Just Seventeen

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 21/10/2012

SEVENTEEN calamitous minutes of the first half effectively cast Town out of the FA Cup to Kidderminster at Blundell Park. A resurgent Harriers team blitzed Grimsby with three early goals which gave Town a mountain to climb.

Although Town had scaled the foothills by half time with the score pegged by to 3-2, Grimsby could not go on and get an equaliser and in the end it was Harriers who scored the decisive sixth goal late on to put the game beyond reach.

Grimsby now will be totally focused on finishing as high as possible in the league, with the minor aside of the FA Trophy the only distraction.

Town's settled back four was tweaked last week, but for this game it was reassembled. Left back Thomas was out injured, meaning Bradley Wood moved to left back and Hatton came in at right back. In other changes Disley was rested in midfield to allow Thanoj a game, and Town had a new look strike force of Elding and Southwell.

Southwell almost made a dream start when he found himself clear in the opening minute but his shot was saved.

Poor defending from a corner allowed Kidderminster to take the lead. The ball was played short and crossed to Malbon right across the Town defence, whose shot was deflected in off Pond.

Kidderminster added a second from another corner. The Town defence stood statuesque as Dunkley rose above everyone to head it in at the far post.

Things got worse for Town when the conceded a penalty in a reckless challenge by Pond on Malbon. Vaughan stepped up to make it 3-0.

Grimsby soon got a lifeline when good play oy the right by Neilson and Hatton set up Niven who blasted it past the 'keeper.

Elding then was put through with a long ball by Hatton but the keeper was out quickly to smoother the chance.

Then on the stroke of half time it was Town's turn to score from a corner. The ball was deflected out to Neilson on the edge of the box who shot through a crowd of players and was somehow deflected in.

After the break Town initially dominated the game, but could not make the breakthrough. The best of the chances came when Elding had a shot tipped over from a corner

Kidderminster gradually came back into the game, and McKeown kept Town in the game when he made a point blank save to deny Vaughan.

Right at the death Grimsby pushed everyone up including the 'keeper for a corner. After a goalmouth scramble Kiddie broke down the other end and were able to walk the ball into an unguarded goal and end the game.

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