Mersey Beat

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 22/10/2024

IT'S far from a case of back to square one after Saturday as we have points on the board but there does seem to be a pattern emerging. One or two decent results are followed by abject capitulation as happened in the home games with Doncaster and most recently Walsall.

Fans have identified weak links, although in the case of Gardner, Barrington and Svanthorsson we're talking about players who are young or inexperienced or both. What is most alarming to me is the collective ineptitude which seems to sink in occasionally while coach Artell preaches about performance and improvement. There has been some of that but consistency is what's needed, and to be fair coach Artell does recognise this. Unlike previous weeks where the substitutions have allowed Town to maintain control, on Saturday they were made late, and whilst Mr Artell will have had his reasons, it is almost as if he and the team had given up on getting anything out of the game after the initial period.

This evening we visited Merseyside to play Tranmere who are coming off a win at Bromley after a poor spell. They sit in mid-table. In light of our improved away form, offset by a depleted squad through injury and patchy performances, it was hard to say which way the game might go. My hope was that we were not going to have to witness one of our trademark ignominious defeats, where Mr Artell then tells us afterwards that we should have been 2 up at half-time. This is the realm of excuses, not explanations. But that's home games. Tonight's starting line-up was: Smith - Warren, Rodgers, Tharme, McJannet, Hume - Barrington, Ainley, Khouri, Obikwu - Rose. Town were in the yellow kit which has gone with recent away successes.

Nothing of note happened for the first 10 minutes as both sides struggled to make anything happen. Norris started a move for Tranmere and was close to being on the end of a low-drilled cross from Wood. Town won a corner on 15 minutes after good work from Obikwu. Hume's cross was good but the header was wide. Smith was then forced into a good save from a Morris shot. With 20 minutes gone, the two sides were starting attacks but failing to finish them off in a game devoid of quality. Tranmere had the best chance on 22 minutes when Patrick danced around Warren on the left and crossed to Morris whose shot was saved low by Smith with McJannet clearing off the line. Tranmere looked the more dangerous of the two sides so far. Morris had a chance on 30 minutes following a Taylor cross but the ball got caught in his feet. Town meanwhile created nothing, and were guilty of poor passing. Town finally had a chance on 34 minutes when Obikwu headed over after good work by Hume and a cross from Warren. Taylor had a weak shot on 42 minutes before Town countered. Ainley managed to find space but his shot was wide. Town ended the half on top but overall the 0 - 0 score at halftime reflected a poor and pedestrian game, in which we hadn't managed a single shot on target.

Tranmere had a chance on 47 minutes when Norris headed over from a Wood cross. Town responded well with a good move. Hume played a great cross to Obikwu who spooned the ball over from 6 yards out. It was a golden opportunity for Town, who immediately set up another attack. Rose crossed from the left. Norman slid to stop the cross, handled the ball and the referee awarded a penalty. Rose struck a solid shot to keep McGee's right but McGee got a hand on it to the delight of Tranmere. The home side took heart from this, and Town's defence found itself under pressure. On 57 minutes Tranmere came close when Patrick found Wood, and Norris's header from Wood's cross went just wide. The game had finally moved out of eco mode. On 58 minutes the ball was cleared out of Town's defence. Barrington played the ball upfield. McGee and Davies went for the ball outside the box but Obikwu was there too and got there first, pushing the ball wide and sliding the ball into the net from a narrow angle. Tranmere 0, Town 1. Tranmere went close on 62 minutes when Taylor's shot was deflected for a corner. Davies and Norris were involved in a scramble from close range but Town's defence somehow got the ball clear. Gardner came in for Obikwu on 65 minutes shortly after Norris squeezed a shot past Smith, only to see it drift wide. Morris then smashed a shot over after good work by Patrick. Town continued to play positively and could have done better when Rodgers proved why he is not a right winger by firing a cross too far from the right. Khouri did well to dispossess O'Connor and won a free kick. Rose had a header which went just wide with McJannet unable to make contact and turn it in. Rose was then flattened on 74 minutes. Hume delivered a good cross from the left but Tranmere managed to head the ball clear. Smith and Warren received yellow cards for time-wasting. Tranmere won a free kick 30 yards out on 76 minutes after Barrington tripped Morris. Finley sent the ball in, and Rose averted the danger by heading the ball out for a corner. McEachren replaced Barrington on 78 minutes. Tranmere continued to press for an equaliser. Turnbull committed a foul in the box and was booked for arguing. Tranmere won a corner. Gardner held off Norman and won a free kick, resulting in another yellow card for dissent for a Tranmere player, this time Norris. As the crowd became restless and a bottle was thrown into the pitch, Tranmere's manager Adkins was the latest to receive a yellow card for expressing his opinion on proceedings. Town needed to maintain their concentration. This was a repeat of Salford as Town hung on. On 85 minutes Cass replaced Ainley. McEachren and Hume helped to ease the pressure but Tranmere inevitably flooded the Town half, winning a corner on 88 minutes. Rose headed clear. Finley found Norris whose curled shot between defenders' legs was saved low by Smith. Six minutes were added. A Wood cross was headed clear before the pressure was eased thanks to a Tranmere foul. Town cleared yet another Tranmere attack. Cass broke out and was dispossessed in midfield. The ball was played forward to Hendry who fell in the box under a challenge from Warren. To the annoyance of the already frustrated Tranmere supporters and players, the referee awarded a yellow card to Henry for simulation and Town had a free kick. Tranmere became ragged in their attacks and finally after 97 minutes the final whistle was blown. Tranmere Rovers 0, Grimsby Town 1.

This was another spirited away performance from Town. Watching paint dry would have been a preferable option than witnessing the first half, but the game livened up in the second. Most of it was spent withstanding Tranmere attacks but Town plugged away and Obikwu's opportunism was outstanding. It helped that Tranmere lost their composure and self-discipline but ultimately Town came away from Merseyside with another valuable three points.

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