Strangers in the Blue Sky

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 10/08/2024

IT all starts again here. Real life issues stopped me from taking any interest in pre-season proceedings but I was aware that the obligatory switch of players took place.

I know also that a certain TV provider has revised the schedule so I now have to write down times as well as days when working out how to enact my Grimsby Town entertainment package, otherwise known as going to games or in its absence adopting the modern idiom of streaming, something which apparently doesn't just apply to suffering from bad colds. The risk is now run of getting the wrong day or time. I only ever did that once. That was when my friend Paul and I went to Hitchin to watch AFC Stamford. We arrived with the ground in darkness. We walked into the clubhouse where a cheerful gentleman asked us if we were there for the salsa. We made our excuses and went through the opposite door to the bar for a drink, at which point we found out that the fixture had been rearranged for another day.

As an exile, I've always faced logistical challenges in getting to games so I'll reserve judgement for now on how it's going to be. As for TV exposure, I do wonder why anyone other than supporters of Fleetwood and Town would want to watch a game between the two. Even as a supporter of one of the teams, it's a valid question. Having said this, I do remember watching an FA Cup tie between Mansfield v Shaw Lane on an Asian sports channel a few years ago. I can't imagine hordes of Malaysians getting wrapped up in such obscurity. As if to prove the point, no-one engaged me in discussion about it afterwards. Someone called Danny Rose scored twice in a 3 – 1 victory for Mansfield. I wonder what happened to him?

Town lined up in blue against the red of Fleetwood. So the Sky is Blue. Well, it was in the weather sense but it's not all unlimited optimism. As a club we do seem to have a certain amount of stability and maybe can look to a bright future and but there are 46 matches to go and so it's all grey at the moment as it is for all teams. It's more uncertain for the home team who after relegation last year have ownership problems. As ever, new names littered the Town line-up, which read: Wright – Cass, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume – Svanthórsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Vernam – Wilson. Let the cod wars begin.

After a minute's play good work by Wilson led to a flick on by Green to Vernam who should have done better from close range on the left. Svanthórsson had arguably a better chance moments later when intercepting after a mistake by Sarpong-Wiredu. Town's Iceland newbie was closed down quickly. A mistake by McJannet three minutes later led to a Helm cross to Coughlan whose header hit the post. Helm then screwed a shot wide after Hume lost the ball. Town then had to scramble the ball clear from a corner after a poor clearance by Wright. After even exchanges, Fleetwood took control. Coughlan should have scored, firing his header directly at Wright after a neat cross from Lonergan. Two minutes later on 17 minutes composed work by Mayor found Hunt on the left. A pass came in. Helm found space and flicked the ball home from inside the box with his left foot. Fleetwood 1, Grimsby 0. Rodgers' answer was to get booked for a shoulder barge on Mayor. Fleetwood then went close when Lonergan couldn't quite get on the end of the resultant free-kick. Fleetwood were looking the brighter of the two sides. Town seemed to have lost their way. Svanthórsson had to be replaced on 29 minutes after an earlier injury. Barrington came on. Fleetwood had a goal disallowed for offside after Coughlan chipped Wright. On 35 minutes Mayor fouled McEachren in the Fleetwood half. Following the free-kick Cass homed in but his shot was blocked. Fleetwood keeper Harrington was fouled as Hume delivered a corner for Town. Both sides traded possession. Town had little to offer and seemed to have less energy than the home side. Vernam was denied by the physicality of Sampong-Wiredu before Mayor had a shot on target for Fleetwood. Town earned a throw deep in Fleetwood territory after a determined run by Hume but Town were pegged back and eventually lost the ball. Fleetwood then won a throw on the left as half-time approached. Town won a free-kick to stop further Fleetwood progress. Wilson had a nice run which resulted in a Barrington attempt as he ran onto the ball. But mistakes were rife, and apart from a Vernam attempt to disentangle himself it was just slim pickings where Town were concerned. Fleetwood didn't show signs of being world-beating but passed the ball up the field purposefully, something that Town were incapable of doing. Town's team was a bunch of strangers and they were playing like one so far.

A neat move between Hume and Vernam on 50 minutes almost led to something but Green connected with the defender's foot instead of the ball from a good position. Fleetwood responded when the balling Coughlan won a corner and Mayor had a stabbed shot. A dangerous crosss almost found Mayor but 57 minutes had passed and nothing much was happening. apart from a total mess-up between Hume and Wright which Town were lucky to get away with. Even so, Fleetwood won a corner which Hunt sent in. The cross sailed between the defenders. With an hour gone, Davies came on for Green. A nice forward move by Fleetwood led to a corner after a shot by Hunt. Wright missed the cross. Fleetwood attacked and pinned Town back. 25 minutes remained. Davies was fouled but the move ended when Wilson was offside. Careless play by Rodgers gave Fleetwood a corner. This time Wright gathered the cross safely. Davies was booked for a foul on Helm. Wright pushed out a cross from the left but his clearance was wasteful. Any semblance of attacks from Town was resulting in nothing as possession was repeatedly lost. Town were ultra-poor. After Cass sliced a clearance out of play a ray of hope emerged as Rose came on along with Ainley and Gardner, replacing Wilson, Vernam and McEachren. 74 minutes had gone. Gardner did well to burst out of defence and win a free-kick. The move broke down. Every attempt to make inroads resulted in a poor final ball. Khouri was the latest guilty party on 78 minutes. Hunt won a corner seconds later. The corner was overhit. Grayson broke out for Fleetwood as McJannet struggled. Fortunately, Graydon's pass was placed behind the advancing Virtue. Rose injected some much-needed urgency on 83 minutes, winning a corner after chasing the defender down, but Barrington's corner was diabolical, flying over everyone's head. Such waste epitomised Town's day. Rose did well to control a long cross from Khouri but was offside. On 88 minutes Fleetwood attacked after a Gardner mistake. Grayson ran on and only failed to score thanks to McJannet's block. Hunt's cross crept close to the far post with no-one able to get a touch to increase the lead. As 4 minutes were added, Town won a throw deep in Fleetwood's half. Cass lost possession on the right and yet another weak moved ended. Davies gave the ball away as the clocked ticked down. It was clear that Town weren't going to score and so it happened. The final score of this poor game was: Fleetwood 1, Grimsby Town 0.

It's hard to say what Town's intended game plan was, such was the lack of quality. The whole thing was aimless and mistake-ridden. Town looked tired and clueless. Creativity was lacking. There was no spirit in the play. Players went missing. It's early days and the players need time to get to know each other but this is no excuse for such a poor and lacklustre performance.

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