Grimsby 2 Gillingham 0: Niall Maher and Gavan Holohan on target in League 2 match at Blundell Park

Gillingham were second-best at Grimsby and have now lost back-to-back games in League 2.

First-half goals from Niall Maher and Gavan Holohan left Gillingham - who had won their first four in the league - with it all to do at Grimsby on Saturday and there was no coming back from the two-goal deficit.

Jayden Clarke was rewarded with a starting role for the Gills following his impressive midweek exploits at Luton Town in the cup but it was Grimsby’s attacking players who bossed it from the off.

Connor Mahoney was cup-tied for the Tuesday clash and was back involved as one of five changes to that team which had given Luton a fright.

The Gills had been boosted by a super second half at Luton. but the opening half at Grimsby was more like the previous weekend, when they were beaten 3-0 at home by Colchester United.

Grimsby looked the brighter of the two teams and after the Gills had cleared away a couple of early corners into the box, it was from another one of those that the defence was undone, with 12 minutes gone.

Corner-taker Danny Amos picked out the run of Maher and his near-post header beat keeper Jake Turner.

Ashley Nadesan put a shot wide for the Gills and almost got in a couple of times but Grimsby always looked the more convincing in attack. They doubled their advantage in the 28th minute.

Gillingham defender Ogie was dispossessed in his own half and from a right-sided cross, Abo Eisa picked the ball up in a dangerous area and laid it off for Holohan, who had come up in support, and he placed the ball past Turner.

Connor Mahoney fired wide for the visitors but Gillingham didn’t look like troubling home keeper Jake Eastwood for the remainder of the half.

The afternoon got worse before the break as striker Tom Nichols