Two added minutes to play at the end of this first half.

Grimsby boss David Artell has been complaining on the touchline, feeling there was a clear offside for the second Salford goal.

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

There's real controversy going on, all the Town players are gathered around the officials.

As he heads it you can see the keeper can't quite see what's happening and there's questions of offside from the Town players.

It's a brilliant header but I think that was blatantly offside.

What a game we've got on our hands here. Credit to Salford, they've responded very well to going behind inside the first minute.

That's flattened the atmosphere somewhat.

Grimsby send up the big men from the back for a corner. Justin Amaluzor meets the delivery from the left but can't divert his header on target and it loops rather harmlessly up and over the bar in the end.

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

It's a quick break, they make it very difficult for the two centre halves, it was a nice switch across.

He wasn't steady as he hit the ball but it was a chance.

Not too far away for Salford.

The visitors work it back to front quickly with a long ball forward.

Kallum Cesay drives down the centre before spreading it to Ryan Graydon on the right. Graydon drives low and hard towards the far post but it flashes just wide.

Salford send in a long throw and it eventually drops for Matt Butcher about 20 yards out.

He has a crack with a half-volley but it's straight at Grimsby keeper Jackson Smith, who can make a fairly easy save.

Another decent bit of direct play, this time from Grimsby. They work it forward from the back nicely before sending a diagonal ball into the area.

Kieran Green wins the knock down and Harvey Rodgers is up from the back to try and meet it but he's just beaten to the ball by a red shirt.

Minute one:

Image source, PA Media

Minute four:

Image source, Shutterstock

We had an electric start to the 2025-26 League Two play-offs.

Fairly even contest this. Three shots each, one on target each, one goal each.

Good chance for Grimsby!

The home side recycle the corner well and Geza Turi bursts down the right.

He then pulls it back to Jaze Kabia about seven yards out but his finish is lacking in conviction and bobbles wide of the near post.

Grimsby's Andy Cook arrives on the edge of the area to get on the end of a nod down and his volleyed effort is well blocked on the edge of the area by Adebola Oluwo.

Now it's Grimsby's turn to sling a free-kick into the Salford area... and it comes to nothing.

Harvey Rodgers showing why he was Grimsby's player of the year and made the League Two team of the season at the EFL Awards.

Good defending to block Kelly N'Mai's cross. It goes out for a Salford corner but the Ammies cannot make anything of it.

There is a bit of a scramble at the back post from a Grimsby corner but Salford survive and manage to hack it away.

Action at both ends.

First yellow card of the game goes to Salford's Luke Garbutt.

Justin Amaluzor spins Garbutt on halfway but Garbutt pulls him back.

Cynical foul to stop the counter. Into the book he goes.

Salford are looking dangerous when they come forward. It's fairly direct play again as Dan Udoh flicks it on for Kallum Cesay on the edge of the six-yard area.

Cesay then helps it on its way across the face of goal but it's just out of reach for Kelly N'Mai and it runs to safety from a Grimsby perspective.

Gary Croft
Former Grimsby defender on BBC Radio Humberside

There's good pressure by Salford at the moment.

They're moving the ball quickly into the attacking third.

Things have just settled down slightly since that barmy first five minutes.

Both sides are trying to get the ball forward in direct fashion. Now Salford win a free-kick just inside the Grimsby half on the right and they launch it towards the area but the hosts can clear.