Rotherham Report

By: Jonathan Spurr
Date: 05/10/2008

WITH what was Town's first performance at the DVS in Sheffield, there was a decent following of 500+ hoping for a first Grimsby win of the season. With all the drama off the pitch, was today going to be the first victory of the campaign?

Town started with a 4-4-2 formation and began well, showing lots of promise. Town played attacking football from the off which surprised many with North, Jarmo and Bore all sitting in the stands.

Jamie Clarke's early cross to Boshall, who could only guide the ball just wide, gave the faithful fans something to be cheerful about. Town were attacking and within 10 mins had a decent effort at goal!

There was few opportunities for either side with Town again showing football the club and the fans had been missing.

Rotherham were quick on the counter attack and this was causing problems for our back four of : Newey, Heywood, Bennett and Clark.

As against Barnet, Newey was often found up front and not back in defence and while Rotherham attacked, Hegarty covering, fouled Reid. The resulting free kick was sent in by Mark Hudson with Cummins sending the ball over the bar.

Town continued to press and found the breakthrough on 28 mins when Boshall's shot (deflected or not) went flying into the top corner. Rotherham 0 Grimsby 1. It was a lead which Town deserved.

Town had a final chance in the first half when Hegarty found space only to send the ball straight at the 'keeper.

With Town being caught often on the counter attack, the vocal few soon quietened down as Town and the fans waited for the half time whistle which eventually came, followed by a round of boos from Rotherham fans.

Half time verdict: Town played well and showed promise.

The second half couldn't have started any worse as after only 4 mins Reid scored for Rotherham with an header arguably Barnes should have had under control. Rotherham 1 Grimsby 1

With Grimsby still in the dressing room, Rotherham continued to press and Barnes had to make a low save to keep Grimsby in the match.

Grimsby didn't seem to really get out of first gear in the second half and it soon cost them again when Rotherham got their second of the match when Mark Hudson sent Rotherham 2-1 up with a low drive past Barnes.

Temporary boss Stuart Watkiss soon made a substitution with Ameobi coming off to Llewellyn, a choice many fans thought was silly.

The pessimism was back and some fans had started to ask how many we would lose by as we didn't ever showing any prospect of getting an equaliser.

Town soon went 3-1 down with Cummins the scorer when again the Millers attacked which was too much for the Town team. Town needed to attack to have any chance of coming back but this just wasn't happening.

Town fans had something to cheer before going even further behind when in a burst of passion Till kicked the ball out of anger after what again seemed like a wasted ball from the back four.

A lot of the faithful soon left when Rotherham scored their fourth, this time by sub Barker which was almost expected by the Town crowd. Once again Town were sitting back and showing signs of the team we had seen the week before and not the team we had seen in the first half of this match.

I must admit at this point I joined the 100's who walked out of what was another pitiful performance from the Town players. With shouts of "your not fit to wear the shirt" from many fans walking the long way round the DVS, we saw Till being replaced by Taylor, some say too little to late from Town.

Crowd rating. 4/10. Sang for first 30 mins only, quietened down after town went ahead.

We now have the worry of playing League One local rivals Scunthorpe in the tin pot trophy followed by top of the table Wycombe at BP, Where will our next point/victory come from?

Who's the next manager?

Stayed tuned for more of the soap drama that is GTFC and remember no matter how hard keep the faith!

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