"We always had a threat going forward." Said the Gingerbreads Manager Ian Culverhouse. "At times we played good football and when the chances came we were clinical."

Neither side could stamp their authority on the early part of the game. Possession was given away easily, and there were no chances for either side. When Marine's James Short tried his luck, his effort was always going wide.

Ross Barrows stunned everyone with a great strike on 20 minutes. The ball came to him in space around 30 yards out. Barrows let fly with a shot that powered into the black of the net with Marine goalkeeper Martin Fearon a spectator.

The Gingerbreads haf to show their defensive qualities as Marine threatened an equaliser. James Murray and Short were able to deliver crosses into the Gingerbreads penalty area, but Tom Batchelor and Tom Ward gave nothing away.

Late in the first half, a Max Watters cross caused panic in the Marine defence. Short almost turned the ball into his own net, but Destin got to the loose ball.

After the break the home side came out firing and pressed Grantham hard. Six minutes into the second half,Grantham rode their luck as the home side had three chances in the same attack. From a deep cross, a poor effort from Danny Mitchley came to Short. His shot rattled the Gingerbreads crossbar.

Just after the hour, Grantham extended their lead. A pinpoint crossfield pass from Barrows found Ryan Oliver beyond the Marine defence. Oliver took the ball on into the penalty area where he was clipped by Short, Referee Mr Rogers pointed to the spot and Michael Hollingsworth stepped up to send Fearon the wrong way.

It was almost three a minute later. A good move by the Gingerbreads put the ball in front of Cenk Agar, Agar lifted his shot over the bar to let the home side off the hook.

Tom Batchelor got across well to deny Josh Hine on 65 minutes when he got across to block his effort st the last minute. The Gingerbreads kept hitting Marine on the break and on 71 minutes went close. Barrows again found Oliver whose shot hit the crossbar with Watters follow up cleared by the home defence. Watters was denied in the last minute by a good save from Feaon.

Marine plugged away, but got no change from a well organised Grantham defence. Oliver's flick found Watters, but his shot was just wide of the mark

It took Marine until innury time to pierce a resilient Grantham defence. Josh Hine's low effort almost fell for Dom Reid, but Theo Riichardson did enough to preserve his clean sheet on debut.