The Mariners were forced to work for their three points by a determined AFC Telford United side, who were right in the game until substitute Rob Duffy broke the deadlock with eight minutes to go.

The visitors from Shropshire shaded the first half of what was a tight contest and as it went on, they looked the more likely to force a breakthrough goal.

But Town stuck to their task and hit the front through Duffy, before Frankie Artus made sure of the points with a second goal in the last minute.

The win proved crucial as with other results going in their favour, Grimsby moved up two places in the league table and after extending their unbeaten run to 13 games, they made sure they are now right in the race for promotion.

Rob Scott and Paul Hurst again opted not to make any changes to their Town side following the 2-2 draw at Barrow in midweek.

Striker Anthony Elding had been the only doubt for the hosts coming into the game after picking up a knock in the game at Holker Street but he was passed fit to keep his place in the XI.

James McKeown started in goal, with Gary Silk, Scott Garner, Ian Miller and Conor Townsend making up the now-familiar back four.

Michael Coulson began on the right, with Craig Disley and AndI Thanoj in the centre of midfield and Artus on the left, while Elding was joined in attack by 25-goal top scorer Liam Hearn.

One change was made on the Grimsby substitutes' bench, with Charlie I'Anson coming in for Luke McCarthy after the winger returned to parent club Bury.

The other replacements were Anthony Church, Duffy, Shaun Pearson and Kiernan Hughes-Mason.

Telford headed east looking to pull further clear of the Blue Square Bet Premier danger zone, with Andy Sinton's men sitting just three points ahead of the relegation places at kick-off.

The main threat from the visitors was likely to come from leading scorer Chris Sharp, who was looking to add to his 11 goals so far this season, while former Town defender Ben Futcher would be out to add his aerial threat to any set-piece opportunities.

Another familiar name in the Bucks' squad was ex-Grimsby right-back Dwayne Samuels, who was on the bench alongside former Lincoln and Tamworth striker Kyle Perry.

Hearn's importance to the Mariners was emphasised ahead of the game with a club statement reiterating he would not be sold despite interest from other suitors ahead of the end of the transfer window.

The match kicked off in bright sunshine and Telford were the first to launch an attack, with right-back Will Salmon sending a cross in that had to be headed out for a corner by Silk.

Town's first venture forward saw Coulson run towards the penalty area before being brought down for a free kick 20 yards from goal. Artus took it but could only shoot low into the visitors' defensive wall.

After a slow start, the Mariners began to take charge around the 10-minute mark, looking to pass the ball and keep possession.

Atrus played Hearn in down the left and he cut in before having a shot blocked for a corner, which was cleared at the near post.

Another free kick was curled in by Artus from the right but visiting keeper Ryan Young beat Elding to the ball in the air and punched it clear.

At the other end, a cross from Marlon Jackson broke for Sharp to hit a low shot from 20 yards but McKeown got down to make a comfortable stop.

Jackson then won a corner when his cross was put behind by Miller, who was involved again when he beat Futcher to the header from Nathan Rooney's right-wing delivery.

Jackson had to be replaced after he went down with an injury on 22 minutes and Perry was the man to come on in his place.

A low cross from Coulson almost led to a chance for Hearn two minutes later but he could not get enough contact on the ball to turn it past Young.

The same combination created the next opening but this time it was Hearn who beat Ryan Valentine down the right before pulling it back towards Coulson, only for the ball to be blocked before it could reach its target.

A free kick taken by Disley on halfway failed to find a man in black and white and it was brought clear by Stephen Jones, who raced almost the length of the field before having a shot blocked by McKeown.

That marked the start of a good spell for Telford, who went on to force four corners in quick succession, although none of Rooney's deliveries called McKeown into action in the Town goal.

Rooney then fired over the bar from 20 yards as the away side continued to find ways through the Mariners midfield and into shooting positions.

Town were being restricted to few attacks of their own but that changed when Artus found the overlapping Townsend down the left, although his cross to the near post was headed clear.

Artus was the next to put the ball into the danger zone with a deep cross from the left but keeper Young, who had not had much to do so far, came off his line to claim the catch.

The game then became scrappy, with Town not being allowed to put together spells of possession as Telford put pressure on their hosts.

Two added minutes were played at the end of the half and it was they away side who were looking the more likely to break the deadlock, although with no further chances created, the game remained goalless at the break.

It had been a different first half to those seen in recent games at Blundell Park, as Telford matched the Mariners and perhaps shaded the opening 45 minutes in terms of territory and chances created, although neither goalkeeper had been called into any serious action.

No changes were made before the restart and Town had the first opportunity to attack with a free kick from the right that was whipped into the box by Artus but headed clear. The hosts kept the ball though and when it was delivered back into the penalty area, Garner headed at Young.

A cross from Townsend on the left then broke for Hearn but after taking a touch, the striker could not get the right angle on his shot and it drifted across goal and out for a throw-in.

At the other end, Telford's first attempt of the half was sent well wide by midfielder Carl Rodgers, who looked off-balance as he shot from 25 yards after good work by Jones.

A foul by Chris Blackburn on Elding gave Town a free kick on the right side of the penalty area on 53 minutes but after Artus' delivery was headed on by Coulson, Futcher was there to head away.

Futcher was shown the yellow card after a trip on Disley, who had been looking to run through the midfield.

The resulting free kick then led to another foul, this time on Artus, on the edge of the box but Townsend's chip was blocked by the Telford wall.

Hearn forced a save out of Young just after the hour, with the keeper tipping the ball away for a corner after the striker had controlled it and let fly from 20 yards. Coulson's corner was caught by the stopper.

Another free kick was given Grimsby's way after Townsend was brought down right on the edge of the Telford penalty area on 67 minutes. Coulson fired it in towards the near post but the ball was headed clear.

McKeown had to make a good double save after Jones created another opening before Sharp forced the Town keeper to dive and push a shot away. He then had to get up again and get to Rooney's follow-up effort, before the resulting corner was headed wide by Futcher.

Coulson won a corner for Town on 73 minutes but the referee spotted an infringement as Artus sent the ball towards the far post and a free kick was given to the visitors.

Grimsby's first substitution came with 14 minutes to go and saw Duffy replace Elding.

A shot from Jones soon afterwards was deflected for a Telford corner, which was eventually gathered by McKeown after Rooney's delivery had been headed back to him by Silk.

The Mariners took the lead with a goal out of nothing with eight minutes to go, at a time when the away side were beginning to get on top and were looking the more likely to force a breakthrough.

In a rare town attack, Hearn hit a perfect cross from the left and with Young slightly out of position, DUFFY headed home from close range.

Hearn nearly made it 2-0 two minutes later after collecting a ball from Townsend but he shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Samuels was given a five-minute run-out on his return to Cleethorpes as he replaced Salmon at right-back for Telford.

Duffy and Jones were both booked after an altercation near the halfway line that led to a Telford free kick.

At 1-0 down, Telford were still right in the contest but the home supporters were finally able to breath easily again when Town doubled their lead with a minute left. Thanoj found some room in the box to square for ARTUS and he did the rest, finishing low past Young and into the corner of the net.

Hughes-Mason replaced Hearn as the game moved into three minutes of added time and with no further goalscoring opportunities, it was the hosts who took the points and took a further step towards the play-off positions.

Town now take a break from league action as they head to Bath City in the third round of the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Catch the highlights on Mariners Player soon.