17/10 QPR 2nd Half

By: Tony Butcher
Date: 18/10/2000

A change, and a bold one too. Livingstone replaced Campbell and Town changed to a 4-3-3 formation with Nielsen on the right, Allen the left and Livvo straight down the middle. This, of course, meant that our midfield, the engine and powerhouse of the team, was D Smith, Donovan and Coldicott.

Grimsby Town 3 QPR 1
17 Oct 2000, Nationwide League Division 1

Such power, such strength, such skill, such height. Best to avoid that area, which is exactly what Town did. "Get it forward" was still our method, only this time it was a method rather than three word strung to together in hope. Within 30 seconds Livvo had flattened a defender in a firm, fair but fruity challenge. You know when you've been Livvo'd. Town "got into them" from the start, with balls played very directly up to the front three, rather than hopefully over their heads. Livvo's body proved an immovable object and QPR simply imploded, acting like Southern softies. They, quite literally, didn't like it up 'em. I will admit that the rest of this report may not be chronologically accurate, so many chances were made that it is difficult to remember them all. The second half was like a blurry dream and I'm not used to having to remember 25 incidents in a game, it's normally 5!

Grimsby Town Coyne Butterfield Gallimore Groves Handyside Donovan Coldicott Campbell D Smith Allen Nielsen   Subs Livingstone Clare Croudson Jeffrey Burnett

After 5 minutes of exciting play, where QPR were pushed back into their own half, Town won a free kick on the right, about 5 yards in from the touchline and 15 yards out from goal, for a trip on Nielsen. The boy wonder ran off into the area pumping his fist at the crowd urging them on, the crowd responded with roars and some cries of "Mariners, Mariners". The ball was flung to the far post where a defender managed to back-head it away to the left edge of the penalty area. Nielsen ran after it, turned and crossed to a position about 12-15 yards out, just beyond the penalty spot where Livvo jumped with two QPR defenders. LIVINGSTONE brushed them aside and headed across the 'keeper into the top right hand corner of the goal. The 'keeper got a hand to it, but only his fingertips and couldn't stop it going in. It was more the placing of the header than the power which "did" for the 'keeper. Oh yes, the crowd went wild.

But this was just the beginning. QPR were clearly rattled by Town's effervescent start and Town took full advantage, piling forward with incessant raiding. Nielsen terrorised the left side of the defence, Livvo rampaged over the centre and Allen nibbled away on their right. I think the next chance was after Nielsen turned the left centre back and dribbled down the right, crossed to the far post and Livvo headed firmly down to the foot of the post. The ball bounced into the 'keepers hands, though it looked more luck than judgement that stopped it going in. The 'keeper looked shocked and stunned that the ball was in his hands.

After 54 minutes the crowd got what they had willed, and with knobs on. Yet another Town full frontal assault, this time down the centre left, eventually saw Coldicott free and wide near the edge of the area. The even more shaven headed terrier (somehow he has managed to shave off hair that wasn't there before) crossed low to somewhere near the back post, about 12ish yards out (in fact almost the same spot that Livvo had scored from). NIELSEN, who had created some space for himself by tricking his marker, adjusted his feet and hit a perfect right footed volley into the top right hand corner. It was very similar to D Smith's goal at Portsmouth. Pandemonium at the Park and Nielsen broke yet another Town taboo. His goal celebration was not the usual handshake and nod, he sprinted towards the left side of the Pontoon cartwheeled and produced and extravagant back flip and somersault on solid ground (no doubt having been some days in preparation). A perfect 6 for artistic impression.

The crowd urged the board to pay up that Danegeld now boy! Which roughly translated as "sign 'im up". Quickly followed by "Walking down the Grimsby Rd, to see the mumble-mumbles aces". The manager's name just doesn't scan well enough to sing the usual songs. On Saturday one lone Pontoonite sang "to see the Buckley's aces", much to everyone's merriment. De-programming yet to be completed.

And still Town attacked, attacked, attacked, attacked, attacked. It was Allen's turn to score and he had two very, very good opportunities. Firstly a ball was flicked on, just outside the penalty area, and Allen ran on past the defence. He let the ball bounce once and, from 12 yards out, just to the left of the goal, hit a first time flying volley which hit the bar and flew off into the Pontoon. About 10 or so minutes later he was set free again, in almost identical fashion, and exactly the same position. This time the ball was on the ground and, from about 8 yards out, he smashed a low shot to the 'keepers right, just inside the near post. The 'keeper dived the wrong way but the ball glanced off his thigh and was diverted a couple of inches wide of the near post.

What about QPR attacks? None yet, they didn't get into the Town penalty box until the 67th minute, when Gallimore made one of only two special guest appearances in the second half, producing a last ditch sliding tackle as someone was about to shoot. The match was being played in front of the Pontoon and we were loving it like it had never happened before. Oh, it hasn't has it. Nielsen continued to rip his markers (there were more by now, one time they had 4 players on him) with his pace. A couple of thrusts from the half way line brought forth further excitement. His first effort didn't result in a chance, more a moment of danger. He ran 29 yards and crossed behind the strikers into the void near the edge of the box. The poor old midfielders couldn't get there quickly enough. The second brought the crowd to its feet yet again, as it ended with a cross shot from just inside the penalty area which went a foot or two wide of the 'keepers right hand post.

And finally Cyril, another goal. After 72 minutes Town got a throw-in in front of the police box, near the Main Stand (I think after Nielsen had induced a defender to tap the ball out in panic as he ran after him). It was thrown to a Town attacker just inside the penalty area on the Town right, about 5 yard from the touchline. The Town attacker controlled the ball, held off the defender and back heeled it to Livvo, who had ran across him in a wide arc. Livvo took the ball on to a position about 8-10 yards out level with near post. LIVINGSTONE passed the ball inside the near post as the 'keeper swayed to his right. The identity of the Town attacker who passed the ball to Livvo is the subject of a very minor, but heated, debate. The majority view is that Nielsen back heeled it. A small, but influential, minority claim it to be Allen. These two players are so physically similar it is no wonder the supporters are confused. Does it matter? The words "Town attacker" now carry some threat and mean something tangible, not an abstract concept.

The crowd were incredulous - this just isn't the Town way (and especially after the turgidity that was the first half). The action did not stop as QPR had the temerity to try and score themselves. I recall Coyne making only one save, low down to his right at the near post following a quick break and a shot from just inside the penalty area. He also had to punch away a loose bouncing ball from inside his six yard box. I have a vague memory of a couple of headers from the stick insect, both from deep crosses from the Town right. Both were uninteresting efforts as they plopped into Coyne's arms, with little power or accuracy. At around the same time Gallimore touched the ball again. This rather gives an indication of Town's dominance and the extent to which play was exclusively down the Town right. I wonder why when Donovan and Nielsen were there?

Just before Nielsen was replaced, Groves volleyed very high and wide at the near post after the chosen one burst down the right and crossed. Apart from all the other things he did, Nielsen had a couple more efforts on goal which went high and wide of the 'keepers left hand post. The first was sliced from the edge of the area, the other was an audacious Hoddle-esque turn and chip from a narrow angle. Neither went very close but if you don't shoot you don't score. In the 84th minute Clare replaced The Man, The Dude thus enabling "He who must be ordained" to walk off the pitch with his own ovation. The ovation was great, but perhaps not as loud as one would expect. It's all his own fault - he made us so excited we shouted so much and a lot of people lost their voices. We were hoarse with happiness.

The fun ended there, with few Town attacks of any danger after he left the pitch. QPR pressed again but no chances were created, or allowed. The very last thing that happened, deep into added time, was a free kick to QPR about 20 yards out, in the centre. They took nearly a minute to set themselves up, and all they did was chip it into the back row of the Osmond Stand. As someone noted in the Pontoon "Sir, you're no Kingsley Black". How very true. The odd thing about the free kick (apart from the shock of them being given anything) was that Rennie seemed to be organising the defensive wall, even joining it at one stage!

It had rained in the second half, no-one noticed for ages as our attention was fixed firmly on the football, unlike so many games recently when counting the ships that pass or the number of plastic bags in the Pontoon, have seemed to hold more interest that the stuff we have paid to see. The game was the thing.

The 2nd half was totally exhilarating - Town's tactics changed to take account of the match situation, the opponents' weaknesses and our strengths. Like the "Fuzzy-wuzzys" QPR did not like it up 'em, oh no. The plaudits go to the front three, there is nothing to add about Nielsen. Let the facts speak for themselves. Allen was lively and unfortunate not to score, he was perhaps a little too anxious to stick a metaphorical two fingers up at Gerry Francis and the barracking away support. Generally he seems to be back to his predatory best. Livvo, not a lumpen clod now. Transformed into slimline and nimble Livingstone. He seems to have found a yard of pace and it didn't appear to be because he was against slow players. His legs were definitely moving faster. Apart from one piece of poor control just after he came on, he was deft, subtle, strong, determined and lethal. His introduction transformed the game and lifted Nielsen, or probably liberated him. Nielsen did not look to be someone who would truly prosper with his back to goal acting as a lone target man.

The rest did what they had to (I am talking about the 2nd half here, forget the first when it was shuddersomely bad), which was essentially running around and closing QPR down, so that they could not set themselves up to loop high balls accurately to Crouch's head. So well done D Smith, Donovan and Coldicott for those negatives, which allowed the rest to be positive. And a particular mention in despatches to Gallimore - he was in the Grosvenor by 10.39.

All in all it was invigorating and enough to give hope that Town could get enough points to survive. There are still shocking areas of weakness which will be exposed by some physically strong and organised teams, but Town did what they needed to do - beat a poor team. And boy was it a beating. Town simply overpowered them. That's a phrase I've never had to use before. One more tactical thing - where did Butterfield get his longs throw from? It surprised everyone as he kept throwing it into the 6 yard box. No-one expected it, so no-one stood anywhere near. Another weapon found.

So a little bit of Nielsen on the right took the Town fans to heaven. Where would we be without him? New messiah? Could be. He cured hiccoughs and sneezes of those around me. There's hope now.

NickO's man of the match - Nielsen (just, over Livingstone). No need to explain why.

Add To Facebook

This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!

Related Stories

• QPR Report
• Grimsby Town vs QPR Complete Record
• More Stories