Andy Cook tries to bundle his way towards goal for Grimsby but he's crowded out by the Salford backline.

Jaze Kabia picks up the loose ball for the hosts but he too is ushered out by Haji Mnoga and it runs for a goal-kick.

Reece Staunton bends it up and over the wall for Grimsby but Salford keeper Matt Young is across his goal quickly to claim at the second time of asking.

Matt Butcher is into the book for Salford. Andy Cook nips inside from the left for Grimsby but Butcher clips him and brings him down.

Free-kick in a decent position about 25 yards out for the hosts.

Salford's Matt Butcher goes down midway inside his own half under a challenge by Reece Staunton and the ref blows for a foul.

The home support are now furious at how long Ammies keeper Matt Young is taking over the free-kick.

He eventually gets us going again. The visitors are frustrating the home crowd.

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

I think within the next five or 10 minutes we'll see some changes for Town.

There's just some moments where we're losing the ball in good areas.

We've got to keep the tempo high, Salford look like they're just running out of legs at the moment.

Salford midfielder Josh Austerfield is late into a challenge on Justin Amaluzor as the Mariners man tries to clear and he goes into the book.

Geza Turi has also been booked for Grimsby for showing an imaginary yellow card.

Grimsby striker Andy Cook is penalised for an aerial challenge on halfway. Suffice to say, it hasn't gone down well with Mariners boss David Artell, nor about 9,000 home fans.

Moments later, Ryan Graydon hangs one up for Adebola Oluwo for Salford but his header flies over the bar.

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

Very good pressure from Town, they have got to push bodies on now.

That was good play down the right-hand side, in the end there were enough Salford players at the near post to block everything.

Decent bit of pressure for Grimsby. Harvey Rodgers smashes one across the face of goal and Salford just about survive.

The hosts then recycle it and it eventually drops for Jaze Kabia on the edge of the box but his effort doesn't find the target.

Good defending from Salford's Luke Garbutt as he gets across to cover his two centre-backs and heads back to goalkeeper Matt Young while under pressure.

And now there's a coming together between Ammies defender Haji Mnoga and Mariners striker Andy Cook in the Salford area.

This will count as a shot on target but it's generous... Jaze Kabia has a pop from the edge of the area but it's completely lacking in power and trickles through to Salford keeper Matt Young.

A nice move from Grimsby as Kieran Green cuts it back inside for Harvey Rodgers but Green is adjudged to have been offside in the build-up.

Groans from the home support and yet more gesticulating from Mariners boss David Artell. He is not a happy bunny.

Image source, Shutterstock

Grimsby did the league double over Salford in the League Two regular season with a 3-1 home win in March and a 2-0 away victory in October.

The Mariners have got a lot of work to do to make it three wins in three against the Ammies.

Grimsby boss David Artell was still complaining about Salford's second goal on the touchline just before the restart.

Don't think that's the last we've heard about that somehow.

We're back under way for the second half at Blundell Park.

If it's anything like the first 45 minutes, we're in for a treat.

More goals in that half than the four previous EFL play-off semi-final first legs put together on Friday and Saturday (two goals in total).

Pretty tight in terms of expected goals (xG) in that first half.

Grimsby with 0.25 and Salford 0.4.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

Jobi McAnuff
Former Crystal Palace and Reading winger on Sky Sports

Absolutely. You can see there, for me, [Haji] Mnoga is definitely in an offside position.

In terms of the goalkeeper Jackson Smith, he's definitely unsighted. It's should 100% be an offside there.

Image source, Shutterstock

Thoughts on Salford's second goal for those who have seen it? Offside or not? Hit the thumbs...

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

Town look slightly more lethargic in what they're doing.

The manager has got a job to get his team focused now for the second half. They've been served a misjustice with the second Salford goal, the linesman should be flagging for offside.

It hasn't been brilliant to be fair, they've had some decent moments but the majority of the play has been Salford.

Image source, Shutterstock

Advantage Salford at the break after a very entertaining first half.

Reece Staunton hit a stunning 20-yard volley after just 26 seconds to give Grimsby the lead but Kallum Cesay levelled for Salford three minutes later.

And then five minutes before half-time, Adebola Oluwo headed the Ammies in front.

But the hosts were convinced it should have been offside, claiming Haji Mnoga was blocking goalkeeper Jackson Smith's line of sight.