Report: Gainsborough Trinity 1 Grimsby Town 1

IF last night's friendly at Gainsborough Trinity was purely a fitness exercise, then some would argue it served its purpose.

As bosses Rob Scott and Paul Hurst had promised, 11 members of the Mariners' squad played the full 90 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Northolme.

But the result, and the performance, would not have been what the duo were looking for, as while the players got a full match under their belt, the visitors often looked off the pace and far from their fluid best.

They started brightly enough, controlling much of the opening exchanges and could have been in front inside the first ten minutes.

A quick free-kick saw Lenell John-Lewis find some space in the box, but former Town stopper Phil Barnes was off his line quickly to parry the frontman's powerful effort aside.

The hosts had struggled to get out of their own half but Bradley Baraclough came close to testing Town keeper Jonathan Hedge at the back post, but Simon Russell's cross flashed just over his forehead.

After being asked to soak up a rare spell of pressure, Town could have gone ahead when Shaun Pearson powered a header at goal from a free-kick, but saw it blocked on the line.

Most in attendance thought the professionals were about to up their game in search of a goal before the break but, at the other end, the hosts sprang a surprise.

When Trinity were allowed time to pick a way through on the edge of the box, Jonathan Williams easily rolled his man and slipped the ball past Hedge.

Town's players cut frustrated figures in the remaining minutes before the break. It may have only been a pre-season friendly, but they trudged off visibly irritated at being behind after spending 45 minutes largely in control.

But it was the hosts who fashioned the first shot in anger following the restart as Williams tested Hedge's reflexes from 25-yards.

Town's frustrations were growing – a fact borne out by the number of free-kicks that they were beginning to concede.

With ten minutes gone, from yet another set-piece for the hosts, Mark Jones ghosted in at the far post, but planted his header wide.

Immediately after, Town should have got themselves back on terms when John-Lewis muscled his way to the edge of the box, but curled his effort outside of Barnes' left-hand post.

In response, Scott and Hurst switched to a 4-4-2, in search of that equaliser.

And their side were gifted with a chance to do just that with just over 20 minutes to go.

A breakdown in communication between Tom Ward and his keeper Barnes saw a simple ball beat both of them, leaving John-Lewis to stroke home his fifth – and easiest – goal of pre-season so far.

Undeterred, the hosts fought back, and Hedge had to be alert to palm over Jones' clever chip, while, at the other end, second-year YT Walker burst through and flashed a shot across Barnes' goal.

That proved to be the last meaningful effort of what had been an ultimately frustrating evening for the Mariners.

The joint bosses will be looking for a big improvement when they take on Grantham this afternoon.