CITY’S unbeaten start to the new season came to a tame end after a lacklustre display at Grimsby.

T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER was at Blundell Park and provides the match stats and his player ratings.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Fulham loan striker Olly Sanderson is surely due his first City start now after scoring and offering some attacking threat in his second-half appearance.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Sanderson threw City a lifeline when he pounced on the rebound after Grimsby keeper Jordan Wright fumbled Clarke Oduor’s shot from the edge of the box.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

City wobbled defensively from the moment that Aden Baldwin was forced off. Ciaran Kelly and Neill Byrne both looked uncomfortable after being shifted across the back three.

TACTICS

Bobby Pointon was handed a start as Antoni Sarcevic’s injury meant a first change in City’s league line-up in their fourth game.

Pointon got the nod over Jamie Walker and Clarke Oduor following his goal from the bench against Bromley.

Deadline-day recruit Cheick Diabate was added to the bench. Final signing Jay Benn arrived too late to be registered.

REFEREE: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire)

BOOKINGS: Rose, Warren, McJannet, Rodgers (Grimsby); Pattison, Shepherd, Wright, J Walker (City)

ATTENDANCE: 7,004 (1,186 from City)

SHOTS ON TARGET: Grimsby 3 City 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Grimsby 3 City 3

CORNERS: Grimsby 5 City 2

FOULS: Grimsby 18 City 24

POSSESSION %: Grimsby 46 City 54

PLAYER RATINGS

GRIMSBY: J Wright 6, Warren 6, Rodgers 6, McJannet 7, Hume 6, McEachran 7 (Carson 88min), Svanthorsson 7 (Barrington 87min), Khouri 6 (Ainley 82min), Green 8, Vernam 7 (Cass 82min), Rose 7. Subs (not used): Gardner, Tharme, Eastwood.

CITY: S Walker 6, Baldwin n/a (Shepherd 9min, 6), Byrne 5, Kelly 5, Halliday 5, Smallwood 6, T Wright 6, Pattison 5 (J Walker 65min), Pointon 5 (Oduor 65min), Kavanagh 4 (Sanderson 46min, 7), Cook 6. Subs (not used): Diabate, Richards, Doyle.