A DECISIVE winner from Grimsby's 22-goal striker Kevin Donovan after 18 minutes was enough to see the Lincolnshire side score a deserved victory over Northampton Town in yesterday's second division play-off and send The Mariners back into the Nationwide First Division after just one season away.

Donovan capitalised on some slack marking in the Northampton defence to race onto a through ball from Wayne Burnett before drawing Grimsby keeper Andy Woodman and calmly stroking home. That goal alone was enough to seal victory and delighted the 20,000 Grimsby fans at Wembley despite being outnumbered two to one by Northampton supporters.

The striker could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty in the second half after Jack Lester was tripped by Cobblers defender Ray Warburton following a jink inside the Northampton penalty area. Donovan struck the ball cleanly, but goalkeeper Andy Woodman dived high to his left to palm the shot away.

The wives and girlfriends of the Grimsby players, bottle blondes to a woman, were left teetering on the edge of their seats as the referee played six minutes of injury time, but the Mariners clung onto secure their precious 1-0 victory. Afterwards Donovan was delighted to have earned his side a place in Division One:

It was a case of