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Victory over Darlington on Tuesday evening propelled Southport to fourth place in the Blue Square Bet Premier league table, re-occupying the play-off places ahead of Friday night’s crucial clash with Grimsby Town in a game which is to be televised live on Premier Sports.

With fifty-five points after thirty-two games, Port look to build momentum and further cement their play-off place claim in front of a bumper crowd at Haig Avenue with local students being admitted to the game free of charge.

After a fairly indifferent start to the campaign, Grimsby have found their form and remain undefeated in the league in their last thirteen games. Sitting seventh in the league, after thirty-one games with fifty-one points, could Port be the team to break the Mariners momentum? After all, thirteen is unlucky for some.......

Grimsby’s last league game, due to weather related postponements, was on 28th of January, where the Mariners recorded a 2-0 victory over struggling Telford. Two goals in the last ten minutes from Rob Duffy and Frankie Artus, a former Bristol City youth who joined over the summer on a free from Cheltenham Town, secured all three points for the Lincolnshire side.

Former Boston United managerial duo Rob Scott and Paul Hurst took the helm at Grimsby in March 2011 and were named ‘managers of the month’ for January. Hurst will be alone in the technical area on Friday with Rob Scott facing the second game of a now extended to three-match touchline ban for improper conduct after his sending off against Bath in January. The F A have also imposed a £750 fine on the manager for the incident.

Club top scorer Liam Hearn joined the Grimsby ranks in June from Alfreton Town. The twenty-six year old striker started his career with Santos FC in the Central Midlands league before being spotted by Hucknall Town. Hearn had spells at Eastwood Town, Chasetown and Quorn before joining Alfreton in 2008 where he scored forty-five league goals in seventy-six appearances for the Derbyshire side.

The forward, named January’s ‘player of the month,’ has found the back of the net twenty-three times in the league so far this campaign for the Mariners, making him the joint Conference top scorer with Gateshead's Jon Shaw.

Joining Hearn in the Grimsby attack is twenty-nine year old striker Anthony Elding who has scored thirteen goals for the Mariners this season after joining over the summer from League One Rochdale. The former Nottingham Forest Centre of Excellence attendee has previously spent time at Boston United and Stevenage.

This will be the teams’ first meeting in the 2011/12 campaign, with the last meeting between the sides at Haig Avenue in February 2011 resulting in both teams sharing the points with a 2-2 draw. Grimsby fought back from 2-0 down to take a point, with both teams ending the game ten men apiece.

Friday will see the return of Port captain Alan Moogan to the squad having completed his four match suspension for accruing his second red card of the current campaign.

Left back Chris Lever has been declared fit after being stretchered off during the home draw to Luton at the end of January and could make a return to the starting line.

Club top scorer Tony Gray is receiving treatment for a groin strain picked up during Tuesday evenings game but is expected to be available for Friday.

Defender Earl Davis remains sidelined through injury.

As every point gained is potentially a point closer to the Football League, Friday will be a vital game for the Sandgrounders and, with the atmosphere heightened by the presence of the Premier Sports cameras, promises to be a very entertaining game.

Liam Watson's squad are brimming with confidence after the outstanding performance they have had this season and, with the incentive of free entry for local students, it is hoped that the terraces will be packed with fans in full voice to support the Port as they continue their promotion chase.