AFTER more than 100 years of service to customers, the plug is being pulled on an independent electrical store.

Halls of Wellowgate – which first opened in 1906 at the Old Market Place before moving into the former Borough Engineers house in 1921 – will close for the final time on Saturday, May 11.

Current owners John and Joyce Abraham have run the shop for the past 30 years, but due to age and the strains of the economic climate, they have decided to call it a day.

The couple, both 65, took over the shop from its founder's children, Gordon and Edna Hall – the son and daughter of the late Edward Hall – in 1982, 13 years after Mr Abraham took a job there as an electrician.

There has always been a contract business running out of the shop and Mr Abraham will keep this going on a reduced scale once the shop closes.

"I have witnessed inevitable changes in the retail market over the past 30 years," he said.

"Advances in technology and access to the internet has affected the way people buy and use electrical equipment.

"Most small appliances are now non-repairable, throwaway items.

"It is no longer viable to employ skilled engineers to carry out repairs when the repair costs nearly as much as a new appliance."

Mr Abraham prides his business on personal service to his customer and believes this type of help in a store is fading fast.

He continued: "The bigger retail stores have staff who are not always fully conversant with products they are selling.

"It is not just about the shop, but being able to visit our customer's home to carry out work needed.

"We are not the only independent business which has suffered over the past few years and it is a shame that many are having to close down.

"Closing Halls is the end of an era and the property is now up for sale – so far we have had enquiries from people wanting to turn it into office space or a restaurant.

"I would have ideally liked someone to carry on the electrical store.

"We have had the best of it over the years and our ultimate aim was to see the shop go into its centenary year. It has gone beyond that.

"We both want to say a huge thanks to our loyal customers and staff who have supported us over the years."

There will be a stock clearance sale at the store from Tuesday, May 7 to Saturday, May 11.

CLEETHORPES 2nds suffered a narrow six-run defeat at the hands of Messingham in the Premier Division of the Lincolnshire County League.

The Chichester Road clash was just one of a hosts tight encounters across the county.

Elsewhere, title-chasing Alford secured a two-run win at Scunthorpe Town in an entertaining match.

Barton Town successfully chased down a daunting target of 242 to win by three wickets in the final over of their match in Lincoln against Bracebridge Heath 2nds.

In Division One, Holton-le-Clay were 41-run victors away to Owmby, while Horncastle secured a two-wicket win at Broughton.

However, it was not a successful Saturday for Louth 2nds who suffered a heavy 113-run reverse in Scunthorpe against Appleby-Frodingham 2nds.

Augusta Street's Division Two clash saw Grimsby Town 2nds fail to post a decent total and they paid a heaving price after tea, losing by six wickets to Caistor 2nds.

In complete contrast, Keelby put a more than creditable total of 222 on the board, only to lose by seven wickets to visiting Nettleham 2nds.

Cleethorpes 3rds travelled to Alkborough 2nds and lost to the villagers by 19 runs.

In Division Three, Caistor 3rds were defeated by the wide margin of nine wickets when hosting Barton Town 2nds, Alford 2nds enjoyed a comfortable 68-run home triumph against South Kelsey, while Market Rasen 2nds beat Outcasts 2nds by a similar margin at Rase Park.

It was not a good day in Division Four for Holton-le-Clay 2nds at Tetney Lane where they lost by 140 runs to Scunthorpe Town 3rds.

In a similar encounter, Cleethorpes 4ths, who hosted Old Lincolnians 2nds at the Immingham Blossom Way ground, suffered a 128-run reverse.

PREMIER DIVISION: Bracebridge Heath 2nds 241 for eight (Williams 65), Barton Town 245 for seven (Barker 82); Alford 211 for seven (Brown 53), Scunthorpe Town 209 (Sen 117); Alkborough 153 (Brocklebank 52, Bayliss 5-24), Nettleham 123 (Raj 6-40); Messingham 204 (Coy 85, J Osmond 5-79), Cleethorpes 2nds 198 for six (Farmery 57).

DIVISION ONE: Broughton 136 for nine, Horncastle 137 for eight (Paige 56 not out); Holton-le-Clay 137, Owmby 96 (J Barker 5-16); Appleby-Frodingham 2nds 228 for three (M Bramley 115), Louth 2nds 115; Scothern 177, Outcasts 180 for six (Tait 55 not out); Grimsby Town 2nds 98, Caistor 2nds 99 for four.

DIVISION TWO: Keelby 222 for eight (Spencer 78), Nettleham 2nds 226 for three (Strawson 92); Hibaldstow 155 (T Taylor 55), Hartsholme 2nds 158 for one (Bassingthwaighte 70); Alkborough 2nds 171 (M Standerline 60), Cleethorpes 3rds 152 for nine; Haxey 2nds 142 (Lynn 5 for 42), Cherry Willingham 2nds 73.

DIVISION THREE: Caistor 3rds 116, Barton Town 2nds 118 for one; Alford 2nds 162 for eight (Calvert 71 not out), South Kelsey 94 (K White 5-28); Broughton 2nds 32, Washingborough 33 for two; Market Rasen 2nds 197 for six (Stephenson 59), Outcasts 2nds 134.

DIVISION FOUR: Morton 181, Normanby Park 149 (Mackenzie 5-37); Scunthorpe Town 3rds 208 for eight (Quibell 73), Holton-le-Clay 2nds 68 (Daniel Peacock 5-18); Old Lincolnians 2nds 202 for six (Fletcher 57), Cleethorpes 4ths 74 (Smith 6-11); Hykeham conceded to Scothern 2nds.

POTHOLES or the bedroom tax – which is more important?

Put that question to a North East Lincolnshire councillor and you are likely to get a very definite response.

However, judging by the debate at a recent full council meeting, the answer would depend very much on the political colour of the person you ask.

Because while the Conservatives were accused of moral bankruptcy for voting against a motion condemning the Government's so-called bedroom tax, Labour were criticised for showing complacency over the state of the borough's roads by rejecting a proposed invest-to-save scheme to speed up pothole repairs.

Conservative councillor Philip Jackson, the proponent of the invest-to-save scheme, declared that "North East Lincolnshire's roads are going to pot."

He added that potholes were a danger for motor vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, contributed to accidents and added significantly to vehicle owner and business running costs.

His Conservative colleague Keith Brookes claimed that potholes were among the issues raised most often by residents in his ward.

But their Labour opponents begged to differ.

Ros James said that at a time of unprecedented cuts, the council had more "pressing priorities" to worry about – such as supporting the vulnerable and protecting jobs.

"Where do your priorities lie – children's centres or potholes?", asked Ian Lindley, leaving no doubt where his lie.

Peter Wheatley was even more emphatic – reeling off an extensive list of the nation's woes, from benefit cuts, inflation, the IMF's dim view of Chancellor George Osborne's austerity measures, the threat hanging over the children's heart surgery unit at Leeds, and even Tesco's disappointing 2013 financial results, before turning to the Tories and saying: "And tonight, you are talking about potholes. We have got our priorities right. They have got theirs wrong."

Is he right? If so then the Grimsby Telegraph is probably just as culpable – we have, for example, done far more stories on potholes recently than we have on the bedroom tax.

Speaking of which, this was a motion which showed Labour and the Tories just as deeply divided.

Pernicious, evil, demeaning, obscene, calamitous, heinous, iniquitous, shoddy and vile – just some of the adjectives used by Labour councillors to describe the policy.

The Tories said it was merely addressing an imbalance between the private rented and social housing sectors.

So just in case the Conservatives still hadn't got the message that they were woefully out of touch, council leader Chris Shaw decided to ask his colleague Ray Sutton if the issue of potholes had been raised at the policy, performance and resources scrutiny panel which he had chaired on March 14.

To which Councillor Sutton replied: "I don't recall anything about potholes on that occasion because we had far more important matters to discuss."

'Almost speechless ... but not quite'

THE strength of Grimsby's seafood processing cluster was underlined at the world's largest seafood trade fair.

Key players from the town's seafood industry were among the thousands of delegates to attend last week's European Seafood Exposition in Brussels.

The three-day event brought buyers, suppliers, media and other seafood-industry professionals from across the globe to meet face to face and do business.

Among the Grimsby-based companies exhibiting at the event were the logistics giant Samskip and fish processing company Seachill, which used the opportunity to launch the newest addition to its Saucy Fish Co range.

Representatives from Coldwater Seafood, Flatfish and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises also attended the event.

The Saucy Fish Co's new Ready To Enjoy range is already stocked in Sainsbury's and Asda stores across the UK. And Seachill's sales and marketing director Simon Smith was encouraged by the global interest the new product attracted in Brussels.

He said: "We had a highly successful show and the interest in The Saucy Fish Co was self evident. It's a great feeling that something invented and made in Grimsby has such wide appeal globally from Australia and the US to Spain and Italy.

"Our concept has already been successful in Norway, Switzerland and Singapore, so we are very excited about these developments. We've always put convenience and inspiration at the heart of The Saucy Fish Co, but our new range is our most convenient product to date, offering quick and easy meals with no fuss suited to today's busy consumer."

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, which runs Grimsby Fish Market, said: "It is an event which gives me an opportunity to talk to a number of suppliers in one place.

"I was able to meet some of our Icelandic and Norwegian suppliers and to some of our equipment providers – such as Marel, an Icelandic company which makes grading machines, and Ziegra, a company from Germany who makes our ice machines.

"We also met with some of the Dutch and Belgian ports to talk about European legislation so that was useful."

HOP on the bus this week.

Stagecoach East Midlands is joining forces with sustainable transport group Greener Journeys to promote the benefits of bus use through the UK's first Catch The Bus Week.

The initiative, which will run all this week, will see Stagecoach East Midlands working to encourage local people to ditch their cars in favour of taking the bus.

Stagecoach will highlight the environmental and financial benefits of using the bus more often.

In Grimsby, Stagecoach staff will be in the town centre on Wednesday handing out free Dayrider tickets and riding around on buses giving customers a sweet treat in the form of seaside rock in an effort to encourage more people to give it a try.

Dave Skepper, commercial director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: "There are obvious environmental benefits to taking the bus instead of driving.

"Bus travel can also save people money, too, and reduce the stress of driving and parking in busy towns and cities.

"We have invested almost £450 million over the past six years in new state-of-the-art buses for our customers and we are introducing smarter ticketing across the UK to make it even easier for passengers to use our greener, smarter services."

Claire Haigh, chief executive of Greener Journeys, said: "Buses help reduce congestion on the roads and promote social inclusion by providing a vital link to those without other means."

WHEN it comes to finding a job, making sure you pick up your Grimsby Telegraph definitely works.

After we published details of more than 1,000 local jobs in a special-bumper supplement on Thursday, the Job Centre Plus offices were inundated with calls and visits from job seekers.

As reported, the supplement – supported by our Your Life Your Future partners, Cristal, Franklin College and Change – was produced in partnership with JobCentre Plus and North East Lincolnshire Council.

Not only were they enquiring about applying for the available posts they were suited to, some got in touch to access support services they hadn't previously known existed, such as education, training and computer access.

Employer adviser Anne Brewster said: "There has been a great deal of interest in the vacancies advertised, with jobseekers clearly finding the supplement useful to highlight just what opportunities are available to those looking for work or seeking a change in career.

"Many did not realise the amount and diversity of the vacancies in this area.

"We have had contact from people who were unaware of the information on www.gov. uk/jobsearch and we have been able to highlight what is available to those needing support with computers and informing them of free internet access areas throughout North and North East Lincolnshire."

And those looking for jobs were not the only ones to benefit.

Anne added: "Employers have had a chance to see the schemes available to local businesses to assist with their growth and recruitment processes while having a broader spectrum of applicants applying for their jobs."

Grimsby Telegraph editor Michelle Lalor added: "As part of our Your Life, Your Future campaign, the Grimsby Telegraph is determined to play a part in raising aspiration and awareness of training and employment opportunities in North East Lincolnshire. Over the coming weeks and months we will continue with this and we are delighted that so many readers responded to our Jobs Extra day."

CAISTOR Town Mayor John Burns-Salmond is to stand down after four years in office.

His decision was announced at the Annual Town Meeting held in the Arts Centre.

He took up the post after two previous mayors had resigned in post and is widely credited with bringing stability to the council.

Looking back on his period in office he said: "The challenge has been a very rewarding one, and it has given me immense pride to be Mayor.

"I am grateful to the clerk and my fellow councillors for their support."

The new Mayor will take up office when the council meets on Thursday, May 9.

In his report on his final year in office, Councillor Burns-Salmond pointed to a number of big successes for the town, including the new monthly farmers' market, Caistor In Bloom winning the coveted gold award, Caistor winning 'Walkers Are Welcome' status, and the staging of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Elsewhere in the county, Lincolnshire goes to the polls this week in the county council elections and at least four candidates will contest each seat in the Wolds.

The UK Independence Party has a candidate standing in every electoral ward.

The election will take place this Thursday, May 2, and the polls will be open from 7am to 10pm.

In Market Rasen, two elections will be contested.

As well as the county council election, there will be an election to fill a vacant seat on Market Rasen Town Council.

MARMITE and cod liver oil are the secret to a long and happy life according to this Grimsby resident who celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday.

Constance Melloy was 100 years old at the weekend and got a welcome birthday card from the Queen sent to Acorns Residential Home in Welholme Road.

She is the oldest resident at the home and has been there the longest – 11 years – so friends and family were invited to pop some Champagne corks and enjoy a birthday bash in her honour.

And when asked what the secret to such a long life is, she said that cod liver oil every day and a staple diet of Marmite on toast in the morning almost every day since the war ended had kept her young.

Constance added: "I'll have a glass of Champagne today, but I don't usually go boozing on the town."

The 100-year-old has lived through two world wars and her lifetime has spanned across two centuries.

She was born in Grimsby in 1913 to parents Jane and William Troop – shortly before the outbreak of the First World War.

In 1937 she became Constance Melloy when she married husband Charles in 1937 at St Paul's Cathedral – shortly before both Charles and her father William went to fight in the Second World War.

Constance worked in a munitions factory in Grantham and, sadly, she lost her father – although husband Charles came back safe and sound.

After the war Constance was a dinner lady at the Grange Junior School in Cambridge Road for 20 years, during which time Charles died of a heart attack in 1967.

However, at 54 years old, Constance set about making a life for herself and enjoyed her senior years.

She joined a luncheon club run by Age Concern and made new friends.

In the summer, she went on holidays all over the UK with Saga.

And she was a keen reader of historical novels by Jean Plaidy. Daughter Pat Rose, 65, of Glenfield Road, said: "Mum's always been healthy and after the First World War she lived with her grandparents in the country for a few years – everything was all organic.

"She is a very mentally strong woman, and after my father died, she got on with things.

"People who have met her will know her as a nice woman who gets on with life and always makes the best of what she has."

Vick Harmer, senior care worker at Acorns, said: "She is a fantastic lady who has been here for longer than any other resident. Although she has her challenging days, and when she does, we all know about it!"

"WE need to be as creative as possible in saving money and seek more collaboration."

That is one of the aims of the new Chief Constable of Humberside Police, Justine Curran as she embarked on her new role in charge of the force.

It has to find around further £30 million in savings before 2018.

The new top officer said it will be her mission to ensure the budget is balanced and protect communities.

One of the savings will come when the force helicopter – codenamed Oscar 99 – becomes part of the National Police Aviation Service.

Ms Curran said "advanced negotiations" were taking place with the service to share the helicopter with other forces, including Northumberland and West Yorkshire.

Ms Curran said Humberside would continue to be served by the helicopter as an example of the closer co-operation between police forces.

Having left Tayside Police because it was merged with seven other forces to create one large constabulary for Scotland, she said: "It is something we are committed to and we are exploring several ways for more collaboration."

She said firearms training was another example of shared services.

Humberside already has arrangements with South Yorkshire Police to provide shared human resources services and IT.

Ms Curran is also looking at replacing mounted horses kept by Humberside Police with privately- owned ones – and hopes the force will interact with the public more via social media.

Ms Curran said: "We are also looking at sharing with local authorities, so the mergers are not police specific.

"We will save as much money as we can.

"We can do that and keep the local front service."

Negotiations are still ongoing in central Government as to how much of the anticipated £20 million the force will have to save.

She added: "It is a big chunk of our resources, therefore we need to be as creative as possible.

"Inevitably we will shrink, but have to deliver the same service that we have done in the past.

"They are all difficult decisions to make."

The Sheffield-born officer is looking forward to revisiting Cleethorpes seafront which she visited with her grandparents in the late Seventies.

She has already visited the police station in the resort and at Grimsby where she was impressed with staff morale.

Ms Curran said her role in reducing crime and protecting communities along with new police and crime commissioner Matthew Grove had "worked well".

She said: "Our ambitions are broadly the same and we are going in the same direction.

"It is a partnership and it is challenging. We are still working out the detail of the partnership and we will both do our best to serve the people."

SPEAKERS at services to remember those who have died in accidents at work reminded us that health and safety saves lives as the world prays for those trapped in a collapsed building in Bangladesh.

Yesterday, three Workers' Memorial Day services took place in Immingham, Grimsby and Cleethorpes to remember the men and women of North East Lincolnshire who have died while at work.

The services have been running locally since 1992, but their message was particularly poignant this year after a building containing five clothing factories collapsed, killing more than 300 people in Bangladesh.

Cracks had appeared in the building in the run-up to the accident, but employees who worked there – some of the lowest paid in the world – were told to get back to work. A number of factory owners have now been arrested.

Nobby Styles, organiser of the three local services, said: "It is a reminder to all of us that health and safety is not just red tape – cuts can kill.

"The standards we have in place make our country one of the safest places to work in Europe – let Bangladesh be the contrast."

The Immingham service was held at the War Memorial on Pelham Road at 11am and attended by the families of Warren Peacock, Tim Elton, Ann Mawer and Sue Barker – all of whom died as a result of work-based accidents.

In Grimsby, at the Nuns Corner War Memorial, the families of Paul Doyley, Mike Brown, Alison Holmes, Robert Greenacre and Stephen Vaughen-Cox paid their respects.

James Doyley, 77, of Great Coates, is the father of Paul Doyley, who died as the result of an accident at Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Stallingborough, in March 2010.

James said: "He's in our thoughts all the time, but especially on days like to day and Saturday, which would have been his 52nd birthday.

"We come here every year to remember him and will do for many years to come."

At Cleethorpes' War Memorial, family members paid tribute to Alan Murphy, Derek Walker, Tracy Chapman-Woods, Kenneth Arrowsmith, Mark Bird, Bert Ling, Eric William Bradley, John Craig Altoft and Michael Buston.

Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Mike Buston (Lab, Immingham) said: "It is important to remember these people wherever you are in the world, but in this area, it is particularly relevant because of the local industries.

"People face dangers at work every day and it highlights the issue of what happened to the people we are paying tribute to. Not just for the workers, but their families and friends."

ON THE WEB: See video of the services and wreath- laying at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk

A MAN was led to safety after threatening to jump from the Humber Bridge.

Police negotiators spent almost two hours talking to the man, who had climbed on to an engineers' walkway underneath the bridge.

Firefighters, ambulance crews, the coastguard and Humber Rescue were also involved in the operation yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the bridge just after 11.10am to reports of a man threatening to jump off.

Just after 1pm, a man was led from the walkway back on to the bridge and in to a police van.

A spokesman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, which sent two fire engines and its technical rescue unit to the scene, said: "The adult male had climbed under the bridge using an engineers' walkway. The fire service set up rope rescue equipment at the north parapet to help the rescue if necessary.

"A police negotiator persuaded the male to return on to bridge before being detained. The fire service was not required."

The Humberside Police helicopter, Oscar 99, hovered overhead while officers tried to talk the man down.

The Humber Rescue boat, which is based at Hessle Foreshore, was launched into the Humber.

Dave Roberts, of Humber Rescue, said: "The boat was launched and stood by while a person was on the bridge."

The bridge remained open during the operation.

A spokesman for Humber Coastguard said: "We received a call from the police asking for assistance because of a man on the bridge.

"We had the Humber Rescue boat on stand-by. The boat did launch but was not needed.

"The Hull coastguard team at the scene were providing assistance with safety cover and stopping traffic.

"They were assisting the police in any way they could."

SCARTHO residents opposing a proposed 160-home development believe it would set a dangerous precedent for other villages in North East Lincolnshire.

More than 100 residents met at St Giles Church Hall on Friday to discuss action against the Cyden Homes planning application for 160 new dwellings off Glebe Road, submitted earlier this month.

It was organised by Scartho Action Group – set up after screening events last year – which urged residents to put pen to paper and object to the development.

Panel member David Hopkinson said: "The developer wants to use this as a land-bank, building just 25 houses per annum – which would turn Scartho into a building site for six or seven years.

"I want people to be annoyed enough to fill out that opposition letter and get it to the council."

And Graham Pendred told the crowd that allowing this development to be built in land known as "the strategic gap" could lead the way for other developers.

He said: "The land is allocated to prevent urban sprawl and stop villages coalescing.

"If Cyden is successful, it will set a dangerous precedent that could lead to houses eventually being built all the way through to Waltham.

"This area needs to be protected, not just for us in Scartho but for the whole of North East Lincolnshire."

Councillor Alex Baxter also gave a rousing speech when invited to the stage.

"In 15 years our heritage could disappear unless they are stopped but we won't give up – we have the expertise and have raised the money to win this fight," he said.

After the meeting, Leslie White, 85, of Glebe Road, said: "I think we are on the right track – we have some good people behind us."

Susan O'Neill, 63, of Glebe Road, said: "It was encouraging and I really hope we can do it."

Nobody from Cyden Homes was available for comment.

Find out more about the application here

JUST not good enough? Better than last year? A club on the way up?

This was the debate that Grimsby Town fans were having after the disappointing defeat to Newport yesterday finally put to bed their hopes of promotion to the Football League.

After losing 1-0 due to a late goal at Blundell Park on Wednesday, fans believed a win over two legs was still possible – especially with their impressive away form.

Players went to Newport knowing they needed two goals to secure a place in the Wembley play-off final, but the game was effectively over in the first half when Newport scored, putting them two up over both legs.

More than 700 fans made it to Newport, and the McMenemy Suite at Blundell Park sold out of their 220 tickets.

Many also watched the game at the Coach House, in Humberston.

Neil Barber, 52, of Golf Course Lane, Waltham, said: "I feel a bit disjointed – we just weren't good enough today.

"We need to play different tactics and work on manufactured moves and set plays for next season."

Richard Jones, 56, of Lestrange Street, said: "The passing was woeful and we've lacked creativity in the midfield – they definitely need to bring someone in."

Lee Coxon, 33, of Humberston, said: "The players need to get the ball down – they were just hoofing it around the whole game and it doesn't work for them."

Norman Vevins, 70, of Yarrow Road, Grimsby, said: "I've been a supporter for 60 years and today was a really big let down for everyone who watched."

Grimsby Town Football Club director John Fenty was also disappointed – but took a positive from the club's improvement.

He said: "It's massively, massively disappointing to go out in the way that we did – it's left us all licking our wounds and wondering where we go from here.

"But, at the end of the day, we have to reflect upon the fact that we've had a very good season – we've been to Wembley, we've been in the play-offs and we finished fourth in the table, which is an improvement on last season.

"We now have to look forward to a close season where we dust ourselves down and reassemble a squad that we hope can do even better next time around."

Some fans agreed, turning their attention to next season after the game sealed their fate – another year in the Conference.

In Pictures: Newport 1 Grimsby Town 0 (agg 2-0)

George Kirk, 9, of Thrunscoe Road, said: "When they scored it was awful and the second half was rubbish to watch but I think they'll do better next season – they're a good side."

Dianne Moore, 38, of new Waltham, said: "I'm gutted because we want to be back in the Football League but all we can do now is hope for the best next time."

Some were even optimistic after the game, looking at the season as a whole – a fourth place finish which was a big improvement on 12th last year.

Jon Wood, Grimsby Town Supporters Trust member, said: "What's important is that we did much better this year than we did last season.

"We went from a 12th place finish to 4th and made it to the final of the FA Cup Trophy at Wembley – this is a club that's on the way up.

"Fan participation is great, the team is under good managers and I'm optimistic for next season."

Rob Ward, 34, of Waltham, said Town are definitely "on the ascendancy".

He added: "Obviously I'm not pleased with the result but I've certainly enjoyed this season more than last season."

But it won't be easy to improve, according to Ian Crosby, 38, of Derry Way, Scartho, who said: "Our main problem will be trying to keep hold of the players if we want to build on this season next year.

"Another issue will be injuries. If we have a fit Liam Hearn for the whole season then I think we'll do well but him being out was the difference between finishing top and losing the play-offs for us.

"They need to bring in someone in midfield that can cross the ball into the box. It's no coincidence that Hannah's goals dried up when we lost Neilson."

And although the season was disappointing as a whole, there is at least hope at the end.

Lisa Gray, duty manager at McMenemy's, said: "The game was really tense and it's a really disappointing result but I think everyone's enjoyed the run and we'll be back next season."

GRIMSBY Town's promotion dream came to an abrupt end on a deeply frustrating afternoon in South Wales.

Rather than the rip-roaring comeback that Mariners fans have been dreaming of since last week's 1-0 home defeat in the first leg, their 2012/13 campaign petered out in tepid style.

And just one shot on target all match summed up their efforts on a day that required so much more.

Even the chance of a rapid return to Wembley for a revenge mission against Wrexham couldn't help Town raise their game on a truly disappointing occasion for every one of the 667 visiting fans in attendance.

The Mariners bosses opted to dispense with their tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation for the crunch clash, with Craig Disley, Tom Naylor and Andi Thanoj lining up as a midfield three.

Up top, Liam Hearn was supported from the wide areas by Marcus Marshall and Joe Colbeck – who returned from a fourth match suspension.

That left a bench with a heavy emphasis on attack – including Andy Cook, Ross Hannah and Dayle Southwell.

For Justin Edinburgh's hosts, top scorer Aaron O'Connor returned to action, but only as a substitute.

The players walked out to pyrotechnics and an intimidating Rodney Parade welcome, and it was the hosts who had the first effort of the game as Danny Crow flicked a header wide of the mark.

Within a couple of minutes, Town had also registered a shot of their own – Naylor won Disley's free-kick into the box and was teed-up by Hearn to slice well wide from ten yards out.

Disley was then on the end of Colbeck's excellent right-wing cross, but could only nod it back into the danger area where it was hacked clear.

There were 15 minutes played when the visitors went close again – and should have been ahead.

Sam Hatton's wicked, driven free-kick was cleverly flicked inside by Ian Miller and it was Naylor again with time and space in the area. However, the on-loan man scuffed his shot slightly and Lenny Pidgeley was able to get down low to his left and push the ball away for a corner.

County weren't relying solely on their one-goal advantage from the first leg, and Disley had to get in a superb block to deny Michael Flynn as the match passed the 20-minute mark.

In Pictures: Newport 1 Grimsby Town 0 (agg 2-0)

The Mariners had more than held their own in the early stages and, crucially, had gained a foothold in the middle of the park.

However, full-back David Pipe headed wide in the 28th minute as the hosts upped the pressure and the opening goal followed three minutes later – Christian Jolley racing clear of Shaun Pearson and guiding an excellent finish past James McKeown from just inside the Town box.

Jolley hooked another effort over the crossbar, Alex Gilbey tested McKeown from 25 yards and Andy Sandell headed well, as the home crowd found their voice again.

The Mariners looked stretched and were suddenly hanging on as half-time approached, as County's wing-backs pushed on and made use of the spaces around the sides of Town's middle three.

Gilbey kept McKeown honest with another drive from distance before the visitors finally worried the home faithful again as Disley bent a 20-yarder narrowly wide with his left boot.

The skipper volleyed Marshall's cross wide to end the half. And, despite having a two-goal deficit to recover, the Mariners were perhaps the more grateful for the break.

Changes were needed at half-time, and they came – with Cook coming on for Pearson, and Town switching to a 4-4-2 with Naylor slotting in at the back.

The Mariners also needed to start the half quickly but it was County who almost claimed a 3-0 aggregate lead but for Flynn's scuffed shot wide ten minutes in.

At the other end, Cook saw a header deflected over following an excellent Marshall cross and, when the play switched again, Crow flicked the ball into the Town net only to be flagged offside.

McKeown grabbed Flynn's 25-yarder at the second attempt but the tie was slipping away from the Mariners as the hour mark came and went without further incident.

Miller almost diverted the ball past his own keeper before Thanoj cleared off the line moments later, and still Town failed to push on despite the arrivals of Hannah and Southwell in place of Hearn and Hatton.

One goal for the visitors could have changed the whole dynamic but the Mariners weren't coming close and Wembley was disappearing into the distance.

They should have been put out of their misery 13 minutes from time when Jolley danced through the defence and pulled the ball back for Gilbey who somehow pulled his shot wide from 12 yards out.

The game was up heading into the final ten minutes and everyone at Rodney Parade knew it.

Having not forced Pidgeley into a save of note in the second period, the Mariners' campaign was ending with a whimper.

And at the final whistle, the home crowd charged onto the pitch to celebrate reaching an all-Welsh Conference play-off final on Sunday.

The Mariners, meanwhile, trudged off contemplating a fourth season outside the Football League.

PAUL Hurst admitted that Grimsby Town "came up short" in their quest for Conference play-off glory – but insists the Mariners have made progress this season.

The joint boss was speaking in the aftermath of his side's painful 1-0 second leg defeat at Newport County yesterday afternoon.

Christian Jolley's first-half strike gave the Exiles victory on home soil and a 2-0 aggregate triumph – to book their place in an all-Welsh play-off final against Wrexham on Sunday.

And while Justin Edinburgh's men had the chance to celebrate earning a trip to Wembley on the Rodney Parade pitch with their joyous supporters, Town were left wondering where their campaign went wrong.

"It's been a long, hard season and a lot of work has gone in," Hurst told the Telegraph.

"But when you get to the play-offs you know the way it is – and we've come up slightly short over the two games.

In Pictures: Newport 1 Grimsby Town 0 (agg 2-0)

"I thought we started the game well and had three decent chances to get in front.

"But with their goal, Aswad (Thomas) and Shaun (Pearson) appeared to be in the wrong positions and Newport slipped the ball to Jolley, who finished well.

"Up until that, I felt we were the better team, but in the second half they were always going to have a couple of chances and gaps to play in because we had to try to change it.

"It's just disappointing that in the second half we never really put them under any pressure. We seemed to get caught up not playing football and not playing direct – it was something in between and they just cleared their lines and picked up a lot of second balls.

"They saw the game out really comfortably. I thought they defended extremely well and when the ball was there to be cleared, they cleared it. They put their foot through the ball and that helped them get up the pitch.

"That's something that over the two games they did better than us."

Although clearly upset by the abrupt end to the Mariners' promotion quest, Hurst remains proud of his side's efforts in a season that saw them finish fourth in the Conference table.

He continued: "It's clear that we've made progress – that's obvious in terms of our league position, our points total and near enough all the stats.

"So there's definitely progress but at the moment it's a little bit raw.

"It's a new experience for us and one I hope we don't go through again."

Match Report: Newport County 1 Grimsby Town 0 (agg 2-0)

Fans' mixed reaction as Grimsby Town are Exiled to Conference for another year

MORE than 1,000 children in North East Lincolnshire have not had potentially life-saving MMR jabs, it has been revealed.

Today GPs across the borough will begin to contact families of 1,056 children, between the ages of 10 and 16, who have not completed their course of the controversial vaccine and are more at risk of contracting measles.

They are the generation who were due for the jab at the time of the since discredited report linking it to autism, which health experts say is probably a significant factor.

They say half of these youngsters only had the initial dose when under the age of two – but not their pre-school booster.

The other half have had no MMR vaccinations at all.

These latest figures come in the wake of a catch-up campaign launched nationally by the Department of Health and expected to cost £20 million – coinciding with the outbreak in Wales.

Dr Marcia Pathak, of Raj Medical Centre in Laceby Road, is the lead for women and children's services for the General Practice Commissioning Consortia across North East Lincolnshire.

She says a local catch-up programme targeting children under the age of five had already started in the borough.

"GPs already highlighted a problem so we began contacting families of children under the age of two and those under the age of five", she said.

"We need to have 95 per cent of children vaccinated with the MMR jab to be safe from an outbreak of measles occurring.

"Last year only 89 per cent of those under two years had the jab but this is now up to 97 per cent – similarly about 90 per cent of those under five last year had the jab but this now stands at 94 per cent.

"We still have work to do but more children are being protected."

Dr Pathak was at a special meeting this week where further plans were discussed to tackle older children who have not had the jab.

She said: "At the meeting we were told how many people between the ages of 10 and 16 had not had the jab.

"It will now be down to GPs to contact parents of these children, but if this fails then we will look to turn to school nurses.

"I am pleased to say there have been no official cases of measles confirmed in North East Lincolnshire.

"We are doing all we can to prevent a situation like in Swansea, where a severe outbreak of measles occurred."

Within the Lincolnshire county boundary, there have been five confirmed cases of measles.

A four-month campaign has been launched there to give 10,000 children aged between 10 and 16 the vaccination.