Cambridge United were hit by a stoppage-time sucker punch during this afternoon's 1-1 draw at Grimsby Town.

For a long while it looked like Neil Harris' side would be heading back down A1 with all three points in tow thanks to Adam Mayor's first goal for the club on his full debut.

But in the seventh minute of time added on at the end of the contest, the hosting Mariners salvaged a share of the spoils through Justin Amaluzor, who turned in the rebound after Jake Eastwood had saved Jaze Kabia's penalty.

Cambridge have tended to dominate the possession in matches so far this season, but today they were content to allow Grimsby to have the lion's share of the ball and then look to them swiftly on the counter-attack.

And it was the visitors that carved out the better chances, the first of which came in the 18th minute when Louis Appere latched on to a defensive lapse and beat Christy Pym to the loose ball, only for the Grimsby goalkeeper to retreat quickly to make the stop.

That proved to be the end of Appere's afternoon because moments later he went down seemingly clutching his hamstring and the Scottish forward is now facing up to the prospect of several weeks on the touchline.

It took Grimsby half an hour to call Jake Eastwood into some significant action when Darragh Burns cut inside from the right and produce a left-footed shot that was destined for the bottom corner until United's number one intervened.

And within 60 seconds, Cambridge raced up the other end and broke the deadlock. Sullay Kaikai kickstarted the charge through the centre of the pitch before picking out James Brophy, who drove into the box before cutting the ball back to the edge of the area where Mayor - on his full debut - drove a low effort beyond the reach of Pym.

Brophy had the opportunity to double United's lead two minutes into the second half after the Grimsby backline failed to clear James Gibbons' long throw, but the midfielder's well-struck effort was always rising.

It was Brophy again that had the away side's next opening in the 61st minute. He latched on to Gibbons' downward header and dodged one sliding challenge to open up the space for a shot, which was duly parried by Pym.

At the other end Cambridge, in the main, were keeping Grimsby at arm's length but a chance did open up in the 67th minute. Jaze Kabia found himself with the time to take a touch at the back post and his drilled effort look goalbound, only for Gibbons to put his body on the line with a brave block.

And it was from a similar position that Grimsby saw their best opening of the encounter go begging with 12 minutes remaining. Substitute Reece Staunton delivered a dangerous low cross into the corridor of uncertainty between Eastwood and his defence, but a full stretch Kieran Green could only steer the ball wide of the upright.

That appeared to be the end of Grimsby's threat, but then disaster struck for Cambridge. Kylian Kouassi was adjudged to have upended Cameron McJannet inside the box and while Eastwood did well to thwart Kabia from the spot, Amaluzor reacted quicker than any Cambridge defender to prod home from close range.

Grimsby Town: Pym, Rodgers, Warren (Soonsup-Bell 88'), McJannet, Sweeney (Staunton 64'), McEachran, Burns (Oduor 75'), Green, Khouri (Walker 74'), Vernam (Amaluzor 64'), Kabia

Cambridge United: Eastwood, Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Purrington, Ball, Mpanzu, Brophy, Kaikai (McLoughlin 74'), Mayor (Jobe 89'), Appere (Kouassi 21')