GOALS from Danny Boshell and Rob Atkinson gave Grimsby Town the perfect start to 2008 as they claimed all three points at the Deva Stadium.

Boshell scored from the spot on 65 minutes after Danny North was brought down by Chester keeper John Danby.

And the win was sealed by Atkinson's header from a Tom Newey free kick with six minutes to go.

Chester had looked the most likely to break the deadlock in a scrappy first half where Town were making too many mistakes.

But poor finishing kept the Mariners level and after the break, a much improved display completed what has been an encouraging Christmas and New Year programme.

Apart from the Accrington defeat, the Mariners have claimed two wins and a draw over the Festive period and Alan Buckley's men are now unbeaten in four on the road.

Buckley made just one change to the Town side that beat Lincoln City in their last outing on Saturday.

Goal hero Gary Jones was the man to come in from the start in place ofNorth, who dropped to the bench.

Phil Barnes would have been hoping for an afternoon as quiet as the one he had against the Imps as he lined up in goal, in front of an unchanged back five of Sam Hird, Ryan Bennett, Atkinson, Newey and Nick Hegarty.

Nick Fenton was back in contention after his one-match suspension but was only named as a substitute.

Paul Bolland, Boshell and James Hunt were again used as a midfield trio, while Jones took his place in attack alongside Martin Butler, who was celebrating making his stay at Blundell Park permanent after the re-opening of the transfer window.

Andy Taylor, Peter Till and Gary Montgomery joined Fenton and North on the Mariners bench.

Chester had lost three of their previous four games coming into this clash and had conceded eight goals in reverses to Brentford and Morecambe in the two matches since Christmas.

But Bobby Williamson's side remained in ninth place in League Two so they would provide a stern test for Grimsby.

Former Hull City winger Kevin Ellison would be one to watch in the hosts' side, while Ritchie Partridge would also be capable of causing problems for the Town defence.

Further firepower would come from the bench in the shape of ex-Lincoln City striker Simon Yeo.

Town played in the red and black kit that was first used in the FA Cup defeat at Huddersfield last month in order to avoid a clash with Chester's blue and white stripes.

Butler got in behind the home defence with just under three minutes of the game gone but he was flagged offside just as he was about to shoot.

Chester had their first opening when Hegarty brought Partridge down for a free kick on the corner of the penalty area.

Ellison took the kick but shot comfortably over the bar with eight minutes gone.

Then Chris Holroyd's shot from 25 yards was smothered by Barnes after Hegarty had again fouled Partridge, this time on the halfway line.

Town won their first corner on 12 minutes but Boshell's delivery was poor and Chester were able to clear.

The game was becoming scrappy, with plenty of misplaced passes from both sides and very few opportunities in front of goal at either end.

Hunt was fouled by on-loan John Welsh midway inside the Chester half on 25 minutes but Bennett was penalised from the resulting free kick, handing possession back to the home side.

Paul McManus broke for Chester after a mistake by Boshell two minutes later.He gave the ball to Ellison, whose low cross was tipped away by Barnes.

Then a Holroyd header dropped well wide before Ellison took advantage of more slack play in midfield by Town, shooting wide from a narrow angle as Chester looked to take the initiative.

In truth though, neither side looked likely to make a breakthrough with the Mariners posing little attacking threat and their hosts relying on mistakes.

Bolland saw a shot charged down on 32 minutes after Jones chested the ball down for him.

Then Butler hit the side netting from a tight angle as Town enjoyed their first half-chances of the afternoon.

Hegarty picked out Hird with a right-footed cross from the left wing but the flag went up for offside against the Doncaster Rovers loanee.

Bennett gave away a free kick for a foul on Holroyd 25 yards out and just to the right of goal with eight minutes of the half remaining.

Welsh took the kick and sent a shot just off target, curling it around the Mariners wall but clearing the crossbar.

The same man then received the first booking of the afternoon for a rash challenge on Boshell.Bennett headed just over from Newey's free kick.

Town had a free kick in a dangerous position themselves when Bolland was fouled 20 yards out on 40 minutes.

Newey's set piece hit centre back Paul Linwood in the Chester wall and deflected for a corner.

A mix up between Hird and Newey a minute later left McManus one-on-one with Barnes but Town had a huge let off as the striker missed when a goal looked almost certain.

Partridge won a duel with Hird on the Chester left before crossing to Holroyd.But the ball was just behind the forward and his header dropped into the arms of Barnes.

One minute of added time was played before the end of a half where Town probably should have been behind but for poor finishing.

Alan Buckley would probably have felt that his side were making too many mistakes in defence, letting their opponents through on too many occasions.

Town had few chances of their own and would probably be counting themselves lucky to be going in level at the break.

No substitutions were made at the break and Town began brightly after the restart with Hegarty winning a corner but Atkinson was guilty of a foul as Boshell's kick came across.

Then Atkinson was forced to block a shot seconds later before Newey cleared the loose ball inside the Town box.

Hegarty crossed again on 48 minutes but home keeper John Danby beat Jones to it and set off another Chester attack.

Hunt gave the ball away six minutes later when a pass meant for Newey was intercepted by Partridge.The former Liverpool man couldn't capitalise on it though, instead hitting a shot well wide.

Butler was replaced by Danny North on 55 minutes as Alan Buckley made his first change of the afternoon.

Town won a free kick when North was fouled two minutes later but Bennett's shot from Newey's delivery was easy for Danby.

Then a deep cross from North was too far forward for any Mariners attacker.

Bolland won a corner for Town soon afterwards as the 236 travelling supporters sensed an improvement from their side.

And a Sam Hird cross on the hour led to an unmarked Boshell heading over the bar when he probably should have done better.

Town had looked much better since half time and they took the lead on 65 minutes when Bolland pushed a ball through towards North.

Chester stopper Danby looked favourite to claim it but instead he brought North down and referee Mr Evans immediately pointed to the spot for a penalty before issuing a yellow card to the keeper.

BOSHELL stepped forward and confidently slotted the spot kick into the net, beating Danby who had dived the right way.

Straight after the goal, Nick Fenton was brought on to replace Hegarty as Newey moved to the left of midfield.Atkinson moved to left back as Alan Buckley switched to 4-4-2.

Chester boss Bobby Williamson responded by sending Simon Yeo on in place of Holroyd with the home side now chasing the game and looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

Fenton had to clear a Chester corner before Partridge went down under a challenge, sparking penalty appeals from the home supporters.

Then the hosts made their second change, introducing Mark Hughes for McManus.

Clever play by North forced a corner for Grimsby on the left with 15 minutes left.Fenton headed Boshell's delivery back across goal but Welsh beat Jones to the loose ball, giving Town another corner.

Next, it was the home side's turn to win a corner after Barnes pushed away a 25-yard shot from Yeo.Chester couldn't make it count though and Town cleared.

North won another corner at the other end as the game moved into the last ten minutes.This time, Boshell's kick was too high and curled out for a goal kick at the far post.

Town had been the better side in the second half and they doubled their advantage on 84 minutes after North was fouled by Sean Newton on the Grimsby right.

Newey curled a free kick into the danger zone and ATKINSON was there to glance a header past Danby for his first goal for the Mariners.

Four extra minutes were added as Newey conceded a corner under pressure from Partridge.When the ball came across, it was headed back into the danger zone by Yeo before being cleared.

North broke for Town, beating his man and running towards the corner.The Mariners kept possession through North and Hunt before Chester got the ball clear.

Town took no chances, clearing for throw-ins until the referee's whistle brought cheers from the Grimsby supporters, who have now seen their side win three out of the last four away matches - the other being the draw at Stockport.