Cheltenham Town completed an amazing ten-month journey at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium by securing a place in League One next season.
It is the fourth time in a quite remarkable ten years that the Robins have tasted promotion and it was achieved in front of the largest crowd that the club have ever played in front of.
Steve Guinan's second half strike settled the contest, while Grant McCann missed an opportunity to extend the advantage after he failed to convert a penalty that he had earned after he was upended by soon-to-be boxer Curtis Woodhouse in a prime goal scoring position. The Irishman struck the woodwork in the closing stages while at the other end, the Cheltenham defence swatted the potent strike threat that had already plundered four goals against Robins' boss John Ward's side in the previous two encounters this term.
So the likes of two-time European Champions' Nottingham Forest, former Premiership outfit Bradford City and 2004 FA Cup finalists Millwall will appear on next season's fixture list and it is testiment to the hard work of John Ward, his backroom staff and the players themselves over one of the most memorable campaigns in the club's history.
Ward made one change from the starting XI that recorded the 0-0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers to book his side's place in the League Two showpeice final.
Kayode Odejayi stepped down to the bench and Steven Gillespie was handed his first start since the 5-0 victory at Mansfield Town (May 6). It was an otherwise unchanged selection and the team shaped up in the tried and tested 4-4-2 formation.
Cheltenham Town were a whisker away from claiming the first goal of the afternoon after a searching ball from inside his own half by McCann released Steven Gillespie who was one-on-one with Rob Jones. The young striker's header took the ball away from the centre half but his next touch heavy and that allowed goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall to narrow the gap and force the effort a foot wide. Guinan capitalised on Jones' misplaced header a couple of minutes later and perhaps had more time than he thought because his effort from 20 yards with a half volley was comfortably held by the Grimsby number one.
It was a positive start by Cheltenham as they went about unsettling a Grimsby side that narrowly missed out on automatic promotion on the last day of the season. Woodhouse shot well over as Grimsby struggled to find a foothold in the contest on a difficult surface while Gillespie rolled a 25-yarder the wrong side of the left upright with 20 minutes on the clock.
Michael Reddy and Craig Armstrong clashed heads mid-way through the first half inside Shane Higgs' penalty area and both were ushered down the tunnel for treatment to their injuries. Both though were ruled unfit to continue; the Cheltenham left back later emerged from the dressing room sporting a nasty looking gash above his left eye after the striker was out cold for a short period of time on the pitch - so both were subsequently replaced with Mickey Bell and Gary Cohen in straight swaps.
Referee Paul Taylor was unimpressed with a 33rd minute penalty appeal by Grimsby after Andy Parkinson went to ground shadowed by Gavin Caines, and Gary Jones headed Gary Croft's centre from the right high and wide five minutes later as Grimsby started to create some meaningful pressure on the Cheltenham goal.
At the other end, McCann teed up Gillespie 25 yards from goal and his determination under a couple of strong tackles opened up a chance for Wilson on the angle by the wide man flashed his first time effort well off target.
On the stroke of half time, Higgs had to be at his best to deny susbstitute Cohen from 20 yards with a fine one-handed parry diving to his right while Parkinson and Bolland failed to find the target from promising positions as Grimsby finished the first period the stronger.
Wilson's persistance down the left earned a corner two minutes after the restart and McCann picked out Caines with the flag kick but the centre half's glancing header was held by Mildenhall.
McCann and Finnigan starting a sweeping move in the 55th minute which saw Shane Duff flight a ball down the left flank for Bell to run on to. The replacement lifted a decent cross to the back post and only a timely intervention by Rob Jones stopped Guinan connecting with the delivery.
Cheltenham suffered a second injury blow on the hour after Gillespie picked up a knock under a challenge by Rob Jones and the striker limped off to be replaced by Kayode Odejayi.
But no sooner had the young striker taken his place on the bench, his side found their first goal against the Mariners in 198 minutes of football this term as the game exploded into life.
Wilson competed with Mildenhall for a cross after Odejayi's headed flick but the Grimsby goalkeeper got the ball clear with a firm punch. The loose ball fell to Vincent, who rolled it to Guinan on the angle of the penalty area.. The striker shook off his marker, cut inside and flighted an inswinging curler-cum-cross that dropped over Mildenhall, Odejayi and Vincent before rippling the back of the net to send the massive Cheltenham contingent into raptures.
More drama was to follow as the goal lifted the Robins and they took their game to Grimsby down the wide channels. McCann combined with Odejayi and the big striker released the Irishman with just the goalkeeper to beat. He touched the ball wide of the grounded number one, and looked set to double the advantage before Woodhouse upended him and the referee eventually pointed to the spot.
McCann (left) took the penalty after a short delay but he was shut out by a great stop by Mildenhall at full stretch to his right, while Woodhouse surprisingly escaped a card for his indescretion.
Parkinson and Mendes fired well over as Grimsby looked for a way back into the game and could well have been on level terms with ten minutes remaining. Mendes whipped a menacing delivery in from the right and Gary Jones met it with a near perfect header but Higgs pulled off a remarkable save at his near post to preserve his side's slender lead.
Grimsby piled on the pressure in the closing stages but the Cheltenham defence held firm as they had in the two semi-final games against Wycombe. Grant McCann struck the crossbar with a delicate 20-yard chip, and Wilson's folow-up header was clawed away by Mildenhall from close range with a couple of minutes of normal time remaining as the fourth official held aloft the board indicating five minutes of injury time. But time had run out for Grimsby Town and the Robins had secured their fourth promotion over the last ten incredible years.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Higgs; Gill, Caines, Duff, Armstrong (Bell 27); Vincent (Spencer 78), Finnigan (c), McCann, Wilson; Guinan, Gillespie (Odejayi 62). Subs not used: Brown (Gk), Bird.
GRIMSBY TOWN: Mildenhall; Croft (Futcher 75), R Jones, Whittle, Newey (Goodfellow 84); Mendes, Woodhouse, Bolland, Parkinson; Reddy (Cohen 27), G Jones. Subs not used: Kamudimba, Toner.
REFEREE: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
ATTENDANCE: 29,196