Full time: Grimsby Town 0 Vs Notts County 1

LEE Hughes fired Notts County to a 1-0 win at Grimsby Town today with his 22nd goal of the season.

It was goal-less at half-time at Blundell Park, but Hughes struck decisively on 69 minutes as the Magpies clinched their fourth successive league win to climb one place in the table, to fourth

Notts threatened after just five minutes when Johnnie Jackson volleyed powerfully at goal from just outside the box, but it was straight at Mariners' keeper Nick Colgan and he held the ball confidently.

Mike Edwards blocked an effort from Peter Sweeney on the edge of the penalty area on 11 minutes, before Ricky Ravenhill was booked for a foul on Sweeney near the halfway line.

Sweeney, the home side's leading scorer, was involved again on 15 minutes when Grimsby broke through the Magpies' defence for the first time.

He strode dangerously into the box and it took a great sliding tackle from Stephen Hunt to prevent him shooting from 12 yards.

In an end-to-end opening, Ravenhill then tested Colgan with a low 20-yard drive and minutes later Lee Hughes fired high and wide at the end of a quick counter-attack.

In reply, Grimsby centre-back Paul Linwood sent an effort wide of the near post from Sweeney's corner on the half-hour mark.

Jackson shot straight at Colgan for a second time on 33 minutes, after breaking forward from left-back and sidestepping a defender to create space for a low strike from just outside the penalty area.

Ravenhill went close to breaking the deadlock on 41 minutes, as Notts ended the first half strongly.

He seized onto the ball in space 25 yards out and instantly aimed for the bottom left corner, but it was deflected narrowly wide of the post.

The home side got the first sight of goal in the second half, on 53 minutes. Wes Fletcher outpaced John Thompson to latch onto a through ball but he miscued wide of Kasper Schmeichel's right-hand post from inside the penalty area.

Ravenhill volleyed well over the bar just after the hour mark, after Craig Westcarr found him on the edge of the box with a cross from the right wing.

Notts kept up the pressure on the Mariners and Neal Bishop had a powerfully-struck effort cleared off the goal-line when Ben Davies' corner fell to him 12 yards out.

They took the lead on 69 minutes when Hughes was sent racing through on goal. The Magpies' leading scorer finished with aplomb, typically, driving low past the exposed Colgan, in front of the 987 Notts' fans in the away end.

Jamie Clapham replaced Westcarr on 76 minutes, but it was Grimsby that threatened to equalise on 80 minutes with an overhead kick from substitute Nathan Jarman from inside the box. Schmeichel reacted rapidly and parried it away, diving to his left.

Having been switched to the right wing after Westcarr's exit, Davies threatened three minutes later. After cutting inside onto his left foot, he sent an effort just wide of Colgan's right-hand post.

Luke Rodgers replaced Hughes in the final minute, just before four minutes of added time were signalled.

Colgan denied Clapham from close-range in the third minute of injury time, as Notts had to settle for a 1-0 win.

GRIMSBY: Colgan, Bore, Lancashire, Linwood, Widdowson, Coulson (Cowan-Hall, 72), Peacock, Sinclair, Sweeney, Fletcher (Jarman, 68), Wright (Hudson, 75). Subs: Overton, Leary, Atkinson, Wood.

NOTTS: Schmeichel, Thompson, Edwards, Hunt, Jackson, Westcarr (Clapham, 76), Ravenhill, Bishop, Davies (Hamshaw, 94), Hughes (Rodgers, 90), Hawley. Subs: Hoult, Lee, Fairclough, Akinbiyi.

ATTENDANCE: 4,552 (987 away).