Grimsby and Newport were made to settle for a point each from their scrappy 1-1 draw at Blundell Park.
A stunning opener from John McAtee set Grimsby on their way before the Welsh side replied through Priestley Farquharson.
Calum Kavanagh and Omar Bogle – against his former club – set their sights in the opening stages and Grimsby stopper Max Crocombe was required to make decent saves from the two Newport frontmen.
Newport skipper Mickey Demetriou glanced wide from a corner on 15 minutes as Luke Waterfall went close similarly at the other end.
Grimsby pushed and probed from that point and forged themselves an advantage when George Lloyd combined with McAtee, who lifted first time over Joe Day eight minutes before the interval.
Farquharson levelled for Newport shortly after the restart when he bundled home from a corner and the turnaround might have been completed had Nathan Moriah-Welsh got more power on his low attempt.
However, it was Grimsby who passed up the best chance to snatch three points as substitute Andy Smith blazed over.
