Grimsby Town (A) - League 2 - 14th September 2024
Grimsby away. A fixture to quicken the pulse and no mistake. At least this season it was on a Saturday and at the back end of what’s passed for a summer in this sodden isle. Mind you, it was belting down as I left my hyphenated enclave in North Lancs, with the weather forecast at least promising some sun in Cleethorpes for my optimistically exposed legs.
Miraculously the trains were running on time. A brief stop at Oxford Road allowed for the procurement of train cans and the sight of various other fans off on their travels. Leeds, Burnley, Liverpool, Barrow. Four venerable pillars of the English game. The next train saw us sat opposite some blue haired lads with an array of ironmongery inserted around their person. I needed one of those cans, sharpish. The blue haired lads got off at Sheffield and the train filled off with revellers off to the races at Donny. I’d say dressed up to the nines but it is Yorkshire. A strong seven, maybe. The last leg of the journey saw skies brighten and a hint of that promised sun, Cleethorpes here we come.
Alighting at the station, a mere 5 hours since I left the house and a beer was in order. Cleethorpes is blessed with two pubs on the platforms, imaginatively called No. 1 Pub and No.2 Refreshment Rooms. Into No. 2 we went and the resident barflys, suckling their pints of Carling, were welcoming enough. With the radio blaring away on the telly, we set about our pints, admiring the chutzpah of the local in his Stone Thailand jacket, complete with iron on badge. Fair play to him.
Pints sunk, the next port of call was the fantastic Message in a Bottle. Great beer, quality tunes and a massive Newfoundland dog at one table. More guerrilla marketing from our sponsors? I’d rather have a poncho, but maybe an omen. A steady two hours drinking later and off we set, bundled into taxis and heading for Blundell Park. I like the place to be honest – it’s not ultra modern but who cares. The views are ok and the acoustics are decent – handy when there’s only 127 of you plus Paul Farman in our section.
The first half was almost totally in our control. Grimsby were one of those sides who liked to pass it for the sake of it. Why make 2 passes across the back line when 17 will do. We held them at arms length for the majority of the half, during which we scored twice ourselves, of course. Jackson’s delivery was excellent and credit to Foley and Vassell for exploiting the generous nature of the marking from the home team. Whilst not overtly hostile, the locals were getting frustrated – and if we’d just managed to hold out until half time then the cacophony of boos would have been heard halfway across the North Sea. Alas, they nicked one back and the half time team talks took on a slightly different hue.
Second half, the home side had obviously had a rocket and an early ‘equaliser’ was chalked off for offside. Right, how’s this half going to go? Would we buckle under wave after wave of Grimbrarian attacks? To be honest, as it turned out whilst we defended well it wasn’t exactly a rearguard action. We restricted them to few actual chances and caused a bit of mayhem ourselves on the counter - Newby unlucky not to open his account in particular. Even in the last few minutes they didn’t exactly lay siege to our goal. Stanway capped an assured EFL debut with an outstanding reaction save to tip one over the bar in the dying embers of the game. Full time and three points deservedly in the bag as the travelling contingent serenaded the team in joyous exultation. Fortress Blundell Park had been breached for the first time since our return to the league.
So, the good start continues and whilst it is just a start but we’re starting to get a real sense of what this squad is about. Next up on the road – Chelsea. Gulp.
Comments