The Mariners were second best in a poor quality first half in Irthlingborough but they went into the dressing rooms with only a one-goal deficit to make up after right-back Justin Miller opened the scoring with a header from a corner.

The second half threatened to be a different story altogether for Neil Woods' side after Mark Hudson levelled things up with an equaliser within two minutes of the restart.

From that position, the Mariners looked as if they would step things up as they had in the second half at Darlington in midweek but two goals in two minutes around the hour mark saw the game swing back in favour of the home side.

Ryan Charles and Rene Howe struck after defensive errors from the Mariners, who had Kenny Arthur continuing in goal despite picking up an injury.

The hosts, who had been by far the better side, added extra gloss to the scoreline when midfielder Max Porter claimed a fourth, condemning the Mariners and their 500-plus faithful travelling supporters to a miserable journey home.

Three changes were made to the Town side that won at Darlington in midweek, with Peter Bore and Lee Ridley missing out through injury and Lee Peacock returning in attack.

Bore's absence meant Dwayne Samuels came in at right-back, with Ridley's place on the left of the back four taken by Bradley Wood after the youngster impressed in that role when replacing the former Scunthorpe man at the Northern Echo Arena.

Peacock's return meant Tom Corner dropped to the bench, where there was also a first appearance in the match day squad for midfielder Andi Thanoj.

Arthur started in goal, with Samuels, Darran Kempson, Steven Watt and Wood making up the defensive unit.

Lewis Gobern began on the right side of midfield, with Micky Cummins and Hudson in the middle and Rob Eagle on the left.

Peacock was joined by Alan Connell up front, with Thanoj and Corner named alongside Charles Ademeno, Scott Garner and Josh Fuller on a youthful looking Mariners bench.

Rushden and Diamonds would be looking to Peterborough loanee Rene Howe for more goals after the striker grabbed the winner in their 1-0 home success against previously unbeaten AFC Wimbledon.

That victory was the Diamonds' first of the campaign and lifted Justin Edinburgh's side off the bottom of the Blue Square Bet Premier table.

Wood was forced to concede an early corner, cutting out a cross from the left by striker Ryan Charles. Although the kick was cleared, the home side kept up the pressure until a foul on Eagle brought a Grimsby free kick midway inside their own half.

Town's first opportunity to attack came when Connell was beaten to a long ball and a corner was the result. Eagle's delivery was flicked towards goal by Cummins but keeper Dale Roberts made a comfortable save.

The hosts had made the better start to the game and they were providing most of the early pressure, with Dominic Green looking lively on the left wing.

Kempson was caught out trying to shield the ball out of play for a goal kick on seven minutes, when Howe got a boot to it and pulled it back. That led to midfielder Alan Power pulling the trigger from 20 yards but Arthur got down to beat the low shot away.

Howe was the next to go close, taking advantage of indecision in the away defence to hit a loose ball into the side netting from 18 yards. Arthur was left down injured but with no reserve goalkeeper named on the bench, it was a relief to all in black and white when he got back to his feet to play on.

Peacock won a free kick midway inside the Rushden half on 11 minutes. The striker took the set-piece himself and the low attempted shot found Connell on the edge of the box. He laid the ball off for Cummins, who shot over the bar.

Peacock drew another foul on 17 minutes and this time, he took the free kick quickly, finding Connell on the edge of the area, before the move broke down when the offside flag was raised against the ex-Bournemouth striker.

Another free kick went the way of the Mariners six minutes later, with Peacock heading wide from Eagle's delivery.

Town were struggling to keep the ball for any length of time as the Diamonds looked to be on top for most of the opening quarter of the game.

Arthur had to race out of his area to thwart the dangerous Howe on 25 minutes but the stopper did well, beating his opponent to the ball and heading it away to safety.

Rushden won their third corner of the game soon afterwards when a shot from the edge of the box was deflected over the bar but Arthur was not troubled from the flag-kick.

Green, who had been one of the home side's main threats, was the next to have an attempt at goal when he was played ion by Howe. The winger cut into the Town box but fired his near-post shot over from a narrow angle.

Wood had to head behind for a Rushden corner six minutes before the break and from it, the hosts took the lead. Green's delivery from the right flag was perfect for MILLER to meet with a free header from 12 yards that powered into the net.

Big questions would have been asked on the Town bench after the right-back was left completely unmarked to open the scoring but on the balance of play, the home side had looked the more likely to break the deadlock throughout the half.

A mistake by Kempson saw Arthur forced to race off his line to prevent a corner and ensure a throw-in was the only damage. Rushden took it quickly, although the Town keeper was back between his sticks by the time midfielder Max Porter fired a low shot wide of the mark from 15 yards.

Two additional minutes were played at the end of the half, which had seen an out-of-sorts Town given the runaround by their hosts, who had looked sharp throughout.

The Mariners would have plenty to do in the second half if they were to return home to North East Lincolnshire with any sort of reward.

No changes were made at half-time and the Mariners made the perfect start to the second half by getting themselves back on level terms within 90 seconds of the restart as a low cross from Peacock on the right was stroked into the net by HUDSON from inside the area.

The Mariners, attacking their 541 travelling fans, had grasped the initiative and Watt was unlucky not to get a head onto another ball into the box in front of keeper Roberts soon afterwards.

At the other end, Howe beat Wood down the Rushden right but the defender got back to challenge, at the expense of a corner.

The game was now wide open as the rain started to fall heavily from the grey Northamptonshire sky.

Howe was continuing to be a big threat to the Town backline and he worked an opening on 53 minutes, before the ball came back for Green to smash the ball wide from the edge of the penalty area.

A Rushden corner brought another opportunity for the home side and Charles saw a shot blocked before Arthur gathered at the second attempt.

The Town stopper picked up an injury while making the save but after receiving treatment, he was again passed fit to carry on, albeit with Watt taking the next goal kick.

That proved to be a major problem for the Mariners as Watt slipped after taking the kick and from the mistake, Rushden got themselves back in front when CHARLES was left to race through and slot past Arthur.

Bad then went to worse for Town when the home side stretched their advantage within a minute. The two Mariners centre-backs failed to deal with a ball played through the middle and this time, it was HOWE who pounced to finish calmly, sliding the ball into the net.

From being in a positive position, equalising and looking for more goals, Grimsby had been hit with a double blow around the hour mark and the shell-shocked visitors were again left with a huge mountain to climb.

The response from the Town bench was to send on Charles Ademeno in place of Eagle, in the hope that the pace and power of the former Crawley striker could drag the men from Blundell Park back into the game.

But all hope of a Grimsby comeback was killed off when Rushden made it 4-1 on 65 minutes. This time, PORTER was the man on-target after the ball was pulled back across acres of space in the Town box.

As the scoreline suggested, the Diamonds were now in complete control, looking to add to their goal tally as the Town fans at the other end of the ground looked on in stunned silence.

Charles won Rushden's eighth corner of the game just before the 70-minute mark but this time, it was not to lead to an attempt at goal, as Green's ball beat everybody and sailed out for a throw-in.

Howe outmuscled the Town defence to craft another opening for the hosts soon afterwards, before playing the ball to Green on the edge of the area. His low, curling shot was gathered by Arthur but the Town keeper was still clearly feeling the effects of his injury as he gingerly kicked the ball towards the halfway line.

Gobern, who had been quiet all game, was replaced by Tom Corner with a quarter of an hour to go as the Mariners looked for an extra attacking option.

But the momentum was very much with the home side and they could have had a fifth when Charles was presented with time and space to shoot from inside the area. Luckily for the Mariners, the striker did not find the net.

Town staged a late rally as they looked for a consolation goal and as the game moved into four minutes of added time, Hudson nearly provided it with a 35-yard effort that whistled past the post.

The extra minutes were played out without any further goalmouth action and the hosts were left to take the acclaim fro their fans for a deserved victory.

They had looked like a good side and may well feature in the upper reaches of the league table come the end of the season.

But for the Mariners, the heavy defeat brought plenty to think about ahead of Monday's home clash with Histon.

Catch the highlights of this game on Mariners Player.