Preston North End loanee Ben Pringle finally starts League Two game for Grimsby

The Preston North End loanee has been working his way towards match fitness having played little football over the last two years, his last PNE appearance coming as a second-half sub in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest in December 2016.

Having made four substitute appearances in League Two and played 90 minutes in one Checkatrade Trophy game, the 29-year-old was in from the off in the 1-0 defeat at Cambridge on Saturday.

Pringle, who moved to Blundell Park on deadline day in August, played 64 minutes before being taken off.

Former PNE stalwart and now Mariners skipper John Welsh missed the game with a calf injury.

Elsewhere in League Two, Kevin O’Connor was an unused sub for Crewe in their 2-0 defeat at Northampton Town, as was young goalkeeper Mathew Hudson as Bury won 4-1 at Macclesfield.

Up in Scotland, Andy Boyle was stretchered off in stoppage time as Premiership bottom side Dundee went down 1-0 at Motherwell.