cross in.Jarman was also involved with some good hold-up play but the end result was the same, with the visiting defence able to clear without involving their goalkeeper.

Torres put Facey clear on 39 minutes but as the big striker ran into the box, he hesitated for long enough for Newey to get back and put in a good challenge.

Town put together another attacking move three minutes later but they couldn't get a shot on target as Jarman's effort fizzed over the bar.

Straight afterwards, Alan Buckley made his first change of the evening, with Ciaran Toner coming on in place of Fenton, who had picked up a knock earlier in the game.

The Northern Irishman took up a left-wing berth, with Hegarty dropping back to operate as a left-back and Newey moving across into Fenton's role at the heart of central defence.

One added minute was played at the end of the half before Mr Booth's whistle signalled the end of a first 45 minutes that had mostly belonged to the away side.

Wycombe had asked more questions of Buckley's side than the Mariners had posed at the other end and as the teams went into the dressing rooms, the visitors took a deserved lead in with them.

No further changes in personnel were made by either side at the interval and after the restart, the Mariners had the first opportunity when Jarman was fouled 25 yards from goal.

Town overcooked the free kick though, with the ball being worked from what could have been a shooting position to one wide on the right before the move broke down and the ball was put out of play for a goal kick.

Toner won a corner on the left after Butler had flicked the ball to him but again, no danger came from the kick, with Mike Williamson able to clear for Wycombe.

Jarman and Butler combined to create an opening for the youngster on 50 minutes but his shot from 18 yards was deflected away from goal and eventually ran for a Grimsby throw-in.

The Mariners were starting to come into the game and they won another free kick for what was adjudged to be a foul on Jarman out on the left.The ball was worked out via Boshell to Till on the right but his cross was ineffective.

A defence-splitting pass from Jarman found Butler inside the area on 55 minutes but the striker slipped and what looked like a good chance was gone.

Wycombe then took their turn to apply some pressure after Newey conceded a corner.Torres couldn't fashion a scoring chance as he looked to turn the ball in from six yards but failed to control it.

At the other end, another corner from Till resulted in Bolland having a shot blocked from outside the box.

Then a long ball forward by Stefan Oakes was nodded down by Facey into the path of McGleish.The Chairboys' leading marksman had been quiet so far but this time, he forced an excellent save from Barnes with his feet.

It was the first of three good chances for Wycombe in quick succession.The second fell to Oakes after a poor clearance by Barnes fell at his feet and he calmly rolled the ball back towards goal.The Town keeper was relieved to see the ball come back off the post.

Oakes was the man at the centre of the action again seconds later when he charged into the box before shooting against the side netting when he had fellow attackers better placed.

Town then made their second change of the game with Peter Bore replacing Butler in attack.

The youngster's first contribution was to make a run to the by-line on the left before cutting the ball back.Jarman dummied for Boshell, who fired narrowly wide from 20 yards.

Grimsby were beginning to sense the prospect of taking something from the game as they enjoyed their best period of the game.But still, Fielding was yet to make a real save in the Wycombe goal.

The Mariners had a let-off on 72 minutes when Newey allowed a through-ball from Oakes to bounce with Facey in hot pursuit.The left-back then prodded the ball back to Barnes and the keeper got his defender out of trouble as he managed to clear.

Wycombe boss Paul Lambert then made a change, forcing McGleish to make way for former Brighton striker Leon Knight.

Facey got in behind Newey again on 76 minutes to meet a long ball inside the box.The defender made up for his mistake by getting back and doing enough to put Facey off as he shot wide.

Andy Taylor replaced Jarman in the Town frontline for the last ten minutes as Buckley made his third and final substitution.

Bolland blazed a shot high over the crossbar before Dave McCracken replaced Torres as Wycombe made another change.

The away side were now looking to preserve their one-goal lead and possibly grab a second on the break, while Town were striving to get an equaliser.

The side from Buckinghamshire had the chance to seal the points when they won a free kick near the right corner flag but Oakes' kick was cleared.

In the end, it didn't matter as Town's search for an equaliser proved to be in vain and they now face a trip to West Yorkshire to face Bradford City at the weekend.