Barnsley 0 Grimsby Town 0

By: Fishy News Team
Date: 01/01/2002

GRIMSBY TOWN gained a valuable point in a well-fought goalless draw at Oakwell this afternoon to continue Paul Groves' unbeaten start to football management. Although the Mariners set their stall out to defend, they always looked capable of scoring from one of their few chances on the break.

Barnsley enjoyed most of the opening exchanges with Mike Sheron going close early on when Danny Butterfield, playing in a right back position, cleared the ball off the line. Bruce Dyer, whose physical presence up front was a constant threat to Grimsby, had a good chance in the first half with a header just wide. Phil Jevons had Town's best attempt of the opening 45 minutes but wasted the opportunity, shooting wide of the goal.

After the break Barnsley hit the post following a goalmouth scramble from a corner, and Town themselves almost scored when a Tony Gallimore free kick from just outside the area was well saved by the Barnsley keeper.

The Tykes came closest to scoring in the closing stages when a goalbound header from Chris Morgan was cleared for a corner whilst former Mariner Kevin Donovan forced Danny Coyne to make a good save from 20-yards.

Town continued to play five at the back for the fourth successive game, in which they have lost just once, and looked relatively comfortable defensively, which Paul Groves acknowledged: "We do look more solid, but in an ideal world I wouldn't normally use five at the back. But the players we have available forces your hand."

"I would have taken a point before the game. Barnsley are on a decent run, they have got some good players and it was always going to be a tough game.

"We worked very hard, and even though it was difficult in terms of what players were available with the system we were playing, the lads stuck to their task and were excellent.

"We came here to spoil the flow of the game and we never gave Barnsley a chance to get going. We were under the cosh for a lot of the game but Danny Coyne didn't have too many chances to save.

"The later the game wore on the more desperate they got going forward, leaving opportunities at the back."

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