Blundell`s bubbling after a win at cash well Crawley on Saturday and first up at home a delicious derby against our old foes at the house of York. With passion the fashion guaranteed, for our first fixture out of the Football league since that season in the Midland League in 1910-11, the club are expecting a busy evening on and off the pitch.
After a summer of reflection and then the rebirth of our never say die Grimbarian determination, humour and of course good old hope, the faithful are set to return if not our faith in its entirety. That will take time as confidence takes a while and York, stung on Saturday are not exactly wearing a smile. They can hurt as Brodie, bovver boy Rankine and Gash come for three points backed by many Minstermen.
Something that can and will be raised in an instance is the pulse. Young Rob Eagle, Coulson and golden boy Connell have that ability you feel and could well provide us with the carpet football that the Codfather favours. Flowing fisheries football where passing princes prance poetically around the Blue square delighting friend and foe far and wide. Perhaps but you feel the enforcers like Kempson, Watt, Garner and the Mariners middlemen will also need to be at their beastly best against some big lads if we are to survive and thrive.
Whether your glass is half empty or half full there is at least one thing to rejoice about. At last it is a chance to see some football at Blundell Park, or the Blundell Bastille as anyone hoping for a ‘bounce-back` would urge. And certainly by the looks of Kempson and Watt on Saturday we are putting our faith in something a little stronger than ‘In Cod we Trust`.
As for our passing princes? let them play tonight Woodsie? our Town our club might then become the nations favourite plucky underdogs just as it did all those years ago. Fisheries football?????mmmmm better than an extra portion of scumps.
Vital Quotes:
The Codfather`s prematch pearls
‘The feeling in the dressing room is that they want to play again, they want another game as soon as possible,’ he said. ‘The players are very much aware that they’ve been below par.They’re obviously pleased to have won the game and keeping a clean-sheet is always very positive, but they’re disappointed that we haven’t played like we’re capable of. Yes, we’ve won and we’ll take three points and if we end 46 games playing that badly and winning, we’ll take it, of course we will.But the lads want to show the supporters – who were fantastic again – that we can play. They’re really looking forward to tomorrow night to show people what we can do. They’re very together and close considering a lot of new lads have come in. They’re very committed to what they’re doing, so therefore they won’t settle for the standards that they played at as individuals at Crawley.’
Foyles thoughts
YORK City manager Martin Foyle has had to warn his players to cut out their squabbling with Rankine aggro rearing its head again. “Brodes is on penalties but Ranks came on full of confidence and I don`t mind that. It looks a bit petty though when they are arguing with each other and I had a pop about that “At the end of the game, it was handbags really. Sometimes players play with a bit of passion and I wish they`d shown more from the start of the game and during the first 45 minutes. That type of thing makes me look bad though and I won`t condone it. They won`t be doing it again. We will keep everything in camp and it`s been sorted out in the changing room so there`s not a problem. Their front two caused us problems. We could not get tight or stick with them when they spun off and looked for one-twos and they ran us ragged for the first 25 minutes. We huffed and puffed and looked a bit off the pace and we can`t afford to be opened up like that on so many occasions. I`m a bit disappointed but sometimes you need a wake-up call. We`re on a learning curve and this has brought a few people down to earth. I won`t be too downbeat though. I can`t afford to be as we have two hard games on our travels now.”
Grimsby Town Team News:
Eagle should start – let the fisheries football flow Woodsie – on the left meaning Coulson will change position. Word is Bradley Wood is carrying a knock. This will allow Bore top return to full back which curiously brings out the best in him offensively. Kempson and Watt are chomping at the bit with Arthur again the fiorst on the team sheet. Cleethorpes is full of hints that Peacock is to be used sparingly this term, the management mindful that he must last a 46 game season. Thus Coulson could start next to Connell who cannot wait for two Blundell Park opportunities in 5 days, with Samuels operating down the right. Then again this could all be a bit of kidology; Peacock will then start with Coulson operating down the right. In the middle Cummins looks fit and will vie for a start with Leary and Hudson.
Town: 4-4-2
———-Arthur———–
Bore, Kempson, Watt, Ridley
Coulson(Samuels) Leary, Hudson,Eagle
Peacock(Coulson), Connell,
Subs
Colgan, Wood Garner, Dixon, Cummins, Samuels.
Player to watch: The Eagle Dares
Rob Eagle, the left wing playmaker supreme and Connell will want to make us swoon as both vie to be darlings of Grimsby`s Pontoon.
York City Team News:
York will bring in Peter Till for the trip, as a replacement for the injured midfielder Levi Mackin. They will also keep faith with keeper Ingham who after Saturday will doubtless have a stormer tonight. Bad boy Rankine and Courtney star on the bench again. Looks like 5-3-2 to start for York tonight.
(G) 24 Ingham
(D) 11 Carruthers 5 McGurk 6 Parslow 3 Meredith 12 Sangare
(M) 8 Peter Till 7 Alex Lawless 4 Jonathan Smith
(F) 9 Michael Gash 16 Richard Brodie
York City Substitutes
1 David Knight (G) 2 Duane Courtney (D) 14 Neil Barrett (M) 10 George Purcell (M) 20 Andy McWilliams (M) 15 Michael Rankine (F)
Player to watch: Brodie & Gash are not all Bash
Michael Gash is a creative forward who can bring people into a game including prolific Richard Brodie the leading Conference goal scorer last term.
Match Facts & Stats
Current Form
Mariners – W
York – L
Heroes & Villains
Card Collectors
Yellows
Mariners – Watt 1
York – Jonathan Smith 1, Chris Carruthers 1, Michael Rankine 1
Assists
N/a
Goal Scorers
Mariners – Peacock 1 (38 mins – Craw T)
York – Michael Rankine 1 (pen 86mins – Kidd H)
Head To Head
Venue / W / D / L
Home 13 5 3 21
Away 8 10 3 21
Total 21 15 6 42
Last 6
Grimsby (1) 3 – 0 (0) York Div 4 03/02/1990
Grimsby (0) 1 – 3 (2) York FLT1 06/11/1990
Grimsby (0) 0 – 0 (0) York Div 3 09/09/1997
York (0) 0 – 0 (0) Grimsby Div 3 26/12/1997
Grimsby (0) 0 – 0 (0) York FAC3 05/01/2002
York (1) 1 – 0 (0) Grimsby FAC3R 15/01/2002
Match Prediction:
To say too early in the season and too close to call, would be a cop out would it not? But the fact is the hyperbole of a Derby not contested for a while and a clash of cultures could see things go either way.
Both sides boast an embarrassment of riches when it comes to attacking options, though Town are the ones with a solid defence to go with it. So far that is. We held Crawley whilst York were the masters of their own destruction on their own turf last time out.
So the Mariners to edge it with hopefully some carpet football to boot. Then again everything could turn in the heat of the battle just as it did in the 38th minute on Saturday. As Jimmy Greaves used to say, ‘funny old game football, Saint`.
Next Fixtures:
This Saurday 21st August the Mariners entertain Hayes & Yeading in the Blue Square Premier.
