Saturday, September 19 and City were in the midst of a ten-match unbeaten run.

The draw at Barnet – pegged back by a late equaliser – was number six without a defeat. Meanwhile, Grimsby were celebrating a 2-0 triumph at Torquay.

Fast forward almost five months and things don’t look so bright at Valley Parade. But that’s nothing compared with the Mariners.

That Plainmoor victory was their last in the league and Grimsby have now gone a staggering 20 games without a win.

Two more and they will equal the club record set in November 2008 which spanned the end of one season and beginning of the next.

The only respite was a JP Trophy win against Hartlepool. Even non-leaguers Bath City turned them over at Blundell Park in the FA Cup.

Neil Woods is still waiting to break his winning duck as a manager.

The former Bantam was appointed straight after City’s 3-0 stroll in late November following a stint in caretaker charge.

Grimsby have lost only three of the ten league outings since but the other seven have all been draws and, given their precarious second-from-bottom position, that is not enough.

Recent performances have been better than results – sounds familiar – and they ran Notts County close last week.

Woods has dived heavily into the loan market and borrowed six players, most of them strikers, although former Swindon frontman Lee Peacock is now more at home in central midfield.

But their preparations have been hit by injury and illness. Peacock has an ankle knock, loan striker Paris Cowan-Hall pulled his hamstring and Michael Leary is also struggling with a virus.