Striker Martin Butler believes Grimsby's poor end to the League Two campaign is down to their Johnstone's Paint Trophy final defeat to MK Dons.The Mariners' 4-1 defeat to already-promoted Peterborough on Saturday extended their losing run to seven games in all competitions and Butler has put the slump in form down to their Wembley heartbreak.

Town lost 2-0 to League Two champions MK Dons in March and have lost all their games since.

"It's strange in football how, when you're doing well, everything goes your way but, when things are going against you, it's hard to lift yourself." Butler told the Grimsby Telegraph.

"Everybody looks at the Wembley experience. It took a massive effort to get there and, when we didn't win it, it was like your balloon had burst.

"Maybe if we had won, we could have kept the good feeling going until the end of the season. But it was like everyone was deflated after that game and we could not pick ourselves up again."

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