MARINERS ARE MADE TO WAIT!
GRIMSBY Town will have to wait for another opportunity to secure a play-off place after falling to defeat in a game they dominated throughout.
Defender Luke Waterfall endured a nightmare two minutes midway through the first half as he scored an own-goal and was then sent off after conceding the penalty which led to Sam Barratt scoring the visitors’ second.
The ten men kept pushing forward as they looked for a way back into the contest but Maidenhead defended well and hit their hosts with a sucker punch when substitute Ryan Upward made it 3-0, before Tristan Abrahams pulled one goal back from the second penalty of the afternoon.
Town boss Paul Hurst said: “That two minutes aside, I’ve got no criticism of the players. I thought they did extremely well but ultimately, the result certainly isn’t what we wanted.”
Grimsby had been on top before Waterfall diverted a Remy Clerima cross past keeper Max Crocombe on 25 minutes and seconds after the restart, the centre-back bundled Emile Acquah over as the striker made his way into the penalty area.
Referee Peter Gibbons pointed to the spot and after last-man Waterfall was given his marching orders, Barratt stepped up to double the Magpies’ lead.
Earlier, Sean Scannell and Jordan Maguire-Drew had both forced saves from Maidenhead keeper Dan Gyollai, while Abrahams also went close as his deflected strike from distance looped onto the bar.
The Mariners threw everything forward after half-time but it was the away side who grabbed the game’s third goal on the break when Upward converted a pull-back from Dan Sparkes.
Town did manage to get on the scoresheet when Abrahams made it 3-1 from the spot after he was brought down inside the box.
But as the clock ticked down, they started to look tired and the visitors saw out an excellent victory which means Grimsby still need a point from their final two games to guarantee a top seven finish.
Hurst added: “The third goal killed the game but credit to the players because they kept going and finally got their reward of at least a goal.
“We are still in a good position, that is the main thing.”
Magpies boss Alan Devonshire said: “I thought we deserved it. We scored the first goal against the run of play but then got the penalty.
“I would like it to have been a bit more comfortable but I am pleased that we ended up getting the points.
“We looked to be solid and break and it worked a treat. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t but luckily today, it worked.”
STAR MAN: Remy Clerima (Maidenhead) ATT: 6,383 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Peter Gibbons