Match report by David Elliott at Elland Road

A SPECTACULAR strike by Peter Sweeney was not enough to keep Grimsby Town's Johnstone's Paint Trophy hopes alive as they were beaten by League One leaders Leeds United.

The Mariners put in a vastly improved performance in front of a 10,000-plus crowd at Elland Road, as well as the watching national television audience.

Although the home side controlled possession and territory, the men from Blundell Park had their opportunities on the break in a lively opening half-hour.

But the game turned in the closing stages of the first half, when an own-goal by Olly Lancashire and a Neil Kilkenny strike sent the hosts in two goals up at the break.

That lead was extended further when Jermaine Beckford struck 10 minutes into the second half but to their credit, Grimsby refused to give up and they pulled a goal back through Sweeney's 20-yard volley in front of the Town fans.

Grimsby had chances to cut the deficit further but they were not taken, although there was no doubting the effort and commitment of those in the Mariners shirts as they bowed out of the competition with their heads held high.

Loan signing Damien McCrory made his Grimsby debut at left-back after completing a short-term switch from Plymouth Argyle.

He was one of six alterations made by caretaker boss Neil Woods after the FA Cup defeat by Bath City last time out.

Sweeney was back to face his former club after sitting out the battle with the Romans through suspension.

Lancashire also returned after suspension, while Adrian Forbes, Jamie Clarke and Danny North were all in from the off as Woods shuffled his pack for the daunting trip to face the League One leaders.

Nick Colgan kept his place in goal, while Peter Bore, Lancashire, Rob Atkinson and McCrory made up the back four.

Clarke began on the right side of midfield, with Michael Leary, Sweeney and Jammal Shahin completing the quartet across the centre of the park and North partnering Forbes in attack.

The Grimsby substitutes were Leigh Overton, Barry Conlon, Paul Linwood, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Bradley Wood.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson made his Wembley ambitions perfectly clear by naming a very strong starting XI to take on the Mariners.

Top scorer Beckford was likely to be the main threat to the Town defence, while the highly-rated Robert Snodgrass and loan striker Sam Vokes would all be looking to cause problems and impress in front of the television cameras.

Leeds won the first corner within a minute of kick-off but Vokes headed over the bar from Snodgrass' left-wing delivery.

A second flag-kick came when McCrory blocked a cross from Max Gradel on the Leeds right.

The Mariners responded with a corner of their own on five minutes but Sweeney's delivery was easy for keeper Casper Ankergren.

Grimsby's first attempt saw a Clarke shot from 20 yards deflected away for a corner by Whites skipper Richard Naylor after Forbes had been forced to clear off the line from Neil Kilkenny at the other end.

Shahin did well to beat full-back Aidan White with 12 minutes on the clock but after continuing his run to the edge of the box, the winger stabbed his shot wide of the mark.

As expected, Leeds controlled possession and territory in the early stages but the Mariners were showing some promising signs on the break, while also holding firm at the back.

Another corner came Town's way on 17 minutes, which led to Atkinson heading wide.

Then a free kick in a central position and 25 yards from goal was floated into Ankergren's arms by Sweeney.

A Leeds corner from the right resulted in Gradel shooting comfortably over the bar but the Mariners were beginning to see more of the ball and were growing in confidence, having safely negotiated the opening 20 minutes of the game.

Vokes flashed another header over Colgan's bar before Shahin almost set North free inside the box at the other end following some good Mariners build-up play.

Pressure from Forbes forced Ankergren into a mistake just before the half-hour and from the resulting throw-in, Town won a corner on the right.

Sweeney's delivery found Lancashire, whose header took a deflection for another flag-kick.This time, the move ended with Shahin firing well over from 20 yards.

Grimsby came into the game more and more as the half went on but it was the home side who made the breakthrough five minutes before half-time.

Gradel cut in from the left and jinked his way into the area before seeing his shot deflected into the net by the unfortunate LANCASHIRE for an own-goal.

The League One side had dominated the game but the way they took the lead was harsh on the Mariners, who were beginning to show some signs of attacking promise and had been resolute at the back.

Grimsby were looking to pass the ball and create openings for the front two but all too often, those attackers were being caught offside and the moves were breaking down.

Town's task became even more difficult when Leeds doubled their lead in stoppage time.KILKENNY picked up the ball 30 yards out and advanced before firing low to Colgan's left.

The Mariners had given a good account of themselves over the course of the 45 minutes but with the second goal coming virtually on the stroke of half-time, there would be an awful lot to do in the second period if their Wembley dreams were to remain alive beyond the end of the game.

Leeds had a chance to stretch their lead further within two minutes of the restart after a loose ball by Leary in midfield was pounced on by Gradel.He moved forwards before hitting a shot that whistled inches over Colgan's bar.

The hosts did establish a three-goal cushion on 55 minutes, when the ball came to BECKFORD inside the box and his quick feet allowed him to work an opening before finding the bottom corner.

But far from crumbling after going 3-0 down, the Grimsby response was almost immediate as they pulled a goal back within two minutes.

A Clarke corner from the left was punched by Ankergren and the ball fell for SWEENEY to volley it in off the crossbar from 20 yards, to the delight of the impressive contingent of travelling Town fans behind that goal.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro replaced North as Woods made his first change of the evening straight after the goal, before Shahin hit a shot over the bar from long range on the left.

Lancashire headed wide from a Sweeney free kick out on the left after Forbes was fouled by Lubomir Michalik as Town looked for an unlikely way back into the game.

But then at the other end, Colgan had to be at his best to keep out a header by Snodgrass from point blank range.

Barry Conlon came on in place of Forbes on 67 minutes, with Leeds boss Simon Grayson sending on Andy Robinson to replace Snodgrass at the same time.

Sweeney curled another long-range effort wide of Ankergren's far post as the Mariners continued to press forward.

The threat of going further behind was still there, however, with Robinson looking lively after coming off the bench.

He picked up the ball just inside the Town half on 72 minutes and took it on before shooting narrowly wide from 20 yards.

Bradley Wood came on for the final quarter of an hour, with Clarke making way for the youngster.

Akpa Akpro then missed the target with a shot from 18 yards on the left side of the penalty area, before the impressive Gradel hit the side netting with a drive from a narrow angle at the other end.

Wood could have set up a grandstand finish with seven minutes to go when he pounced on a loose ball in midfield and suddenly found himself with acres of space to run into.

One-on-one with Ankergren, the substitute had the chance to make it 3-2 but the keeper came racing off his line and spread himself to make the stop.

Grimsby kept attacking and they won two corners around the 85-minute mark.The second one led to Wood heading goalwards but his effort was saved on the line by Ankergren.

Three additional minutes were signalled by the fourth official at the end of the regulation 90 but the Mariners were unable to force a second goal in that extra period.

Even so, they were warmly applauded off the pitch by the travelling faithful, an ovation which was richly deserved, despite the defeat.

Town now look to get their league campaign back on track when they travel to face Northampton Town on Saturday.