An 88th minute equaliser for the home side dashed hopes of a much-needed win

Grimsby Town ended their four-game losing streak in the league with a frantic 2-2 draw away at Rochdale on Tuesday evening.

It could have easily been better for the Mariners, though, who led late on following a second-half comeback with goals from captain Kieran Green and Jamie Walker after Dajaune Brown’s 38th-minute opener for the hosts.

Rochdale’s 41-year-old striker Ian Henderson had the final say off the bench as he headed in an 88th-minute equaliser to ensure a share of the points, as Town once again rued missed opportunities.

David Artell made a shape change for this game, with his squad needing some inspiration and also lacking in defensive bodies. Town moved to a back three shape with Joe Foulkes coming in for his full league debut and Andy Cook returning to the starting line-up in place of the injured Edon Pruti and Doug Tharme.

Cook and Iwan Morgan were a central tandem up top, with Charles Vernam and Justin Amaluzor asked to do more defensively as wing-backs. Foulkes slotted in as the third centre-back alongside Harvey Rodgers and Maldini Kacurri.

The home side made the brighter start, Glenn Middleton’s shot being cleared off the line by Foulkes, with the latter proving his worth as a defender early into his first league start.

Morgan had a 20-yard shot blocked early, and Charles Vernam wanted a penalty in the sixth minute as he went down in the box under duress from Harvey Gilmour, but instead, he received a yellow card for simulation.

Amaluzor missed the target with a shot on the turn on 19 minutes, before Green picked Cook out with a cross from the right, but he could only head at goalkeeper Sam Waller.

Baba Adeeko was booked for a shirt-pull on Walker, then Rodgers headed a cross from Rochdale right behind for a corner, which led to a Town free kick for a foul on Amaluzor.

Adeeko escaped a second booking after a late challenge on Turi, which looked worthy of a yellow card, as the referee played an advantage.

Town’s best effort of the half came from Vernam, a fierce shot saved by Waller as the Grimsby played a one-two with Morgan on the edge of the box coming in from the left channel. Amaluzor saw his header into the ground pushed over from the subsequent corner as Town built some pressure on the Rochdale goal.

Despite the Mariners’ control in the latter part of the half, Rochdale took the lead in the 38th minute on the counter. Middleton got in behind the Grimsby backline and fired an inviting cross to the back post, where Brown slid in and side-footed home.

After a quieter opening to the second period, Town levelled in the 57th minute, Rodgers’ well-placed delivery to the back post picking out Cook, and though Waller saved his header, Green was there to nod home.

Rochdale looked to have been reduced to 10 men soon afterwards when Hayes was shown a yellow card, followed by the red, although the referee quickly rectified his error after realising the midfielder had not already been booked, and it stayed at 11 versus 11.

Morgan needed to be more delicate with his effort soon after as Rodgers played him through on goal with a good ball from the right flank, with the former lifting the bouncing ball well over the bar with the goalkeeper charging off his line to apply pressure.

Town’s forward momentum was telling in the end as they took the lead in the 72nd minute when Walker collected a partially-cleared corner and slammed a low shot through a crowded penalty area.

They then went close to getting that vital third goal five minutes from time when Green won a loose ball in midfield and sent Cook through on the left. He pulled it back for Morgan, but after taking a touch, the ex-Brentford forward was denied by a block on the line.

That proved to be a vital moment as the hosts once again caught Town on the counter to equalise late on, as a simple give-and-go down Rochdale’s right side provided a crossing opportunity, with Hendersn scoring at the second try after Christy Pym saved his initial effort.

Middleton and Flint could have then won it for the Dale as late efforts bounced narrowly wide, but the last on target shot came from Town’s Cian Doyle, who forced a great diving stop from Waller with an effort from outside the box as the spoils were shared.

Starting line-up: Pym; Rodgers, Kacurri, Foulkes; Turi, Amaluzor (Finch, 76), Green, Walker (Doyle, 76), Vernam; Cook, Morgan (F Cartwright, 88)

Unused subs: H Cartwright, Reynolds, Brown, Golding