Two quick-fire goals either side of half-time plunged Grimsby deeper into relegation trouble as Gillingham came from behind to record victory at the Priestfield Stadium.

Stung early on by Michael Boulding's cool finish, the Gills responded to dominate for long periods and were rewarded with strikes from Paul Shaw and Guy Ipoua.

In a cagey opening period, Grimsby suffered a setback after only three minutes when the influential David Smith was stretchered off injured.

But Ben Chapman filled the gap in midfield and the visitors did not let the setback unsettle them, almost going ahead when Bradley Allen's powerful drive was saved by Jason Brown.

Stuart Campbell then blasted over from an Allen cross before the Mariners made a deserved breakthrough after 18 minutes.

Boulding was first to react to a long clearance from goalkeeper Danny Coyne and raced away from a static Gillingham defence to calmly slot the ball under the advancing Brown.

The home side responded immediately and might have equalized when Ipoua forced a fine reaction save from Coyne with a stinging 30-yard drive.

The striker went close again with a powerful close-range header after 41 minutes before Gillingham levelled on the stroke of half-time.

Shaw latched on to Marlon King's inch-perfect cross to drive the ball low into the bottom corner.

The Gills picked up where they had left off after the restart and were ahead after 54 minutes as Ipoua's trickery again carved open the Grimsby defence.

The livewire forward reacted first to latch on to the ball 18 yards out before thundering a fierce shot beyond Coyne into the net.

King almost increased their advantage six minutes later with a close-range snap-shot which the Welsh goalkeeper somehow managed to tip round the post.

Grimsby substitute Stacey Coldicott almost fashioned an equaliser for Campbell, but Gillingham comfortably held on for all three points.

Teams:

Gillingham: Brown, Nosworthy, Edge, Hope, Butters, Hessenthaler, Smith, Gooden, Shaw, King, Ipoua.
Subs: Bartram, Browning, Saunders, James, Perpetuini.

Grimsby: Coyne, McDermott, David Smith, Todd, Groves, Butterfield, Burnett, Pouton, Campbell, Allen, Boulding.
Subs: Croudson, Ford, Coldicott, Jevons, Chapman.

Referee: P Taylor (Cheshunt).