Grimsby 1 Gillingham 2

GRIMSBY'S highly respected manager Lennie Lawrence admitted his side had been mugged as he sportingly paid tribute to Gillingham's quality of performance after last night's win at Blundell Park. He went on to warn the rest of the division that there is no coming back for any side who fall 2-0 behind against the Kent club.

Lawrence, who confessed his team's bubble had burst after going top at the start of the month, said: "Gillingham were everything we knew they would be. We couldn't handle them and we were mugged. We were patently not good enough against them.

"They were better than us, especially in both penalty areas. You cannot give a side so well organised as Gillingham a two-goal start. Once they scored their second I knew we would have our work cut out. Any side in this Division, I don't care who they are, will not pull back a 2-0 deficit against Gillingham.

Gills took the lead on 17 minutes when central defender Chris Hope headed home player-manager Andy Hessenthaler's free kick. Marlon King made it 2-0 after 54 minutes. Grimsby sub Bradley Allen netted the home side's consolation goal on 75 minutes.

Hessenthaler's absence from the after-match press conference, coupled with the decision to withdraw him 10 minutes from the end, fuelled speculation that he had suffered a setback on his continuing comeback from long-term injury.

But Gills assistant manager Richard Hill stressed: "Andy was tired and needed a break. It's nothing more than that. I don't think he had the energy to give a press conference."