Grimsby keeper Danny Coyne stood between his side and a hammering at Blundell Park.

Coyne pulled off no less than a dozen saves, leaving Blackburn wondering how they failed to win the game.

In the last five minutes the 26-year-old stopper denied Rovers on four occasions, saving twice from substitute Matt Jansen, once from David Dunn and then from Craig Short.

Nathan Blake, later to go off injured, had first chance when he met a corner from the left in the fifth minute and headed goalwards from close range. But Coyne reacted quickly to keep the effort out.

Blake then powered through the defence but was denied when Coyne raced out and dived at his feet.

Ashley Ward broke down the right for Rovers in the 34th minute but once again Coyne was equal to his cross-shot.

Short, up for a corner, then put a free header straight at the keeper.

Grimsby had few chances, though Lee Ashcroft should have done better in the 34th minute.

Picked out by Stacy Coldicott, he had acres of space but shot hurriedly over from 12 yards.

Then Steve Livingstone met a Kevin Donovan cross and hit the bar with a header, but was flagged offside.

After the break, Livingstone broke through, dribbled around Short but then saw his left foot shot saved at the second attempt by Alan Kelly.

After that it was all Rovers and 10 minutes from time Coyne pushed away a volley from sub Jansen, only for Dunn to knock the rebound over the bar from close range.

The keeper was worked hard in the last five minutes. He tipped away a left-foot volley from Jansen and then somehow kept out another strike from the substitute.

Teams:

Grimsby: Coyne, Butterfield (McDermott 71), Lever, Groves, Gallimore, Donovan, Coldicott, Pouton (Allen 79), D. Smith (Black 79), Ashcroft, Livingstone.

Subs Not Used: Croudson, Clare.

Booked: Ashcroft, Coldicott.

Blackburn: Kelly, McAteer (Frandsen 74), Short, Dailly, Davidson, Dunn, Carsley, Flitcroft, Duff, Blake (Jansen 37), Ward.

Subs Not Used: Miller, Burgess, Gillespie.

Att: 6,558

Ref: R Furnandiz (Doncaster).