A LATE winner cost Grimsby Town what would have been a priceless point in their bid for Football League survival.

The Mariners had taken the lead against bottom-of-the-table Luton when Ryan Bennett headed home two minutes before half-time.

The goal had come against the run of play and the home side were back level before the break, with defender Mark Bower on target with a header from close range.

Town battled well in the second half as their Bedfordshire hosts pushed forward in search of the winning goal that would give them a glimmer of hope in their own battle to beat the drop.

And just when it looked like the efforts of the Mariners would be rewarded with the point that would have seen them leapfrog Chester and move back out of the bottom two, substitute Asa Hall grabbed the deciding goal with just a minute left.

It meant Town remained one point behind Chester City in the League Two table, having played the same number of games as their closest rivals

Four changes were made to the Grimsby XI that drew in Cheshire in their previous game, while there was also a switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

Robbie Stockdale came back into the side at right-back in place of Jamie Clarke, while there was also a return to the starting line-up for Peter Bore on the right side of midfield.

Bore came in for Danny Boshell, who limped off at the Deva Stadium, while Chris Llewellyn and Adrian Forbes were the other two additions to the team, replacing Tom Newey and Adam Proudlock respectively.

Wayne Henderson kept his place in goal, with Stockdale, Bennett, Rob Atkinson and Joe Widdowson comprising the back four.

Bore, James Hunt, Nick Hegarty and Llewellyn were the midfielders, with Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro partnering Forbes in attack.

The Town substitutes were Matt Heywood, Clarke, Proudlock, Danny North and Grant Normington.

Luton's line-up included Tom Craddock, whose brace at Blundell Park stopped the Mariners from collecting all three points when the teams met in the reverse fixture.

The nine-goal striker was joined in the Hatters' attack by veteran striker Kevin Gallen, while other stars in the home line-up would include Chris Martin, who had contributed 10 goals from a left wing position.

There were also useful striking options on the bench for Mick Harford, in the shape of Sam Parkin and Asa Hall.

Town had the first chance of the game when Forbes beat an offside trap to get onto a flick from Akpro.He advanced towards the penalty area into a one-on-one situation with home keeper Dean Brill but the Millwall loanee couldn't convert the opportunity.

Stockdale had to clear a cross from Michael Spillane as the hosts attacked for the first time in the game, before a centre from Martin was cleared from danger by Atkinson.

Akpro was penalised for a foul on Lewis Emanuel and from the free kick, a deflected volley from Gallen was deflected for a corner by Llewellyn.That led to the former QPR man again getting a volley in while unmarked and this time, the shot went wide for a goal kick.

Craddock's first effort came on 15 minutes but he was forced into shooting wide by Stockdale.

Then Luton were awarded a free kick for a foul by Widdowson on Martin in a dangerous position 30 yards out.Kevin Nicholls took it and Spillane headed over from inside the area.

The home side were starting to take the initiative and Hunt was given a warning from referee Russell Booth after fouling Nicholls.

Town were struggling to keep possession with a string of long, high balls forward, while their hosts were looking to keep it on the ground more and find their strikers' feet.

The Mariners' next opening came on 28 minutes, when a ball from Hegarty eventually led to Akpro's header looping into the arms of Brill after Forbes had also headed towards goal.

Emanuel's high cross led to Henderson collecting under pressure from Keith Keane just after the half-hour as the Hatters continued to threaten.

Then they were awarded another free kick for a foul by Forbes.Nicholls' kick was cleared for a throw-in by Hegarty.

Forbes and Bore linked up on 33 minutes but Brill came off his line to claim the ball over the Town youngster's head, before Keane shot wide from 20 yards seconds later at the other end after Bennett half-cleared a cross from Gallen.

Forbes won a free kick wide of the penalty area five minutes later.Hegarty's inswinger into the six-yard box was headed away for a throw.

Then Bennett nearly got on the end of a Hegarty free kick following a foul by Nicholls on Akpro.The Town skipper rose at the far post but couldn't connect with a header and the ball ran out for a goal kick.

The next time Town went forward, they took the lead.Another free kick led to the goal, and this time BENNETT was able to get up well, meeting Hegarty's delivery at the far post and heading beyond Brill.

Mark Bower was the villain, fouling Akpro to give away the set-piece and earning the first yellow card of the evening in the process.

Three additional minutes were played at the end of the half as Luton looked to get themselves back on level terms before the break.

Emanuel shot over the bar from 20 yards before a home corner was headed away by Bennett before Atkinson completed the clearance.

And Town were unable to hold their lead until half-time, with centre-back BOWER making amends for his earlier error by grabbing the equalising goal in the dying seconds of the stoppage time.

Craddock's cross to the far post from the left went over the top of Henderson and the defender was there to nod over the line from six yards, beating a desperate attempted clearance from Stockdale.

The late goal was a major blow to the Mariners so soon after they had taken the lead but on the balance of play, it was only what the hosts had deserved.

No changes were made by either side ahead of the restart and Town had the first opening of the second half, with Akpro firing straight at Brill from the edge of the area.

The French-born forward then headed over after a good run from Hegarty down the left, before the encouraging start to the half continued when Akpro had a shot blocked after being played in by Llewellyn.

Luton's first real chance of the half came through a Nicholls free kick, given for a foul by Widdowson on Spillane, but the delivery into the box did not pose a threat to Henderson's goal as it was cleared by Hegarty.

Akpro beat an offside trap before pulling back for Forbes but Spillane challenged and a Town corner was the result.Hegarty's kick was dealt with by centre-back George Pilkington.

The first substitution of the evening saw Asa Hall enter the fray in place of Bower as Luton boss Harford threw an extra attacker on in an attempt to snatch all three points.

The hosts won a corner off Widdowson with 64 minutes gone and from it, there were shouts from the home fans for a penalty after Craddock's shot was charged down by Llewellyn.Mr Booth ignored the appeals from the crowd and the Welsh international came away with the ball for Town.

Akpro was the first Grimsby name into the referee's notebook when he kicked the ball away after the whistle had gone for a Luton free kick.

The game was by now very open, with both sides looking to attack quickly.Akpro was seeing plenty of the ball on the break for the Mariners, while the hosts were just as keen to get forward.

Hegarty was booked for a foul on Spillane but from Keane's resulting free kick, Bennett headed clear.

Town then won a free kick of their own on the right.Hegarty's kick was helped across the area but no Mariners attacker could direct it towards goal.Nicholls cleared before the hosts were awarded a free kick for a foul by Bennett on Spillane.

Ian Henderson replaced Rossi Jarvis on the right of the Luton midfield as they made their second swap of the night with a quarter of an hour still to play.

Craddock shot inches over after a cross from Henderson on the right two minutes later, with the striker left unmarked and given time to curl the effort towards goal.

Luton won a free kick in a dangerous position 25 yards out after a handball by Llewellyn but Town were able to clear their lines, before Gallen was also thwarted as he tried to take too long in getting a shot away.

Bore was then booked for a trip on Emanuel but again, the free kick caused no problems, with Forbes clearing Nicholls' delivery.

Luton were looking the more likely to force a winner and they had a corner with six minutes left, just after Sam Parkin had been sent on in place of Martin.

Matt Heywood replaced Bore for the last two minutes as Town looked to close out the game and secure a priceless point.

But that was not to be as with just a minute left on the watch, HALL picked up the ball on the right of the area from Spillane's cross, before rifling it past Henderson to surely win the game for Luton.

Grimsby had battled hard all night but their luck seemed to have run out, although they were handed five minutes of added time to grab a second goal and rescue a draw.

Henderson was booked after an altercation with Nicholls, who also saw yellow, in those first of those extra minutes.

Danny North was sent on for Hunt to add an extra striker to the attack for the final few minutes but try as they might, the Mariners couldn't find another opening in front of goal and they were forced to make the long trip home without anything to show for their efforts.

It meant they remained one point adrift of Chester and the Football League safety mark ahead of Saturday's home clash with Gillingham.