But more importantly this hard-fought success made them mathematically certain that they will be playing League Two football again next season.
And coming as it did at the end of a week in which a betting scandal involving Accrington players reared its ugly head it was a sweet success for manager John Coleman and his boys.
The only goal came on 71 minutes when Chris Turner got down the right and crossed for on-loan striker Michael Symes to head home his first Stanley goal.
This setback rattled Grimsby, who again had the backing of a tremendous crowd, but their composure deserted them in the closing stages.
Despite four minutes of stoppage time they rarely looked like getting the better of man of the match Kenny Arthur in the Stanley goal.
The big Scottish keeper set the tone for the afternoon with a sprawling save on two minutes from Barry Conlon and then made fine saves from Nick Hegarty and Conlon again as the Mariners tried to force their way past a well-organised Accrington rearguard.
So Grimsby's hopes of ending the Easter period almost certain of staying in the Football League took a knock with this defeat but at least second from bottom Chester did them a favour by losing at home to Macclesfield.
So the margin is now just one point with four games to go as Grimsby head for Notts County on Monday.