GRIMSBY Town made it nine away games without defeat by claiming a point in a stalemate at Wrexham.
In a game of few genuine opportunities for either side, the Mariners battled hard for the draw against their north Wales opponents, who remain bottom of the table.
Ciaran Toner, restored to the starting line-up in midfield, came closest to scoring for Town when his 25-yard drive flew just over the bar seven minutes before half time.
Danny Boshell also saw shots go over the bar, while the hosts went close through substitute Michael Proctor.
Grimsby were forced to defend well against their hosts, who showed on a number of occasions that they are fighting to preserve their Football League status for next season.
But in the end, neither team did quite enough to secure the three points and although the Mariners move up a place to 11th in the table, the gap to the final play-off place is now seven points.
Three changes were made to the Town side that lost to Dagenham and Redbridge last Saturday.
They were forced into making two of those alterations after Sam Hird returned to Doncaster Rovers following the end of his loan spell and Tom Newey failed to shake off an injury.
Ryan Bennett came back into the starting line-up in place of Hird and there was a return from injury for Boshell.
He replaced Paul Bolland in midfield, while Toner came back into the starting XI as the other change.
Phil Barnes began in goal for the Mariners, who had Jamie Clarke, Bennett, Rob Atkinson, Nick Fenton, and Nick Hegarty in defence.
Boshell, James Hunt and Toner made up the midfield and Peter Till played behind Danny North in attack.
The Mariners substitutes were Peter Bore, Gary Montgomery, Bolland, Gary Jones and Justin Whittle.
Wrexham named former Grimsby goalkeeper Anthony Williams amongst their substitutes, while big striker Drewe Broughton would be one of those charged with keeping the Mariners defence busy from the start.
Grimsby were looking to get back to winning ways after the heavy home defeat by the Daggers.
Victory in north Wales could put the Mariners right back into the play-off picture, depending on other results, whereas their opponents would be desperate for the three points for different reasons.
Wrexham's fortunes had improved dramatically in recent weeks, with Brian Little's men having claimed wins over league leaders Milton Keynes Dons as well as third-placed Darlington since they made the trip to Blundell Park last month.
But despite the improvement, the Red Dragons remained rooted to the bottom of League Two at kick-off, eight points from safety but with games in hand.
Town had the first chance of the game when North almost got onto a ball that had been headed back toward home goalkeeper Gavin Ward in the second minute.
Toner could have sent Hegarty clear soon afterwards but his pass was poor and the chance was gone.
Fenton then had to make a good tackle after Stuart Nicholson looked to have got the wrong side of the Mariners centre-back in a dangerous area of the pitch.
The home side began to take the initiative and they almost had the lead on eight minutes when a hopeful ball into the box from Simon Spender took a deflection off Atkinson.It looked to be heading for the net but Fenton was able to clear.
Town won a free kick on 12 minutes but Toner's kick was poor and it couldn't be turned into a goalscoring opportunity.
Neither side had created much excitement amongst their supporters in the opening 20 minutes, although Wrexham had looked the more dangerous of the two teams in attack.
They were awarded a free kick on 22 minutes and it was chipped into the box by Danny Sonner before being brought away by Toner.
Clarke tried to turn and shoot inside the box after a Hegarty cross three minutes later.Wrexham scrambled the ball as far as Boshell but his shot from 25 yards was off-target.
Grimsby won their first corner of the afternoon on 32 minutes.Toner's kick was worked back to him and at the second attempt, the Northern Irishman's cross was too deep.
Toner was called into action at the other end soon afterwards when he had to make a good challenge on Broughton after Nicholson had broken down the right for the hosts.
Grimsby had their best chance of the game so far on 38 minutes and Toner was at the heart of things again, hitting a stinging drive from 25 yards that was well saved by Ward.
It looked like it might be Toner's last involvement in the game as he appeared to get a kick around the ankle after unleashing the shot but he returned to the action moments later, albeit limping heavily.
Two additional minutes were allowed at the end of a half that, on the whole, had been a scrappy affair with few genuine chances.
Wrexham had a good opportunity in the first of those added minutes when Atkinson was penalised for a handball.Sonner's free kick was delivered into the box but the ball was headed away by Clarke.
It meant the scoresheet remained blank as the whistle blew for half time.Wrexham had perhaps shaded the half in terms of chances created so Town manager Alan Buckley would probably have been happy with a goalless scoreline at the interval.
Toner had tried to run his injury off but he was forced to admit defeat before the restart to be replaced by Paul Bolland.
Hegarty tried to play a one-two with Till on 52 minutes but it was cut out by a Wrexham defender.It signalled the start of a period where neither side could build up an attack for more than two passes, with possession being given away easily by both teams.
Grimsby tried to put a spell of keeping the ball together and the move led to Hegarty crossing towards Bolland.The substitute got on the end of the ball into the danger zone but he couldn't direct his header towards goal and saw it drop wide.
North held the ball up for Till soon afterwards but he showed too much of it to Chris Llewellyn, who was able to clear for Wrexham.
Then, as Town began to get on top for the first time in the half, Hegarty went on a run, beating two home players before he was stopped by Jeff Whitley.
Wrexham made their first change on 62 minutes, with former Town target Sam Aiston replacing Whitley.
Town won a free kick a minute later and Hegarty's delivery was headed away.North tried a shot on the turn but saw it cleared and Wrexham broke quickly, with Bennett having to hold Aiston up at the other end of the pitch as he looked to shoot.
Brian Little, sensing his side were beginning to come into the game more, decided to use his final two substitutions to change his strikeforce.
Broughton and Nicholson were replaced by Michael Proctor and Robert Duffy to warm applause from the home supporters.
Town responded by making a 67th minute change themselves, with Gary Jones introduced to the action in place of Till, who had struggled to make an impact on the game.
Jamie Clarke took a free kick for Town after a foul on Jones two minutes later.It fell for Bolland before Boshell shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
Wrexham were looking the most likely to break the deadlock and they almost had a chance on 80 minutes, with Proctor crossing towards Duffy.The ball proved too long though, clearing the striker.
Peter Bore was given the chance to impress in an attacking role in place of North for the last ten minutes as Buckley made his final substitution.
Atkinson became the first of the afternoon to see a yellow card on 82 minutes for dissent and then Fenton joined him in referee Andy Haines' notebook for holding back Aiston two minutes later.
Jones got away with what looked like a handball on the edge of his own area as the home supporters screamed for a penalty with five minutes to go.
Wrexham were denied the chance to almost certainly win the game though, with the referee waving play on.
Then Barnes was involved in a clash of heads with Atkinson but both were fit to continue.
The tempo of the game seemed to move up a notch for the final five minutes as both sides looked for a winning goal.
Bore set off on a promising run before a free kick was headed down by Fenton into the path of Bolland.The midfielder couldn't control the ball though and it was scrambled away before he could shoot from six yards.
Wrexham were still pushing for the victory too and Proctor shot just over the bar from 18 yards after he had been allowed too much space by Bennett in the last minute of the 90.
Four additional minutes were signalled as Town launched another attack, this time with Clarke unable to find the room to get a shot away.
Bore was caught offside at the end of what looked a promising Town move in the last of the extra minutes.
The referee's final whistle came almost straight afterwards, ending a game that contained little in the way of entertainment value but produced another valuable point for the Mariners.
They now turn their attention to Tuesday's first leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy northern area final, where they will look to make it ten away games without defeat at Morecambe.
