GRIMSBY 1 CITY 1

“MADE great in Grimsby” is the fishing advertising logo that adorns the biggest stand at the Cleethorpes ground.

It was certainly no description for the game or the performance in this ugly lunchtime slugfest.

City never approached the heights of their Good Friday display against a home side scrapping for League Two survival.

But captain Richie Smallwood stepped up when it mattered to smash a last-gasp penalty and salvage a point.

In this consistently inconsistent campaign for the Bantams, that ensured one constant remained. City never lose to Grimsby.

It’s now 21 games unbeaten against the Mariners – a streak stretching back to an October 1998 defeat at Blundell Park before Paul Jewell’s side put on the promotion after-burners.

The gaps in the away end were a sign of the times but the 788 who had got up early to make the trip at least had a moment to savour right at the end.

Graham Alexander had made just the one change after Good Friday’s much-needed three points against Tranmere.

Jon Tomkinson, who came off the bench late on, returned to the starting line-up where he had been a regular prior to heading off on international duty with the US Olympic squad.

Jamie Walker made way which meant a reshuffle for Daniel Oyegoke into a central midfield role after deputising for the American as the right-sided centre back.

Alexander explained the Scot's absence was to get more height into the City ranks to defend Grimsby's set-pieces.

But Walker's appearance in the closing stages would add a calming influence and help the recovery.

It was a frantic, featureless start with nobody afforded any time on the ball. Matty Platt blocked a Gavan Holohan effort but there was little flow to the contest – not helped by a lengthy injury stoppage.

Grimsby were forced into a keeper change on 15 minutes as Harvey Cartwright appeared to pull something making a clearance and the number one had to be replaced by Jake Eastwood.

The back-up stopper had not played since October and Oyegoke looked to test him early with a 20-yarder that flew wide.

But it remained stop-start with too much whistle and not much quality on display.

Grimsby were trying the long-throw route towards City’s goal and trying to make something of the second ball.

The first big chance arrived on 34 minutes for the Bantams. Calum Kavanagh delivered an inviting cross onto Tyler Smith’s head.

But his connection in front of goal was too close to Eastwood who held onto it low down. It was the sort of juicy opportunity that the absent Andy Cook would surely have gobbled up.

Kavanagh was chopped down by Denver Hume 30 yards out but Richie Smallwood’s long-distance thump cleared the Grimsby bar.

The teams were trading free-kicks – much to Alexander’s animated annoyance on the touchline as the Mariners tried to build some set-piece pressure.

Harvey Rodgers headed over from another one in stoppage time but it had certainly not been a first half for the purist.

Bobby Pointon had been denied any room to run at Grimsby and ref Matt Corlett was unmoved when he went down in the box when the game resumed.

But the youngster then found a pocket of space for a curling attempt that flew over the past post.

A slip from Platt allowed Obikwu to get clear behind him but Oyegoke took one for the team to bring him down.

But there was no let-off for City as Grimsby grabbed a 55th-minute lead courtesy of a big deflection.

Denver Hume’s corner fell to Curtis Thompson who was allowed the space to let fly from just outside the box and the ball pinged up off Ciaran Kelly's hip to beat Sam Walker in the top corner.

Grimsby boss David Arter jumped in the air as the home mood instantly lifted.

Momentum was with the home side and Obikwu shrugged off Platt to advance again before dragging a shot past the post.

But City had the opportunity to level after sub Clarke Oduor’s shot was deflected behind. The quickly-taken corner caught out the hosts and the loose ball fell to Kelly eight yards out.

The Irishman had scored his first goal in England here in the EFL Trophy – but could not repeat the trick as he jabbed over the bar into the frustrated away end.

But Grimsby just seemed quicker to the ball and Alexander’s rueful shake of the head at seeing a dallying Oyegoke closed down said it all.

Tyreik Wright and Harry Chapman arrived in a late throw of the dice – and the Plymouth winger went straight into the book for catching Jamie Andrews in the head as they tussled on an attempted City counter.

Jamie Walker, who had replaced Pointon, was played into the box by Oduor but Eastwood smothered well at his near post.

City were thrown a lifeline in the five added minutes when Brad Halliday was flattened by Hume at the far post on the end of Wright's cross.

The Grimsby left back was shown a straight red by ref Matt Corlett before Smallwood ignored the lengthy delay as the home side made a delaying substitution and blasted home the penalty.