Just back

Just back myself. Would like to say that the ref ruined it but it was already awful. A couple of suicide balls in there for good measure too. Their no2 was excellent.

Never thought we’d get anything other than 1 point by half time. Absolutely fantastic to celebrate a winner.

There are plenty of these turgid games in league 2. We’ve started winning them though...

UTM.

I know over recent years we have seen a lot of really poor games but today was dreadful for various reasons and I’m pleased we managed to get the threee points from a game like this.

A dreadful quality of football from both sides at times but Crawley looked like they had a bet on throw ins with the amount of times their defenders were needlessly pumping it out of play.

The referee was horrendous. How he could be so inconsistent in the space of a few seconds for a few things today I don’t know. Why wasn’t Palmer sent off for a second yellow late on for something that was pretty similar to his first? How come only our players were punished for niggly fouls?

The huge positive from today is the arrival of Ahkeem Rose. You can see from the social media reaction that the squad and management think highly of him. It’s been a long time coming with the work permit issues and the loan to Boston but he’s managed to work his way into the team and has been rewarded with scoring the late winner. I bet he’s still smiling now. Well taken goal too - you see seasoned pros putting those chance into the Ponny.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Was a ST holder from 04 until the play off winning campaign.

Then 1st baby come along, and since got to as many as possible.
No.2 is due January so made it bit more difficult.

Experienced FGR and Macclesfield so far, then went today...

Summary: we was bang average at very best.

Macca did everything asked of him, and bailed Collins out big time
Back 4 did ok, Collins was fine apart from that 1 moment, fox was below average first half, ok second

Midfield 4 was poor first half, and improved slightly second half

Vernam looked very good every time he had the ball

Cardwell won his share of headers, and dealt with a very difficult ref

Thomas looks dangerous, just didn't see enough of the ball

Woolford showed a good first touch from coming on and did well

Rose took his goal well, but showed a lack of decision making, but that will come with game time.

Most notable thing for me, was the fans
So many disgusting comments during the game

Telling fox he's excrement
Sack Collins
And moaning when we don't pass it forward

Decent crowd size, but a toxic atmosphere throughout for no reason at all

Crawley wasn't bad, and played some good football, with a few good individual players

I appreciate your reasons for not going so often, but the fans that go every week have been remarkably patient. A few utterances from those around you won't do any harm, will it? At a lot of other grounds, the team would have received non-stop stick for the shockingly inept first-half display in particular.

I am afraid when you sit 20th in League 2 after many years of failure you will not get a crowd not showing their frustrations. I must say I thought the attendance was fantastic - we had many games in the Championship with fewer home fans than that.

I was gobsmacked at the attendance tbh. Expected 3,800. Which would have still been respectable with a tiny away element. Glad they responded with a win. Which is what most will remember and hopefully they’ll continue to come back.

3 of us went to the Docks Beers taproom before the game.  Very good beers, atmosphere, place and all tables full.  Good to see couples and families there as well.

I joked with one of the owners that this may be the highlight of the day.  Well.......................

At least we got 3 points when not playing at our best.  

Quoted from 140381

I was gobsmacked at the attendance tbh. Expected 3,800. Which would have still been respectable with a tiny away element. Glad they responded with a win. Which is what most will remember and hopefully they’ll continue to come back.

I agree the attendance was very good

The reason I still keep supporting Town are for little moments like today and what it means to Akheem to score his first league goal.

Crawley definitely edged it in the first half. Impressively at one point they must have kept the ball for nearly 2 minutes leading to a chance. Their right back was finding a lot of space and causing problems. Fair play to Grimsby for just staying in the game though which is what you need to do sometimes. I thought we improved slightly in the second half.
I can't say a bad word about Fox or Cardwell after their heroics last season but I thought they looked a little bit off the pace today although they can be forgiven as they are only just back fit. Cardwell especially seemed to mistime every jump and generally just pose little threat.
Rose looked dangerous from the off when he beat his man to get onto a ball in the box before getting a nudge which would have sent most experienced pros to the ground but he managed to keep his balance. He took his goal brilliantly as well but just as importantly he found that all important position and space to get it. I was so pleased for him and even more so since hearing him on RH. He comes across as such a grounded kid.
Did I hear right at the end, was Pringle MOTM? I thought he did ok but struggled on the right having to turn back inside each time. He didn't stop trying though and there is definitely a good player in there.
Lastly I will just say that the ref was truly shocking today. I don't envy their job but he was so bad and out of his depth to the point I would question whether he even knows the rules as well as he should.
Nice one Grimsby a big 3 points today

It's hard to be too critical of someone starting his first game of the season in mid-November but I'm struggling to work out the logic of starting with Cardwell today. He missed a great chance, gave countless free-kicks away and looked pretty immobile.

The point I'm making is that we seemed to have no balance because his selection sent Thomas wider and more out of the game.

Total contrast from the MKD Game. Very little quality football on show, with Crawley working hard to stop Town playing.

Vernam and Pringle showed some quality on the ball, but there was very little end product from them or elsewhere in the team. Embleton's presence being sorely missed.

Second half substitutions improved Town and towards the end of the game they began to apply some pressure. Eventually Rose was presented with a chance, which he clinically dispatched.

Think a couple of decent editions are required to provide the sort of goal threat required to really climb the table, but for now, it's 3 valuable points and a clean sheet. Confidence is key, so the last two games will do that no harm at all.