Grimsby will have to try their luck in escaping non-league football again next season after coming up short in their bid to reach the play-offs. The Mariners have had a pretty decent season but at the end of the day they failed to reach the top five and therefore failed to meet the expectations. The first month was truly horrid for Paul Hurst and Rob Scott as they began with a 2:0 loss at home to Fleetwood and they were completely demolished by lowly Braintree 5:0 for what is a contender for the most shameful defeat in the history of the club. The Mariners needed some time to recover from that awful start and slowly but surely started to get things right, winning points and tightening up at the back. Still, the team was coming up short against the top teams as they lost at home to Wrexham and Luton but responding home wins over Barrow and Alfreton in October lifted the mood around Blundell Park. Liam Hearn was meanwhile starting to score goals for fun up front having made an easy transition from Blue Square North after joining from Alfreton. Scott and Hurst stumbled into the right balance by November with Andi Thanoj partnering Craig Disley in midfield and Hearn and Anthony Elding laying hay against the opposite defences. The responding wins kept coming as Stockport were humiliated 7:0 in December while a festive double over fierce rivals Lincoln had the fans dreaming of promotion. The momentum was maintained in the first month of 2012 as Grimsby reached 15 games without losing in the league going to March. However, by the end of this run some crucial points were lost and the dramatic 2:1 loss away at leaders Fleetwood, with the goal that condemned them to a first defeat since October, really damaged the confidence and belief within the squad. They also suffered late heartbreak against York and Kidderminster in direct clashes for a top-five spot and they never really recovered from that as the season trudged towards a disappointing end. In conclusion, Grimsby were as good as any team in the league in the middle stage of the season but poor start and finish cost them dear. Still, there are signs of a very good cohesive team and if Scott and Hurst are given the resources to expand the squad, the Mariners may be serious challengers even for the top spot next season if Hearn stays put and the club rebuff the reported serious interest from Championship clubs.
