The Mariners were made to work hard for their victory against the Cambridgeshire side, who took the lead midway through the first half when midfielder Lee Wootton slotted home.

From that moment, the Mariners struggled to get themselves back into the game until they were awarded a penalty eight minutes before the break, which Connell converted to level the scores.

As the second half went on, Town looked to break down the away defence but for significant periods of time, it was Histon who looked the more likely to leave North East Lincolnshire with at least one point and possibly all three.

Their resistance was broken with six minutes to go when Connell scored his second goal of the game Town survived a late rally to claim the win.

A hamstring injury to regular number one Kenny Arthur meant goalkeeping coach Steve Croudson pulled on his gloves once again and took his place between the Mariners sticks.

He was one of two changes to the side that lost heavily at Rushden and Diamonds on Saturday, with the other alteration seeing striker Charles Ademeno come in for his first start in the black and white stripes since a close season switch from Crawley Town.

That gave the team a more attacking look, with Lee Peacock and Connell also named in the starting XI.

In front of Croudson was an unchanged back four of Dwayne Samuels, Darran Kempson, Steven Watt and Bradley Wood, while the midfield was made up of Lewis Gobern, Micky Cummins, Mark Hudson and Connell.

Ademeno and Peacock lined up in attack, with left winger Rob Eagle dropping to the bench, alongside Scott Garner, Tom Corner, Robbie Stockdale and reserve goalkeeper Rob Peet.

Histon travelled to Cleethorpes for the first ever meeting between the two sides, with rookie manager David Livermore's Stutes looking for their first win on the road this season.

The ex-Millwall man named a youthful line-up, with four teenagers in a starting XI where just three players were aged over 21.

Midfielder Romone McCrae, on loan from Peterborough, was looking to add to the two goals he had already notched so far this campaign.

Histon kicked off with the Mariners playing towards the Osmond Stand and the first chance of the game went to the home side on three minutes. Cummins found Ademeno inside the penalty area but he cleared the bar with a shot from 12 yards.

Gobern was the next to get a sight at goal after good work by Peacock on the left led to a cross by Hudson into the box. Gobern picked it up but could only direct his shot straight to visiting keeper Joe Welch.

A great move from a Wood throw-in midway inside the Histon half saw Peacock lay the ball off for Connell, who smashed a first-time shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.

The Mariners had made a positive, high-tempo start to the encounter, looking to keep the ball on the floor and launching plenty of attacks on the Histon goal in the first 10 minutes.

The Cambridgeshire side were yet to settle at this point and were struggling to put together any lengthy spells of possession.

A Hudson shot was deflected away for a Grimsby corner on 13 minutes but Gobern's low delivery was easily dealt with by defender Danny Mills.

Histon's first real chance came when Kempson was dispossessed on the Town left and the ball was sent in to Omer Riza inside the box. The danger was averted when Watt got back to challenge the ex-Arsenal trainee as he looked to pull the trigger.

Town were still dominating proceedings though and they almost had an opening when Connell picked the ball up in midfield and threaded it through for Peacock, only for the offside flag to go up against the Grimsby captain.

But despite the home side being on top, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 22 minutes. Mills started the counter-attack by skipping past Hudson on the left and the ball was worked around the penalty area before a low cross found midfielder WOOTTON in acres of space to slot past Croudson.

After going behind in two of their previous three games, the mariners were again left with work to do, despite their bright opening to the game, and some home supporters in a low Blundell Park crowd were beginning to express their frustration.

Croudson was forced to make his first save after a long through-ball from left-back Callum Stewart found Riza in the box but the Town stopper got down well to block his shot and a corner was the result.

A foul on Peacock gave Grimsby a free kick inside the Histon half but Wood's ball into the box was collected by Welch.

Soon afterwards, Gobern was brought down by Stewart on the opposite side of the field and after the free kick was half-cleared, Wood let fly with an ambitious 30-yard shot that flew over the bar.

The promise of the first 10 minutes was now largely forgotten as Town now struggled to find their men and were unable to keep the ball or present any real threat to Welch's goal.

The home side's luck then suddenly changed when Gobern went don inside the box under a challenge and referee Mr Madley pointed to the penalty spot. CONNELL stepped up and confidently converted from 12 yards, sending Welch the wrong way to draw the Mariners level, with 37 minutes on the clock.

A big blow for the hosts came when Ademeno appeared to pull a hamstring when chasing a ball towards the corner flag three minutes later. He was swiftly replaced by Rob Eagle, who took up a position on the left of midfield as Connell moved to his usual spot up front.

Histon made their first change at the same time, with Zac Mills replacing Stewart at left-back.

A fantastic break by Wood after a Histon corner saw the youngster run virtually the length of the field before pulling the ball back for Eagle but Peacock failed to get on the end of his cross.

Three added minutes were played at the end of the half, with the Mariners looking to get themselves in front before the break. Peacock and Connell both went close to getting a shot away after a throw-in was flicked on but a good block allowed Histon to break.

That was the last real action of a first half that had started on a positive note before threatening to turn sour for the home side when Histon took a shock lead. The Mariners got themselves back into it with Connell's penalty though, leaving the outcome in the balance at the halfway mark.

No further changes were made before the restart and Grimsby began as they had done in the first half, attacking at every opportunity with plenty of energy and tempo.

Connell was the first to try his luck with a shot, although his 25-yard effort cleared the crossbar.

Histon boss Livermore was forced into a change within four minutes, with an injury to Erkan Okay paving the way for Lewis Taaffe to enter the fray.

A chance for the away side came when a cross from the right was flicked on by McCrae inside the box but the offside flag went up against striker Antonio Murray.

Histon were starting to enjoy a good spell of territory inside the mariners half and they had another shooting chance when substitute Taaffe let fly from 18 yards, although the attempt was comfortably stopped by Croudson, diving to his right.

A spell of Town possession soon afterwards saw the Mariners keep the ball inside their opponents' half before Connell curled a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Town won a free kick 25 yards out and to the left of centre on 58 minutes but Connell's shot drifted harmlessly over the bar.

As the game moved past the hour mark, Histon were starting to see more of the ball and the Mariners inability to find their men with the ball was allowing the away side to pick up the pieces and launch several attacks of their own.

Mills and Lanre Oyebanjo down the Histon right were causing plenty of problems with their pace and power and Town were struggling to stop them breaking and getting the ball deep into the Grimsby half.

Tom Corner replaced Gobern on 67 minutes as the Town management team looked to change the course of the game in their favour.

An Eagle cross from the left was blocked after Town broke following a Histon corner but the away side were no controlling the game and it was they who looked the more likely to make a breakthrough.

That nearly changed when good play by Peacock led to the striker crossing from the left but Connell's header was saved by Welch.

Croudson was forced into a magnificent save to keep the Mariners on level terms after a cross from the right led to Riza sending a low header towards goal. Samuels made a great block but the ball spun off the defender and looked destined for the net until the Grimsby keeper stretched out a hand and flicked it away. Watt then got a foot to the ball before Croudson dived on it, with the Histon appeals for a backpass waved away by the referee.

With 10 minutes to go, it was the Mariners who were doing most of the attacking but their resolute visitors were making themselves difficult to break down and their boss Livermore would have been delighted with how his side had battled.

Connell crafted a shooting opportunity on 81 minutes but his 18-yard effort dropped wide of the mark.

Then, a long throw from Samuels led to Peacock looping a header that was collected by Welch underneath his crossbar.

Grimsby finally made their breakthrough with six minutes to go after a brilliant cross from Peacock on the left found his strike partner CONNELL, who volleyed home from inside the penalty area as huge sighs of relief were breathed around the stadium.

Connell then had a chance to complete his hat-trick when Eagle got to the by-line and crossed for the former Bournemouth forward but he shot across goal and over the bar.

Croudson had to dive to his right to push an Oyebanjo shot away for a corner, before the stand-in keeper claimed the ball from the flag-kick as four additional minutes were signalled by the fourth official.

Town then had to survive a Histon onslaught as the visitors threw everything towards Croudson's goal in an attempt to grab the goal that would rescue a point.

But the Mariners held out to secure the three points, with Luton the next visitors to Blundell Park in a 5.15pm kick-off on Saturday.

Highlights of the game will be on Mariners Player later . .