Grimsby v Morecambe

By: Alex Green
Date: 03/03/2008

It's so close, so close. We can see it. we've already looked at the train times and the available hotels. Your glory supporting mates are asking if they can tag along "if you lot make it" can we make it? Are we seriously going to whitewash this test series?

Imagine the devastation of losing a £400 accumulator bet because your mates team couldn't beat Wrexham and then the only consolation is your beloved team cheer you up by getting absolutely hammered by one of your biggest rivals (poor Geordie Dave). That doesn't even come close to how devastated we will all be if it doesn't go our way in our most important game for a very long time. (And now because of that rambling my Newcastle buddy will now donate £10 to the trust for been mentioned). After the remarkable 4-0 win only three days ago Buckley and the boys have given counterpart McIllroy a fair deal to think about. After what is in all seriousness Town's second string gave out a beating the Shrimpers will never forget and furthermore damaged their play-off hopes as well as reeling the gap in between us. Worries from most of the Town faithful is that the squad will go in to the Tuesday's match over-confident, thinking the game has already been won with only a one goal advantage against a team who are above us in the league.

Tuesday night is already fast a approaching a sell out in the home end with whispers that the Osmond may be opened to any of the Town overspill if Morecambe are unable to bring a substantial following. The result on Saturday was nothing close to light relief for Morecambe who now only have one victory in 2008 and are looking at a bad end to a remarkable first season in the Football League. With the chances of the play-offs slipping away as the bad run continues to extend itself a return to the New Wembley (only the second team to do it after Chelsea) would do wonders for moral and the finances of such a small club.

The same could be argued for ourselves, a return to Wembley a decade on and reclaiming a trophy which revitalised the Town and the club, would do wonders for the profile of the club and push the new stadium back into the forefront of the region's mindset. With the opposition set in the form of MK Dons at Wembley whoever wins can take a dark versus the light approach to the game at the end of March, against such an immoral fraudulent excuse for a football club in the outfit who come henceforth from the land of plastic cows (they bought them in too you know). A win against them would make us quite popular among many in the footballing community. So technically the winner of this tie can count themselves as the moral winners of the trophy at least, the peoples' champions in waiting. Either way whatever has happened in the last week the last two games however good the results will mean nada if we don't get the result we need in front of our biggest home crowd of the season and with many a fickle fan keeping their beady eye on proceedings a win could enhance our slim chance of making the play-offs.

Morecambe: Jalal,Artell,Yates,Adams,Bentley,Curtis,Drummond,Stanley,Burns,Twiss,Blinkhorn

Subs: Newby, Lloyd, Hunter, McStay, Davies:

Town: Barnes,Newey,Bennett,Fenton,Atkinson,Clarke,Bolland,Boshell,Hegarty,Bore,North

Subs: Montgomery, Whittle, Taylor, Till, Butler

Prediction: Morecambe 1-1 Grimsby Town

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