Town Draw a Blank

By: Alex Green
Date: 18/08/2010

AHHH Blundell Park how I have missed ye. I would be perfectly happy if the club were to erect a screen so I could watch the cricket from there in the summer but then it wouldn't give me the chance to see the new laid out pitch for the first time. It feels almost like coming home when you go through the turnstile - maybe it’s just me. People nearby were admiring the view from their new season ticket seat while others just tried to remember the names of the new editions they had yet to watch.

Town in their new self-conscious strip, which bumps them, all up a shirt size resulting in a team now all on a diet and worrying about their waistline took to the field as

Arthur, Bore Ridley Hudson Kempson Peacock Coulson Leary Watt Connell and Eagle.
Subs: Garner, Cummins, Samuels, Wood and Dixon on the bench.

While York in their sky blue shirts from JJB lined up

Ingham, Meredith, McGurk, Parslow, Lawless, Gash Carruthers, Sangare, Barrett, Rankine, Brodie.
Subs: Courtney, Smith, Till Purcell, McDermott.

Town kicked off towards the Pontoon floating it to the left where the ball went for a throw in. Ahh I remember this..

Ball floats about and goes out and does a bit more floating all as a gesture for those who hadn't sat down yet so they didn't miss a thing. The play meanwhile meandered towards the Osmond. Town all the while looked menacing, energetic and eager to please like a work experience kid on his first day. Then they tried something new and a little intelligent if not sporting, a drop ball was called and Watt decided to hit the ball perfectly to the corner a throw in to York and a kick for territory Johnny Wilkinson would have been proud of. Slightly too clever for Town and something last season, which would have just been played out on the half way line. Which would be a platform for their 1st goal of the afternoon.

As Town pressed York were driven deeper back to defend Leary was felled like a mighty oak on the corner of the box nearest the Findus and Town prepared themselves for a set piece. Eagle laid it off to Coulson who shot high wide and most disappointingly in to a Pontoon already seating itself after the anticipation. Town really were eager they charged down everything York were hurried and pressed for everything Town desperately trying to get any scrap early on and York started to launch the ball forward for relief. Lawless had sent a pass into the path of Brodie who was thwarted by an out rushing Arthur who gathered the ball quickly and effectively on the edge of his area. Colgan at this point was hopefully taking notes.

A rather swelled Blundell Park cheered the team on as they continued to cause York problems. A flurry of corners on the near side from Coulson caused panic the first cleared the second flapped at unconvincingly by Ingham who had to rely on Gash to scoop it clear.

Town broke again in the 9th minute Eagle playing Hudson through who though facing a tough angle came inches from giving the Mariners the lead as it glance past the near post.

Then came an interesting incident when Arthur who had the ball in his arms went to kick it up field only to be met with the body of Neil Barrett who wanted to dance. Arthur twisted and turned trying to avoid him but Barrett wouldn't let up. It all looked pathetic and the ref blew up for a free kick for Town most probably in response to Barrett just been a tit. But it must have put the nerves up the Town defence and Arthur alike who hooked a goal kick just after in to the Findus and a poor header back by Kempson towards Arthur conceded a corner to York as Arthur’s attempts to keep it in came to nothing. The resulting corner from Brodie met the head of a towering Yorkshire Forward whose header was batted off the line by Eagle.

Town pushed up and as Connell put a ball down the line many if not all thought would just trickle out for a throwing near the police box managed to roll down the white of the line. Coulson was the quickest to react and picked it up with the York defence a yard or two behind. Coulson put a peach of a ball across the face of goal only to see it go all the way across without anyone touching it. Peacock got close but Town failed to take advantage yet again by not having a man in the box. The ball was collected by Eagle before it went for a throwing who’s cross was flicked by the head of Peacock and that too was rescued by Coulson who dragged it back to Leary who’s shot was weak and into the chest of the York Keeper.

Everyone breathed and York gathered themselves by putting a long ball through the middle of Town’s defence. Which was met by Brodie who tried first time to roll it past Arthur on the near side who could only watch as the ball harmlessly trickled out for a goal kick, two yards wide of the goal.

Town looked good a little too good they were trying football that comes from a team who had been together for a long time. Little lay off’s pullbacks quick interchanges. When they were been pulled off they looked beautiful and tore York open but Town failed in having a man further forward to finish off those chances and ultimately those moves would inevitably break down either by York merely absorbing the pressure and then launching the ball forward to the dangerous Rankine or Brodie or Town having no man within the area a predatory striker ready to grab anything and smash it in the net. It all seemed very Buckleyesque at it’s most infuriating pretty football but no end product and players who looked almost terrified to shoot.

That’s how the First half ended Town huffed and puffed but it was the end product which was lacking and York were happy to hit us quickly on the break.

Half Time: Grimsby Town 0-0 York City

The report continues in the Second Half

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