GRIMSBY Town let a half-time advantage slip as they lost their League Two season opener at Cheltenham Town.

The Mariners had started brightly and they took a deserved lead through Barry Conlon ten minutes before the interval.

It was a different story after the break though, as the fired-up hosts stormed back to grab control of the game.

Substitute striker Barry Hayles proved to be the difference, setting up the equaliser for Lee Ridley before putting Martin Allen's side ahead with a little less than 25 minutes to go.

Grimsby struggled to come up with any reply, despite the introduction of Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro from the bench.

Stockdale and Colgan both went close as Town tried to salvage a draw but the hosts held out and the Mariners, together with more than 750 travelling supporters, were forced to head home empty handed.

Town boss Mike Newell gave a league debut to former Swansea man Chris Jones on the right side of midfield, in place of the injured Nathan Jarman.

He was one of five new signings in the starting XI, although three of them were familiar with the black and white stripes, having spent the end of last season on loan at Blundell Park.

Nick Colgan began between the sticks for the first time in competitive action, while Robbie Stockdale, Ryan Bennett, Rob Atkinson and Joe Widdowson made up the back four.

Jones was joined in midfield by Danny Boshell, Peter Sweeney and Nick Hegarty, while there was no place on the frontline for Akpa Akpro from the kick-off.

Instead, Newell opted to go with Conlon and Adam Proudlock from the start, with the Ivorian instead named as one of the seven substitutes now permitted under Football League rules.

Also on the bench were reserve keeper Leigh Overton, Danny North, Josh Fuller, Michael Leary, Jamie Clarke and Paul Linwood.

The hosts included former Scunthorpe left-back Lee Ridley, ex-MK Dons defender Drissa Diallo and striker Elvis Hammond, once of Leicester City, in their starting XI.

Another danger man was available as one of the options from the bench in the form of experienced striker Barry Hayles.

Town had an early opportunity from a free kick when Proudlock was fouled 25 yards out.Sweeney's attempt did not trouble home stopper Scott Brown as it hit the defensive wall.

The Mariners had started well and they could have gone ahead when a Hegarty cross found Conlon inside the area on four minutes.The Irishman headed towards goal but the effort was kept out by Brown.

Cheltenham's first good chance came soon afterwards when the ball dropped for midfielder David Hutton and Colgan had to get down and make a stop from his shot.

A foul on Hammond brought about a free kick to the home side in a good position on 10 minutes but they couldn't capitalise on it, with David Bird shooting well off-target.

Sweeney went close two minutes later, forcing Brown to tip a shot away for a corner at his near post as the Mariners continued to dominate the early stages.

The flag-kick was headed away for another corner and from it, a cross from Jones was nearly diverted into the net by Atkinson before the ball was scrambled away.

After a lengthy delay for Hammond to receive treatment on an injury, Diallo had to head clear from a shot by Boshell before Justin Richards hit an effort narrowly wide of Colgan's goal at the other end.

Hutton had another chance to create problems for the Mariners from a free kick on 23 minutes.He curled one in from the right and the ball was diverted goalwards.Stockdale was back to clear off the line before an offside flag against Hammond rescued Town.

Midfielder Oliver Bozanic curled a shot well wide after a poor kick by Colgan as the half-hour approached but Grimsby were still looking relatively comfortable at the back.

The home side were doing most of the attacking but Town were still finding gaps in the defence to get the ball forward.

And when the first goal arrived, it was the Mariners who took the lead. The men from Blundell Park kept the ball and built-up their attack patiently, with Sweeney and Proudlock combining in the move.

The former Leeds midfielder then spotted a gap on the right side and sent a ball through for Proudlock and his cross was slid into the net by CONLON on 35 minutes.

The players rushed to celebrate the goal with the Mariners supporters behind the goal and Conlon was yellow-carded for the celebration.

The advantage could have been doubled when Town won a free kick on the edge of the box two minutes later.Sweeney left it to Boshell and he fired a shot wide of the mark.

Two minutes of added time were played before the half-time whistle signalled the end of an opening 45 minutes that had, on the whole, belonged to Town.

Conlon's goal had given them the advantage at the break and there had been relatively few scares at the other end for Colgan and the Grimsby defence.

No substitutions were made before the restart and it was the hosts who started the second half the stronger.

An early corner led to another flag-kick when a shot from Bozanic took a deflection and hit the crossbar.

Town hardly touched the ball for the opening two minutes of the half before a long ball out of defence from Bennett found Hegarty.He worked an opening and shot right-footed but the attempt was saved by Brown.

The first change of the afternoon was made on 52 minutes and saw Hayles come on to replace Bozanic for Cheltenham.

And the move paid off almost immediately when the striker was instrumental in the hosts' equaliser two minutes later.

Hayles picked up the ball on the right and beat Sweeney before sending a crossfield pass to RIDLEY, who put the ball onto his right foot and fired past Colgan to level the scores.

Cheltenham were well on top as Grimsby struggled to cope with the home side's second half resurgence.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro replaced Jones on the right on 63 minutes as Town looked to the attacker to help them regain their advantage.

But the damage was being done in the Mariners half of the field and it was all coming from 38-year-old HAYLES.He was responsible for Cheltenham taking the lead on 66 minutes, slotting home after a low cross from Hammond.

From being in a position of strength, it had all gone wrong for Town after half-time, with Cheltenham firmly in control and threatening further damage.

A rare attacking move saw a cross from Hegarty find Sweeney, who was fouled by Hayles in a position left of centre and 30 yards from goal.

Sweeney's shot hit the wall and came back for Boshell, who fired well wide, leaving Brown and the home defence untroubled.

A powerful run down the right from Akpa Akpro ended with Town winning a corner but Boshell's kick was headed away before Sweeney's attempted return delivery was also cleared.

Grimsby were doing all they could to find a way back into the game and Conlon headed over the bar from a Boshell corner with 13 minutes to go.

But the home side were still on top and they continued to attack at every possible opportunity, with Hammond shooting wide seconds later.

Josh Fuller came on in place of Hegarty with nine minutes remaining, the youngster taking a right-wing position as Akpa Akpro moved over to fill Hegarty's slot on the left.

Town looked to salvage a draw as the match moved into four minutes of injury time, when Proudlock won a corner.

Before it could be taken, the home side made a substitution, with veteran forward Julian Alsop replacing Hammond.

Stockdale saw a shot deflected away for a corner before Conlon turned and shot off-target as Town threw everything at Brown's goal in their desperate search for an equaliser.

That goal was not forthcoming and the Mariners must now make the trip to face Tranmere Rovers in the first round of the Carling Cup, before looking to next Saturday's home game against Crewe Alexandra for their next chance to secure a league victory.