Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park

TWO second half goals gave Accrington Stanley their first league double of the season as Grimsby Town were beaten at Blundell Park.

There was no festive cheer for the Mariners faithful as John Coleman's spirited side came from behind and gleefully claimed three points as their Christmas present from Cleethorpes.

Town took the lead after seven minutes through Nick Hegarty and the score remained at 1-0 until half time despite both sides having good chances.

But after the break, the Mariners got themselves into another fine mess as Stanley equalised.And appropriately for the time of year, Mullin's free header gave them a gift-wrapped leveller.

Town responded with a string of free kicks inside their opponents' half and a succession of corners but they couldn't find an answer.

And when Andrew Proctor took advantage of more poor defending, it was the small band of travelling supporters who were celebrating.

One change was made to the Town side that earned a draw at Stockport on Saturday.

James Hunt came in for Ciaran Toner in the centre of midfield as Alan Buckley stuck with the successful 5-3-2 formation.

Phil Barnes began between the sticks behind the central defensive trio of Ryan Bennett, Nick Fenton and Tom Newey.Sam Hird and Nick Hegarty continued in their role as wing-backs, with Hird on the right and Hegarty operating down the left.

Hunt was joined in midfield by Paul Bolland and Danny Boshell, while Gary Jones kept his place in attack alongside Saturday's goalscorer Martin Butler.

Danny North made a return to the Town bench after missing the trip to Edgeley Park through illness.Jamie Clarke, Gary Montgomery, Peter Bore and Rob Atkinson made up the Mariners' substitutes list.

Accrington were without Romuld Boco, who has joined up with his Benin international team-mates ahead of next month's African Cup of Nations.

Instead, Stanley's key man was likely to be striker Paul Mullin, who scored twice in their 4-1 victory over Grimsby when the sides last met in September.

Town and Accrington came into this clash on contrasting runs of form.The Mariners had picked up three wins and a draw from their previous five games, while John Coleman's Stanley had only tasted victory once in the five games before heading to Cleethorpes.

But Accrington's last five away games had yielded two wins and two draws, meaning this should still have been a tough afternoon for the improving Mariners.

The visitors made the brighter start and they could have gone ahead after three minutes when Roscoe D'Sane shot from inside the area.The effort beat Barnes but trickled wide of his far post in front of the small pocket of travelling Stanley supporters.

Town's first chance came from a long ball into the box by Hegarty.It was headed back into the danger zone by Hird for the onrushing Hegarty, who had followed his own cross in but couldn't divert it towards goal.

The Mariners then won the first corner of the game but Boshell's delivery was cleared for a throw in.

Accrington couldn't keep the danger away though and from the throw, HEGARTY found himself free inside the box.He controlled the ball before sliding it past Stanley stopper Ian Dunbavin to put Town ahead after seven minutes.

The visitors looked to hit back straight away and D'Sane had an opportunity to equalise a minute later.But his shot from the left of the area was comfortable for the diving Barnes.

Afterwards, Town began to boss the game more but the Accrington threat was still evident, with Mullin winning aerial balls and flicking them on for his fellow forward D'Sane.

And the visitors had another chance to level the scores when John Miles beat Hird on the left and crossed for Mullin at the far post.He couldn't keep his header down though and the Grimsby lead remained intact.

Hegarty won a corner for Town on 23 minutes and from it, Fenton headed on but a touch from a defender saw the ball out for another corner.Again, it was met by the head of Fenton but the attempt lacked power and rolled through to Dunbavin.

Accrington were creating the better chances going forward but they looked weak at the back and Jones was almost presented with a scoring opportunity on 26 minutes when a back-pass fell short.

The Town striker slid in to challenge Dunbavin for the loose ball but the keeper was brave and managed to help the ball out for a corner.

Grimsby turned defence into attack on the half-hour when D'Sane was thwarted by a challenge from Bolland before Hird calmly beat his man and carried the ball out of defence.

Quick, incisive one-touch passing carried the Mariners forward, with Hird and Jones linking up well before the return ball for the big frontman was just too heavy and the Accrington defence were able to clear for a throw.

Town won a corner on the left on 33 minutes as Hegarty had a cross cut out.Boshell's near post delivery was half cleared but it took an offside flag against Butler to end the danger.

Accrington were looking to play a direct game, with long, high balls aimed towards the head of Mullin.Town were trying to be more patient, working the ball along the ground.

The game was becoming scrappy though, with the ball in the air a lot and most of the play in midfield areas.

Chances became more frequent as the half neared its conclusion, with first Butler, then Jones going close for Town.

Then D'Sane found himself with the ball on the six-yard line but he seemed to lose his balance and Town scrambled it away.

Two appeals for Town penalties were heard in quick succession from the fans in the Pontoon Stand as Butler, then Boshell, went down under challenges. But on each occasion, referee Mr Webster waved play on.

As the game moved into one minute of stoppage time, Town won a free kick out on the right.Boshell's inswinging ball was punched clear by Dunbavin and Hird fizzed a low shot just wide from 35 yards.

The whistle blew straight afterwards to end a half where both sides had good chances.Town held the advantage courtesy of Hegarty's early strike but Accrington did enough to suggest they were capable of restoring parity after the restart.

Accrington began brightly after the break and they got their equaliser within three minutes.

D'Sane crossed to the near post from the right and MULLIN was there to send a free header past Barnes from close range for his fourth goal in four games against Town.

Town responded well to the blow of conceding and Dunbavin had to scramble away a Boshell free kick.

Then some neat play between Hegarty, Hunt and Jones around the edge of the box led to another corner.Boshell's delivery from the right then led to uncertainty between Dunbavin and his defence but Town couldn't profit from it and a goal kick was signalled.

Despite the increase in urgency shown by the Mariners, it was the visitors who took the lead and it was another poor goal from a Town point of view.

The ball was bouncing around deep inside the Mariners box but nobody could clear it upfield and when it dropped for ANDREW PROCTOR, he smashed it back across goal to put his side ahead for the first time with 58 minutes gone.

Alan Buckley's response was to make a double substitution, taking off Jones and Boshell and sending on Peter Bore and Danny North.

It also brought about a switch to a 4-4-2 formation, with Newey moving to left back and Hegarty taking up an advanced role on the left wing.Hird reverted to right back as Bore took up a spot on the right wing.

Town had a chance to draw level soon afterwards as North touched the ball through to Butler inside the area but his shot was saved.

Then, as the Mariners continued to up the ante, Hunt saw a shot deflected wide for a corner from 18 yards before Bolland's header from the resulting corner was gathered above his head by Dunbavin.

Accrington's first substitution was to bring Robbie Williams on in place of John Miles on 70 minutes.

Two minutes later, Town won a free kick and Newey played it short for North.The youngster was outmuscled by Williams though and he raced clear pursued by North.

Williams made 50 yards before North pulled him to the ground, picking up a yellow card for his troubles.

Town won another free kick when Butler was fouled by Ian Craney on the Mariners left.Newey's kick was headed away for a corner.

Accrington had gained in confidence since half time and they now looked the most likely to get the next goal.Their long, direct play of the first half had given way to quick, short passing and they were causing more problems for the Town defence than the Mariners were creating at the other end.

Frustration was creeping in amongst the Grimsby players too, as shown when Butler saw a yellow card for a foul on Craney in front of the Main Stand.

Then Hegarty was booked for dissent with five minutes of the match remaining.

More Town penalty appeals were heard when Butler fell to the ground under a challenge by Phil Edwards but again, the referee wasn't interested.

Then there was an appeal at the other end when Leam Richardson broke down the right before going down inside the box.Again, play-on was the call, although North was given a talking-to.

Town had a free kick inside the Stanley half with two minutes to go but, not for the first time in the game, Newey's set piece caused no problems for the visiting defence.

The Mariners were given three minutes of added time to try and rescue a point but it was still the visitors who were pushing for a decisive third goal.

But in the end, no further goals were forthcoming, leaving Town to reflect on a home defeat that gives Saturday's derby with Lincoln City even more importance as both sides strive to get away from the relegation places.