York Report Card

By: Dr Fishy
Date: 06/01/2002

DR FISHY has compiled match statistics and a report card for the Grimsby Town side that drew 0-0 with York in Saturday's FA Cup 3rd Round game.

Coyne: He needed to be at his best to keep Town in the game. The Welsh stopper made two good saves in the first half and another one in the second. His kicking had improved since New Year's Day.

Grade: B-

Ford: Defensively sound although on occasions the high bouncing ball gave the youngster a few nervy moments, but he has gained some confidence and looks to be part of a well-organised back line. Coming forward though, forget it.

Grade: C

Groves: Another fairly solid game in the heart of the defence. Gave the ball away a couple of times but always redeemed himself. Won a lot in the air but looked lost when trying to push up the field to assist the midfield.

Grade: C

Gallimore: The captain almost played like a normal left back because the two wingbacks were pushing forward more than usual. Still, he did OK but he always seemed to be blaming someone else. Perhaps that's part of being the captain.

Grade: C

Butterfield: He tended to stay forward too long after Town had lost possession and then when we had it he drifted in too much. He did offer some skill in the first half when he ran at the York players but he never really got anywhere.

Grade: C-

Chapman: He got forward a lot by his standards and did well linking up with the inconsistent Willems and the strikers. He always managed to do something clever that no one else could predict when he found himself in a tight corner defensively.

Grade: C+

Burnett: He just had a bad game. Simple as that. In the centre he strolled around with the ball like he used to, except against York he gave it away too many times. He did try; it's just that he didn't seem able to put the opposition's defence in trouble.

Grade: C-

Coldicott: He was probably our best midfielder on the day. He picked up a lot of loose balls in the middle and was always at the heart of our passing movements, though we might not have got anywhere with them. Did everything simply, no nutmegs today.

Grade: C+

Willems: The notorious 'slow-starter' took a full 90 minutes to get started. The most comical moment was when a York player's clearance hit him in the face. He looked lost for ideas and basically didn't know what to do. The booing didn't help him.

Grade: D

Jevons: When the ball is at his feet he looks capable of opening the defence up. Otherwise, he did OK but it's obvious he wants the ball at his feet. He's managed to learn how to turn markers but as of yet he can't find the goal from six yards.

Grade: C

Thompson: A decent display but he really needs to assert himself early in the game. He looked to have sprung the offside trap on at least one occasion but was booked for dissent. He needed to have been taken off earlier because he looked to have run out of steam.

Grade: C-

SUBS

Boulding: Two moments of action when he left his marker for dead but was pulled up for a foul (work that one out) and he also tried to take on five players near the edge of the area. York contained him rather well.

Jeffrey: Not on for long but he did hold the ball up well and gave movement off the ball, which was something the other players weren't able to do. He created space for other players but it was too late in the game to have any impact.

Best part of Town's performance: It was a very dull game and we never got a clear sight of goal (except Jevons). Either it was good defensive play by York, or a poor attacking display from Town. We did well knocking the ball around for a change. There was a time, towards the end of Lawrence's reign, when we would have given anything to see us pass, but we over did it on this occasion.

Areas for improvement: This bit is getting a bit repetitive but we really do need players to make runs off the ball when we come forward. Jevons likes to move with the ball at his feet but doesn't do what Bradley Allen does so well. Defences need to be opened up and currently we don't have the players to cause trouble.

Entertainment scale: It wasn't very entertaining; the fact that York might have won the game was an uncomfortable thought. We looked good on the ball but Burnett wasn't able to create a chance for any of our strikers, and Coyne was called into action too many times for my liking. 3

Grade Guide

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