Making a slow start the hosts found themselves a goal down inside the opening 10 minutes when Wes Thomas netted his 10th goal of the season.
Despite moments of promise the hosts struggled to truly threaten an equaliser and fell further behind on 34 minutes when Adel Gafaiti turned into his own net.
Alex Fisher almost reduced the arrears before Thomas squandered a huge chance to grab his second of the match just before half-time.
Much improved after the break, the trio of Rhys Browne, Fisher and Alex Dobre all went close to setting up a nervy conclusion to the match before the three points edged closer to Grimsby when Craig Alock was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Unable to battle back, a fourth straight defeat was confirmed when Kristian Dennis grabbed a third late in the game, meaning AleFisher’s eighth of the campaign was little more than a consolation.
Forced into one change due to Tom James serving the first of a four-match suspension, Tristan Abrahams claimed his first start for the club by taking an advanced role in a midfield three.
There were more changes on the bench, however, with Francois Zoko returning to the matchday 18 after missing the last two to sit alongside Alex Pattison who was involved for the first time since the end of November due to a back injury.
The Middlesbrough loanee’s return to fitness meant Town were only unable to call upon Omar Sowunmi (ankle), Sessi D’Almeida (shoulder) and Josh Grant (ankle), with Ryan Seager, Alefe Santos, Daniel Ojo and Devon Arnold omitted despite being available.
Having been on the wrong end of back-to-back 1-0 defeats prior to the return to Huish Park, the hosts found themselves facing the same scoreline just nine minutes in.
Following a subdued start, the Mariners were clinical with their first chance of the game when Jake Hessenthaler’s cross was headed home by Thomas in the middle to quickly give Town work to do.
Responding well to going behind a spell of territory followed for the green and whites but despite plenty of attacking intent, James McKeown remained untested in the Grimsby goal.
Becoming a match primarily played in the middle of the park the next chance of note didn’t come until almost the half-hour mark, when Martyn Woolford’s volley from the edge of the box drifted wide with Stuart Nelson primed in the home goal.
With attacking chances of note falling to Grimsby, Way’s side registered their first shot on goal when Jake Gray’s snapshot from the edge of the box whizzed wide prior to a second blow at the other end.
Elliot Embleton’s strong drive out wide on the left led to a dangerous looking driven cross which could only be turned into his own net by the unfortunate Gafaiti with Thomas lurking behind the Algerian ready to pounce.
Responding immediately with a first change, Pattison was introduced for his first appearance in nearly three months as Matt Worthington was withdrawn.
Almost reducing the arrears when Fisher forced a save from the legs of McKeown following good work from Abrahams, the Glovers were almost staring at a 3-0 deficit on the stroke of half-time.
Carl Dickinson’s clearance on the halfway line was charged down by Thomas to allow the striker in on goal, but after racing into the box he blazed over the bar to ensure the game remained in reach of Town who needed a dramatic turnaround in the second 45 minutes.
Displaying more potency in the final third after the restart the green and whites almost began the comeback in the early stages of the second half.
Abrahams’ driving run resulted in a through ball to Browne, who from a slight angle inside the box forced the Mariners stopper to parry away his powerful strike.
From the resulting corner, McKeown was called into action again to palm away Fisher’s looping header before Dobre forced the Grimsby number one into the same outcome having driven into the box as the hour-mark approached.
Entrenching themselves in the Mariners’ half, Browne had a penalty shout waved away on 61 minutes after going down under challenge from Sebastian Ring, moments prior to the hosts being reduced to 10 men for a second consecutive match.
Booked early in the first-half, Alcock was shown a second yellow card for a similar foul to leave Town with a man disadvantage for the final 25 minutes.
Unable to rekindle the momentum produced prior to the dismissal, the visitors began to threaten on the break but were denied a third when Nelson stood tall to get a hand to Luke Hendrie’s goalbound shot.
Embleton then dragged a shot just wide as Yeovil flooded forward to leave the hosts open on the break, but the killer goal was to come two minutes from time when substitute Dennis lobbed a hapless Nelson.
As the game ticked into stoppage time Fisher headed home to end Town’s search for a goal, but it didn’t alter the result as defeat was confirmed for a fourth consecutive match.
Yeovil Town: Nelson; Alcock, Warren, Gafaiti, Dickinson; Gray, Worthington (Pattison 39′), Abrahams (Zoko 55′); Browne, Fisher, Dobre (Duffus 77′).
Bookings: Alcock 4′, 63′ (sent off)
Subs not used: Baxter, Mugabi, Rogers, Arquin, Duffus.
Grimsby Town: McKeown; Hall-Johnson, Collins, Ohman; Hendrie, Hessenthaler, Embleton, Woolford, Ring (Davis 85′); Thomas (Clifton 75′), Cook (Dennis 75′).
Bookings: Hessenthaler 74′, Hendrie 77′, Clifton 90′
Subs not used: Russell, Welsh, Whitmore, Vernam.
