GRIMSBY Town were beaten by League Two leaders Bournemouth in the first game of the post-Mike Newell era at Dean Court.

The Mariners started well and could have taken the lead but Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro missed a good chance in the opening 10 minutes.

The home side were firmly in control by half-time though, with Alan Connell giving them the lead before a Paul Linwood own goal doubled their advantage.

Grimsby managed to get themselves back into the game when Linwood scored again, this time at the right end, to halve the deficit.

But as hopes grew of an unlikely draw, a third Bournemouth goal from Brett Pitman made the points safe for them and condemned the Mariners to a fifth straight loss in the league.

New loan signing Ollie Lancashire went straight into the Town XI after sealing a temporary move from Southampton.

He replaced Ryan Bennett at the heart of the Mariners defence after the former skipper completed his own move to Peterborough earlier in the week.

Other changes to the team that lost at home to Rochdale in what proved to be Mike Newell's last game in charge saw Danny Boshell return from suspension, while Joe Widdowson come back in after recovering from an injury.

Nick Colgan started in goal, with Bradley Wood, Lancashire, Linwood and Widdowson making up the back four.

Peter Bore moved into a right-wing role, with Jammal Shahin keeping his place on the left and Boshell partnering Peter Sweeney in the centre of midfield.

Akpa Akpro was joined in attack by Adrian Forbes, with the substitutes' bench occupied by Leigh Overton, Michael Leary, Jamie Clarke, Chris Jones, Josh Magennis, Mark Gray and Nick Hegarty.

Bournemouth went into the game as league leaders and heavy favourites with the bookmakers to claim all three points.

They included experienced forward Lee Bradbury in their starting XI, albeit in the right-back position, while striker Pitman had already plundered seven league goals ahead of the visit of the Mariners to Dean Court.

The first shot of the game came from Alan Connell for the hosts, but his effort did not cause any problems for Colgan as it flew wide of the mark.

Akpa Akpro broke free on the edge of the box in what was Town's first opportunity of the afternoon but he failed to take advantage after a poor first touch took him wide and let keeper Shwan Jalal narrow the angle, before the Ivorian shot over the bar.

Liam Feeney beat Widdowson and sent a cross over from the Bournemouth right on 13 minutes but Colgan gathered to end the danger.

The game stopped for Sweeney to receive treatment after he was fouled by Cherries skipper Danny Hollands but the midfielder was fit to play on.Boshell's free kick from the right was then cleared by Hollands.

Neither side had been able to make an impact in front of goal in the opening 20 minutes, with chances few and far between and the keepers not forced into action.

That could have changed when Feeney beat Wood and sent a cross over, only to see it cleared by Widdowson.

Seconds later, the same player beat Wood again and crossed for Pitman to head goalwards but Colgan made a good save from it.

Town's luck was not to last as the hosts upped the tempo and they took the lead on 27 minutes.A quickly-taken free kick caught the Mariners defence napping and when the ball came to CONNELL on the penalty spot, he turned and fired into the top corner.

The home side's lead could have been doubled when Feeney broke clear but Wood got back well to challenge, at the expense of a corner.From the flag, Connell's header was saved by Colgan.

The league leaders did stretch their lead on 34 minutes.A cross from the right by Mark Molesley was diverted into his own net by LINWOOD to leave the Mariners with even more work to do to get back into the game.

Grimsby could have halved the deficit within a minute when an off-target shot by Forbes found its way into the path of Bore, whose shot was saved.

Town were now under pressure, with the home side firmly on top and looking to attack at every opportunity.

Molesley beat Widdowson down the right and hit a swerving shot from inside the penalty area that Colgan had to parry away.

Two minutes of stoppage time were signalled at the end of the half, with Town pressing forward in search of a goal that would give them something to build on after the break.

Two corners in quick succession gave the Mariners the chances to create some danger and after the second one was delivered by Boshell, an uncertain punch by Jalal sent the ball back towards his own goal.

The ball was cleared off the line though, sparing the blushes of the keeper and maintaining Bournemouth's two-goal lead going into the interval.

No substitutions were made before the restart and the home side started the way they had ended the first half.Connell was given a free header from Pitman's cross within two minutes but Lancashire did well to get in the way of the attempt.

Forbes forced a good save from Jalal when he cut in and hit a left-footed shot, with a corner the end result.The short routine did not come off but Town earned a second corner.

This time, the flag-kick led to Grimsby getting themselves firmly back into the game.Boshell's delivery was headed by LINWOOD and a deflection took the ball past Jalal and into the net.

Bore was shown the first yellow card of the game on 56 minutes for dissent after he was denied a free kick.

Bournemouth could have regained their two-goal cushion when a dangerous cross from Feeney was headed narrowly wide of his own goal by Widdowson.

Then, Connell shot over the bar from the edge of the box, soon after Bore had seen a header from 12 yards caught by Jalal after a cross by Shahin.

The hosts were continuing to threaten and Pitman tried a spectacular overhead kick from inside the area but missed the target.

Town's first substitution was used to introduce Nick Hegarty in place of Shahin with 25 minutes of the game still to play.

A good chance fell to Akpa Akpro on 66 minutes when he was again left one-on-one with Jalal.The striker tried to lift the ball over the keeper but the stopper stretched out to claim the ball and preserve Bournemouth's lead.

Colgan saved from Pitman after he played a one-two with Connell, before Molesley was replaced by Anthony Edgar for the home side.

Lancashire was fouled to bring about a free kick inside the Bournemouth half on 72 minutes.It was taken short by Boshell and Sweeney took it on and shot just over the bar from 30 yards.

Linwood conceded a corner after Edgar beat Wood on the left but the table toppers could not convert it into an opportunity in front of goal.

Grimsby then made a second change, sending on Josh Magennis for Fotrbes.Soon afterwards, a Sweeney free kick was sent in towards Linwood but a Town corner was the result.

Connell was replaced by Steve Fletcher for Bournemouth and the veteran striker was the one to head the corner clear.

The Cherries won a corner of their own with seven minutes to go but as Ryan Garr went up for the header, the ball instead came off Akpa Akpro for another corner.

That turned into a third flag-kick but after Widdowson missed the ball with a diving header, it was eventually cleared by Magennis.

The Northern Irishman was on the ball again seconds later and he tried his luck from 40 yards with an effort that went wide of Jalal's posts.

Town had shown signs that they may be capable of snatching something from the game but those hopes were extinguished when PITMAN converted an overhead kick from inside the box to seal the points for the home side.

Chris Jones came on for Akpa Akpro for the final three minutes of the game and the Welshman's run-out was extended when five minutes of added time were signalled by the fourth official.

Magennis was booked for dissent in the dying moments of the additional period and with no further chances for either side, it was the home fans who celebrated the win, with the travelling supporters from North East Lincolnshire left to reflect on another defeat.

The Mariners are next in action on Friday night, when Accrington Stanley are the visitors to Blundell Park.