GRIMSBY Town moved to within five points of the play-off places with this victory over Macclesfield at Moss Rose.

The Mariners took the lead through Danny North with their first real opening of the game on five minutes.

Both teams had further chances before half time but Grimsby held their advantage going into the break.

They then had opportunities to extend it soon after the restart but when the next goal came on 79 minutes, it was an equaliser for the home side, with Gareth Evans netting from ten yards.

At that point it looked like Town would have to settle for a draw but just three minutes later, Jamie Clarke's half-volley resulted in what proved to be the winning goal.

It took Grimsby within striking distance of League Two's top seven and extended their run of form to eleven games without defeat

Town were able to name an unchanged starting line-up after Saturday's win over Chesterfield when all three injury doubts were passed fit.

Rob Atkinson, Nick Fenton and Peter Till all picked up knocks in the 4-2 victory over the Spireites but all three began the match at Moss Rose.

Phil Barnes started the evening in goal, with the regular back five of Sam Hird, Atkinson, Fenton, Tom Newey and Nick Hegarty in front of him.

Clarke, James Hunt and Saturday's two-goal hero Danny Boshell made up the midfield, while Till would be aiming to impress again in his new role just behind lone striker North.

Grimsby's substitutes were Gary Montgomery, Gary Jones, Paul Bolland, Ryan Bennett and Peter Bore.

Former Town striker Martin Gritton wasn't able to face his old club in the colours of Macclesfield as he was forced out with a hamstring injury.

In his absence, the Silkmen would be relying on ex-Lincoln City and Boston United forward Francis Green to cause problems for the Mariners defence.

Grimsby were looking to extend an away record that hadn't seen them lose on their travels since the 2-0 reverse at Milton Keynes Dons back in November.

For Macclesfield, the opposite was true as they were looking for their first victory at Moss Rose since November.

The home side had the first chance to attack when Danny Thomas got forward and put a cross in on two minutes.Barnes was able to collect comfortably.

Then the hosts won the first corner of the evening two minutes later.It was cleared to Thomas before a shot was blocked by Hunt.

Town's first attack saw them take a fifth minute lead.A long ball was played through by Fenton and when defender Izak Reid failed to deal with it, NORTH was able to pounce and chip keeper Jonny Brain with a super shot into the top corner.

The Mariners were forced to defend a free kick as the home side looked to get back on level terms before the ten-minute mark.But they defended it well, with Sean Hessey's 25-yard shot hitting the Town wall.

Barnes had to make a good save to his left when a shot by Evans looked destined for the top corner from 18 yards on 14 minutes.The Grimsby stopper dived and pushed it over the bar for a corner.Terry Dunfield's kick was cleared by Hegarty.

Macclesfield were upping the tempo in a bid to get themselves level but Town were defending well, with Fenton making two clearances in quick succession at the near post.

Reid was the key man for the hosts, making runs down the right side and crossing into the danger zone.

North won a throw midway inside the Macclesfield half in 21 minutes but Town lost possession and Fenton had to cut out a ball that had been aimed for Green.

Till beat Ryan Cresswell on the right before the defender brought him down for a free kick just outside the penalty area a minute later.

Till's kick was cleared to Boshell but he lost out to Evans and the home side were able to clear.

Atkinson had to chase back to cover for his own mistake when he gave the ball away to Thomas as he aimed a pass to Hird on the right.

A flowing move from the Mariners involving Till, North and Hird was next, working the ball into a promising area but without any end product.

Then Thomas was fouled by Clarke at the other end, giving the Silkmen a free kick in a dangerous area 25 yards out and left of centre.Again, the shot smashed into Grimsby's defensive wall, this time from Jamie Tolley.

Brain made a good save from Till on 26 minutes, with the former Birmingham City man heading Hird's cross towards the left of the goal.But the Macclesfield keeper got down well to stop the attempt.

The hosts won a corner just after the half-hour but they couldn't make it count, with Green's overhead kick sailing over the bar and into the empty terrace behind the goal.

Hegarty then had to clear two minutes later as Green looked to get onto a loose ball inside the Mariners area.

Michael Symes hit a shot harmlessly through to Barnes soon afterwards as Ian Brightwell's side kept pressing forward looking for a way through to goal.

Hegarty fouled Reid on the right with three minutes of the half remaining.Neil Ashton's free kick whipped in towards Green at the far post but the ball cleared his head and dropped out for a goal kick.

One minute of stoppage time was added at the end of a first half which neither side had really dominated in terms of possession or chances.

Both teams had created opportunities but crucially, it was the Mariners who had taken theirs, with North extending his goalscoring streak with the early strike.

The game was far from over though, with Macclesfield firing several warnings that they were capable of getting something.

Town began the second half brightly, as North manufactured an early chance seconds after the restart.

The striker made a run from halfway and charged into the penalty area before pulling the ball across the six-yard box, just too far ahead of the advancing Clarke.

North had the ball again when he beat an offside trap three minutes into the half but he couldn't pick a Mariners player out and the chance was lost.

Macclesfield's first chance of the half saw Green fire a ball across the face of goal.Evans wasn't able to capitalise on it as he was put off by Fenton and Clarke.

Atkinson headed another cross away seconds later before Hird completed the clearance as the home team continued their search for parity.

Clarke and North almost combined on 56 minutes as the striker was nearly put through again and only a saving challenge stopped him from having a clear sight at goal.

The home supporters claimed a penalty as they thought Boshell had handled a cross from Reid two minutes later.Referee Mr Haywood waved play on and Town cleared the danger.

Tolley was able to get forward and shoot from outside the box on 61 minutes but Barnes stood and watched as the shot sailed over his bar.

Macclesfield made the first change of the night straight afterwards as Luke Dimech came on for Hessey before Alan Buckley made a substitution of his own, sending Paul Bolland on in place of Boshell.

The hosts were beginning to get on top but Town almost doubled their lead after a counter-attack through Till and Clarke on 64 minutes.Till shot at the end of it but his effort was deflected for a corner.Fenton's header from the flag-kick went wide for a goal kick.

Macclesfield had their best chance yet when Symes headed onto the roof of the net from a corner on 69 minutes.

Gary Jones replaced Till with 19 minutes of the game still to play, the big striker playing alongside North as the Mariners went 5-3-2 for the remainder of the match.

Silkmen boss Ian Brightwell threw another striker on for the last 15 minutes, with Nick Blackman replacing Danny Thomas.

As the substitution was being made, Town were lining up a free kick 25 yards from goal.Newey took it but hit it straight at Brain, who caught the ball easily.

With time beginning to run out, the home supporters were starting to express their frustrations but they were soon smiling again as Town failed to hold onto their lead.

Neil Ashton took a free kick 11 minutes from time and when Fenton headed it away, the ball fell to GARETH EVANS, who fired past Barnes from ten yards.

At that point, it looked like Grimsby had lost their chance to take all three points but just three minutes later, Alan Buckley's men were back in front.

Newey took a free kick and sent the ball to Jones inside the box.He flicked it on for CLARKE, who took the ball down and thundered an unstoppable half-volley past Brain to restore the advantage.

Ryan Bennett was sent on in place of Hegarty for the last five minutes as Town looked to shore up their defence and get through to full time with the lead intact.

Macclesfield piled forward looking for a second equaliser and Ashton had a shot blocked by Fenton for a throw-in.

Town were still attacking as well and North won a corner off Dimech with two minutes to go.

They were defending again soon afterwards as Reid put another cross into the area but Barnes was able to come off his line and claim the ball after a flick-on by Tolley.

Four minutes of added time were signalled as Macclesfield won another corner.They couldn't turn it into a chance in front of goal and Barnes was able to take his time in getting the ball away.

A combination of Barnes and Atkinson kept Tolley out when he shot from the edge of the area with two minutes of the four remaining.

Then Green got onto a long ball from Reid and hit a first-time shot just wide on the turn.

The home side were throwing everything at the Mariners defence as they looked for a last-gasp leveller.But they couldn't find their way back into the game and the Mariners held on for another priceless victory.

Town are now unbeaten in ten league games, 11 in all competitions and they will look to make it a dozen matches without defeat when they entertain Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday.