Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park

GRIMSBY Town extended their winning run to five games with this single-goal victory over relegation-threatened Wrexham.

Danny North scored for the second consecutive Saturday as Alan Buckley's side claimed all three points at Blundell Park.

Town dominated the first half in terms of possession and territory but they struggled to turn their pressure into goalscoring opportunities.

Paul Bolland went close just before the break but it took until the 68^th minute for North to break the deadlock and secure the maximum points haul.

Wrexham upped the tempo after going behind but Phil Barnes has a quiet afternoon in the Town goal as the visitors had few meaningful chances.

And the result means the Red Dragons are now staring the Conference in the face after going down to their eighth consecutive defeat, whereas the resurgent Mariners move up a place to 14th in the table.

Town were forced to make one change from the team that won at Stockport in midweek after Ryan Bennett picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in last week's success at Chesterfield.

The resulting one match suspension meant Sam Hird came back into the side after he was cup-tied for Tuesday's visit to Edgeley Park.

Alan Buckley stuck with the 5-3-2 formation as Phil Barnes began in goal and played behind a back five of Hird, Rob Atkinson, Nick Fenton, Tom Newey and Nick Hegarty.

Bolland, Jamie Clarke and James Hunt were again asked to form the three-man midfield, while North and Gary Jones continued in attack.

Ciaran Toner made a return to the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury but there were no places alongside him for fit-again Danny Boshell or Martin Butler.

Instead, it was Justin Whittle, Gary Montgomery, Andy Taylor and Peter Till who joined the Northern Irishman as the Mariners substitutes.

Wrexham gave debuts to new signings Gavin Ward and Phil Bolland.Veteran keeper Ward signed for his 16^th professional club when he made the switch to the Racecourse Ground earlier in the week, while defender Bolland arrived from near neighbours Chester City.

Former Mariners keeper Anthony Williams was on the bench for the Red Dragons, alongside top scorer Michael Proctor.

The teams came into the game on contrasting runs of form, with Grimsby having won each of their previous four games in league and cup and their visitors on a run of seven straight defeats.

While Town were winning at Stockport in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in midweek, Brian Little's Wrexham were dumped out of the FAW Premier Cup by League of Wales outfit Llanelli.

The game started slowly, with no early chances created by either side, although Town had won the first corner of the game on two minutes. Hegarty's inswinger was headed away by centre back Richard Hope.

Clarke took Town's next flag-kick six minutes later and again the ball was headed away, but this time Atkinson managed to get the ball back across.Fenton headed back across goal for Jones but his header was off target from close range.

Wrexham's first opportunity of the afternoon saw striker Paul Hall shooting from the edge of the box.Barnes saved acrobatically but he only managed to push the ball up into the air.It didn't matter though because Atkinson was there to complete the clearance.

Good build-up play by the Mariners led to penalty appeals when Hunt went down inside the box on 17 minutes.Referee Graham Salisbury wasn't interested and instead signalled for a corner.

Town were increasing the pressure on their visitors and they won a fourth corner of the game soon afterwards.Again though, the delivery from Clarke was poor and the pressure couldn't be turned into a goalscoring opportunity.

Hegarty had a weak shot headed off the line on 20 minutes after good work from North and Hunt had fashioned the chance.

And North was key in winning Town's fifth corner two minutes later after he was challenged by Steve Evans.This time Clarke's kick was better but Phil Bolland headed over his own bar for another Town corner.

Wrexham were struggling to make an impression, with only Hall's shot and a dangerous-looking cross from Mark Jones to their name from the opening 25 minutes.

Hall beat Fenton down the Wrexham left before his low cross was put wide by fellow striker Marc Williams a minute later but most of the play was still inside the visitors' half as the Mariners attacked the Pontoon Stand.

Town were awarded a free kick after Jones was held back on the halfway line and the move led to Hegarty crossing from the left.The danger was cleared momentarily for a throw-in and then a shot from North was blocked.

Atkinson then came to Grimsby's rescue after Hall was played through.The Wrexham man took a touch inside the box and shaped to shoot but the Barnsley loanee was there to put the ball out for a corner.

Richard Hope had the next good chance for the away side as he fired wide from 12 yards on 31 minutes after another shot had been blocked in the Town box.

Wrexham won a free kick after Atkinson was penalised on the left side of the penalty area on 37 minutes.

Mark Jones took the kick but Barnes wasn't called into action as the move ended with Paul Bolland winning a throw for Grimsby.

Bolland almost put Town ahead three minutes later after a mistake in the Wrexham defence.The ball came to the Mariners midfielder on the right of the area but his shot hit the angle of post and crossbar and bounced back out.

Grimsby's dominance had deserved a lead but try as they might, the Mariners couldn't turn pressure into goals.

Hunt was the first to be booked after a foul just inside his own half with three minutes of the half left.Danny Sonner took the free kick but Williams was penalised for a handball.

One extra minute was allowed before Mr Salisbury brought the first half to a close.Alan Buckley will probably have felt his side should have been in the lead, taking into account Town's dominance of possession and territory.

His opposite number Brian Little would perhaps have been pleased with the scoreline as well as the flashes of attacking potential from his Red Dragons throughout the half.

Overall, it had been a half of few clear chances, an area which Town would have to improve on after the interval if they were to extend the winning run.

Buckley made one change before the restart, with Peter Till coming on to replace Hird at right wing-back.

And Till made an immediate impact, winning a corner before seeing a left-footed cross cleared.

North then combined with Hegarty to put the winger through against visiting keeper Ward.Hegarty managed to win the loose ball, pushing it past Ward but running out of space to pull it back.

Town continued to push forward and North shot narrowly wide after turning inside the box on 52 minutes.

Wrexham won a free kick for obstruction on the right four minutes later.Sonner sent the ball towards the far post but Fenton headed away.The visitors got the ball back into the danger zone and Paul Bolland was forced to concede a corner.

There was a short delay on the hour while the injured referee Mr Salisbury was replaced by Mr M Brown, who had previously acted as assistant referee.He in turn was replaced by fourth official Mr W Porter.

His first act was to give Town a free kick midway inside the Wrexham half.Before it was taken, a second Mariners substitution was made, with Ciaran Toner coming on in place of Clarke.

Toner took the free kick but again, Ward wasn't troubled as Town failed to make the opportunity count.

At the other end, Barnes had to dive to stop a cross-shot from Hall on 65 minutes.It was Wrexham's first real chance of the half but the effort was comfortable for the Mariners stopper.

Town's next chance saw them take a 68^th minute lead.Newey pushed the ball forward towards NORTH and he managed to beat Ward to it, flicking it over the advancing keeper and watching it bounce over the line for his sixth goal of the season.

Soon afterwards, Till broke down the right, beating Mark Jones before passing to Hegarty in acres of space.His first-time shot was well saved by Ward before an offside flag went up against North, who had followed up the shot.

The Wrexham midfielder Jones had gone down injured after pulling up while chasing Till and he was replaced by Andy Fleming.

The visitors stepped up a gear after going behind and a 35-yard drive from Richard Hope led to one of a number of corners won by the men from north Wales around the 75-minute mark.

Toner was penalised for a foul on Neil Roberts 30 yards from goal but as Sonner's delivery came into the box, the referee's whistle blew for an infringement against Fenton.

The stretcher was called for to carry the centre-back off the field and Justin Whittle took his place as Town made their final change of the afternoon.

Wrexham made a double substitution at the same time, with Michael Proctor and Matty Done coming on.

Toner tried his luck from 25 yards with three minutes remaining and his shot took a deflection for a corner.

Toner worked a short corner routine, getting the ball back and crossing towards the far post, where Whittle saw a header come back off the upright.

Six minutes of added time were allowed to compensate for the injuries to Fenton, Mark Jones and referee Mr Salisbury.

Town tried to run the clock down by keeping the ball inside their opponents' half but Wrexham broke free in the fourth of those extra minutes and Barnes had to stretch to claim a cross from the right.

And the Mariners then had to survive another scare after Whittle was penalised for a foul inside his own half.

But Wrexham couldn't capitalise and cheers rung around Blundell Park as the final whistle signalled another Town win.

Grimsby now head south for their first ever meeting with Dagenham and Redbridge next Saturday.