Grimsby made it back-to-back wins thanks to a second-half goal from midfielder Peter Sweeney and an own goal from Gulls left-back Kevin Nicholson.

The Mariners` victory extended Torquay's losing streak to five matches.

In a first-half of limited opportunities, Mark Ellis - called up for his Football League debut - tested Grimsby goalkeeper Josh Lillis with a seventh-minute header from Nicholson's corner from the left but the visitors countered, with the recalled Jamie Clarke teeing up fellow midfielder Sweeney for a 25-yard drive in the 12th minute that had on-loan Southampton goalkeeper Michael Poke at full stretch.

Lillis thwarted home striker Elliot Benyon and then Chris Hargreaves looped a header just over before in first-half stoppage-time Adrian Forbes' shot was superbly blocked by Chris Todd.

Ellis went close to opening the scoring at the start of the second half with a far-post header that flew just wide from Nicholson's free-kick from the left.

A few seconds later Nicholson inadvertently sliced the ball over his own keeper, under pressure from Grimsby substitute Peter Bore, to put Grimsby ahead. And the Mariners swept into a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute when Sweeney's superbly-struck free-kick from 25 yards flew in.