MATCH REPORT COURTESY OF GRIMSBY TOWN FC

It was a tale of missed chances as Grimsby Town registered their third 1-1 draw of the season against Macclesfield Town at a sun-drenched Blundell Park.

The Mariners dominated the game and created a hatful of chances throughout the match as they looked for their first win of the campaign. Town will feel they should have gone in at half time in the lead after a series of great chances for Danny North and Isaiah Rankin but after a goalless first half, it was Macclesfield who took the lead.

Martin Gritton opened the scoring for the visitors in the 61st minute with a tap in from six yards but Grimsby levelled it up with Andy Taylor's first goal of the season after 72 minutes.

As expected, Alan Buckley went 4-4-2 from the start as the Mariners looked for their first win of the season. That meant Isaiah Rankin was added in place of James Hunt from the team that drew at Bury last week.

Rankin was named to partner Danny North in attack, with Danny Boshell preferred to Hunt in the centre of the park alongside Paul Bolland. Ciaran Toner and Peter Till were on the flanks, in front of an unchanged back four of Ryan Bennett, Justin Whittle, Nick Fenton and Tom Newey.

Phil Barnes kept his place in goal after his man of the match display at Gigg Lane, while Gary Jones, Andy Taylor, James Hunt, Jamie Clarke and Gary Montgomery were named on the Town bench.

Macclesfield included a familiar face as ex-Mariner Martin Gritton was selected as one of their strikers alongside former Lincoln and Boston man Francis Green. Gritton took the place of the injured Michael Husbands, a summer signing from Port Vale.

Fellow new signings Richard Edghill, Danny Thomas and Levi Reid were all named in manager Ian Brightwell's starting XI. Both teams were looking for their first victories of the campaign after both had opened with two draws. Town looked to build on an impressive first half showing against Bury, while the Silkmen of Macclesfield would be trying to improve on a 3-3 draw at home to Milton Keynes Dons last week.

Macclesfield had the first chance to mount an attack when they were awarded a free kick after two minutes midway inside the Mariners half. Kevin McIntyre's kick was easily claimed by Barnes.

Tom Newey required treatment after an aerial clash with Levi Reid a minute later.And Town physio Dave Moore was called into action again soon afterwards when Danny North went down under a challenge.

The visitors had enjoyed the better start as the Mariners struggled to make any real impact in the opening ten minutes. Town's first attack saw Rankin put through by Newey. The referee allowed an advantage and when Rankin lost possession, Mr Haywood pulled play back for a free kick.

Macclesfield won a corner on 11 minutes when Justin Whittle headed away a cross. The corner was eventually cleared to Rankin, who won a corner for the Mariners on the left. Grimsby began to make their mark on the game and a ball into the box from Danny Boshell almost found Toner after 13 minutes. Unfortunately for the Town man, it ran to keeper Tommy Lee. Town won another corner on the left soon afterwards and this time, Toner's kick was headed towards goal by Fenton before being cleared.

Grimsby had a great chance to open the scoring in the 16th minute. Danny North was put through one on one with Lee but the striker stumbled before his shot was deflected for a corner. Town won another corner on 19 minutes after good work from Rankin following a long throw by Bennett. Again, the danger was cleared but Town remained on the attack until Newey was dispossessed by Reid.

The Mariners had recovered from their slow start by now and were dominating possession. They won a free kick on 22 minutes which saw Macclesfield's Kevin McIntyre booked for a foul. The free kick then resulted in Fenton heading over from 12 yards.

North had another chance to put Town ahead in the 25th minute. Ciaran Toner's cross from the left found the young striker inside the box but he put a free header over the bar from 10 yards without troubling 'keeper Lee.

The next chance fell to Rankin, who found himself one on one with Lee again.But again, the former Macclesfield loanee looked unconvincing with his finish, which rebounded off him for a goal kick. With 29 minutes on the clock, Town had their best chance yet Rankin was put through but instead of shooting, he squared the ball to North in the centre of the area. Again, North couldn't control the ball and the danger was cleared by the visitors' defence to Peter Till. His shot was blocked before being cleared.

The Mariners had created enough chances to be comfortably in the lead but poor finishing had kept the score level. Macclesfield won a corner after 37 minutes when Danny Thomas' cross was headed out by Newey. The inswinger from McIntyre eluded everybody and went out for a goal kick to Town.

The visitors had another chance three minutes before the break. A mistake by Whittle let in Reid, whose shot from 25 yards was deflected onto Phil Barnes' post by Francis Green before bouncing out for a goal kick. Three minutes of added time were played and in the second of them, Town had another good chance. Till passed to Rankin inside the box and this time his fierce shot cannoned off the post and out for a goal kick.

That proved to be the last action of a first half that saw the Mariners dominate, creating a catalogue of chances but ultimately failing to break the deadlock. The two strikers had the majority of the opportunities but seemed to become more frustrated as the half wore on. Macclesfield had few real chances throughout the half and would have been happy to go in level at half time, while Alan Buckley would be looking for chances to be converted into goals in the second half.

Town made one change at half time, bringing on Gary Jones in place of Peter Till for the second half. The formation remained the same, with Jones slotting in alongside North up front and Rankin moving to take Till's place on the right. Grimsby's first chance of the second period saw North again put through, this time by Boshell. North became the second Town striker to hit the post when his 12 yard shot rebounded off the upright and was cleared from danger.

Both teams begin brightly and Macclesfield almost had a chance when Thomas crossed towards Gritton. The Scot couldn't control the ball though and Town were able to clear. Paul Bolland won a corner for Town after 52 minutes following a run into the box. Fenton won a flick-on from Toner's kick but North couldn't connect with a shot on the turn as the ball ran out for a goal kick.

Phil Barnes was then called into action on 54 minutes for the first time in the half. The Town stopper got down well to gather Franny Green's snapshot from 20 yards. Town had another chance on 56 minutes when Newey's cross went over North's head and fell to Rankin. Again though, the Mariners couldn't convert the chance.

Straight afterwards, Alan Buckley made his second change, sending on Andy Taylor in place of Rankin. Macclesfield had stepped up the tempo since half time and they could have taken the lead on 60 minutes. Danny Thomas crossed from the by-line and Martin Gritton's header hit the post. A minute later, the ex-Town striker had another chance and this time he made it count. Town players were arguing that the ball had gone out of play on the right but as they hesitated, a cross came in for GRITTON to tap in from six yards.

Town made their final substitution after 64 minutes, with James Hunt replacing the luckless Danny North.Macclesfield made a substitution of their own a minute later, with Jimmy McNulty replacing the impressive Danny Thomas. Town then found their way back into the game and were level after 72 minutes. The Mariners won a corner on the right and Danny Boshell drilled it in towards Bennett at the far post. He headed back across goal for TAYLOR to head past Lee into the top corner. Grimsby had another chance three minutes later with a free kick on the half way line. Newey's kick found Toner wide in the box but his header went well wide.

The Mariners were in the ascendancy now and were controlling the game. Bennett's cross was claimed by Lee on 77 minutes before another Bennett cross went out for a corner a minute later. This time, Jones' powerful header was saved by Lee and cleared. Town won another free kick with ten minutes to go when Newey was fouled on the left by Carl Regan. The Macclesfield man was booked for the foul and the ball was eventually put out for a corner. This time, Boshell's corner was headed back across goal by Whittle towards Bolland, who failed to make contact with the ball with an attempted header.

Macclesfield sent out a warning that they weren't content with a point when Green narrowly failed to make contact with a header when a cross proved to be slightly too high. But Town were still in charge and continued to drive forward looking for a winner at the Pontoon end. Macclesfield sent on Gareth Evans for the final three minutes and they had a chance to win the game on 89 minutes. Green picked up the ball on the right and beat Whittle before drilling a shot from 12 yards. Barnes was alert though and dived to palm the ball away.

Jimmy McNulty was then cautioned for a foul on Boshell before Hunt shot wide from eight yards after a scramble in the area with Town desperately searching for a winning goal. But in the end, the Mariners were left to rue their missed chances and yet again, they had to settle for one point when they will surely feel it should have been three.