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Macca: Farewell
Macca: Farewell

Preview: Shrewsbury v Grimsby

By: Sam Kinnaird
Date: 04/05/2007

TOWN head to the Welsh border looking to end a hugely disappointing season on a high at what could be the final ever game at Gay Meadow. The match will mark the end of an era with John McDermott finally bowing out after almost two decades spent at Grimsby.

Home > 2006-2007 Season > Previews > Shrewsbury (a)


Shrewsbury need to win to ensure a play-off spot. That and the prospect of the final game at Gay Meadow gives Grimsby an excellent opportunity to spoil the opposition's party!

The Opposition

Overview
The Shrews were promoted back into the Football League in 2004 at the first attempt having finished the season in third place, they defeated Aldershot Town on penalties in the final at The Britannia Stadium. Their first season back in the League was nearly a disastrous one, with the appointment of Gary Peters proving the turning point. Soon afterwards the club made plans for a move to a new stadium called New Meadow with the intention to move in for the 2007/8 season, this seemed to galvanise the club and they finished in 9th place only 5 points from the play-offs. Peters oversaw the emergence of some bright young players through the youth system, with goalkeeper Joe Hart and midfielder David Edwards both making moves to bigger clubs.

This Season
The club began the season in uninspiring form, winning only two of their first 6 matches, but things picked up and soon enough they were in and around the play-off picture. They reached the southern semi-final of the Johnstone Paint trophy losing out 1-0 to Bristol Rovers at Gay Meadow. The season really took off when the Shrews went on a 10 game unbeaten run through February and March which came to an end with a 2-1 defeat by Swindon Town. They have only won 3 of their last 8 matches since then, and currently find themselves in 6th place but only need a point from this game to make sure of their place in the play-offs due to their superior goal difference. This season they have spread their goals throughout the team, with four of the Shrews players having at least 10 goals each, their top scorer is striker Michael Symes who has 13 goals in all competitions. Former Lincoln striker Derek Asamoah (left) has also weighed in with 11 goals.

Key Player
23 year old Michael Symes (left) has already represented 5 clubs in his short career, having come through the youth system at Everton which has produced the likes of Wayne Rooney and Leon Osman, he actually partnered Rooney upfront in the FA Youth Cup Final of 2004 losing to Aston Villa. Symes struggled to break into the first team reckoning at Goodison Park and was signed by Bradford City in 2004. He was loaned out to Stockport and Shrewsbury in the 2004/5 season and was signed on a free by the Shrews in August 2006. The pacey striker has scored 13 goals so far this season mainly vying for a place in the starting line-up with Derek Asamoah and Andy Cooke.

Recent Form

TownShrewsbury
DLincoln(h)0-0
WBarnet(h)5-0
LAccrington(a)1-4
DWycombe(h)2-2
WMK Dons(a)2-1
Currently 14th in League Two.
WHereford(a)1-0
LWrexham(h)0-1
WAccrington(h)2-1
DChester(a)0-0
WMK Dons(h)2-1
Currently 6th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownShrewsbury
Peter Bore8
Ciaran Toner8
Gary Jones8
Symes13
Asamoah11
Davies11

Team News

TownShrewsbury

  • John McDermott will play his 753rd and final game for The Mariners after a 20 year career.

  • Gary Croft may also return for a final game for the Mariners after being suspended for the Lincoln game.

  • Danny North will miss the game with an ankle injury picked up in training.

  • Paul Bolland is back in contention after missing the Lincoln game through injury.

  • Michael Reddy and Gary Cohen will again watch from the sidelines, Reddy has of course been told he will not be here next season.
  • Boss Gary Peters must decided who to pair upfront with strikers Michael Symes, Andy Cooke, Derek Asamoah and Leo Fortune-West all vying to start.
  • Probable Teams

    TownShrewsbury
    1Phil Barnes
    2John McDermott
    5Nick Fenton
    28Ryan Bennett
    3Tom Newey
    17Peter Till
    8Paul Bolland
    16Danny Boshell
    10Ciaran Toner
    19Gary Jones
    26Andy Taylor
    31Scott Shearer
    25Luke Jones
    5 Richard Hope
    8 Kelvin Langmead
    23 Marc Tierney
    14 Ben Davies
    19 Dave Edwards
    4 Stuart Drummond
    3 Neil Ashton
    10 Derek Asamoah
    24Michael Symes

    Subs

    TownShrewsbury
    13Robert Murray
    20Gary Croft
    6Justin Whittle
    18Peter Bore
    23Nick Hegarty
    21Chris MacKenzie
    28Sagi Burton
    29Leo Fortune-West
    18Steven Leslie
    9Andy Cooke

    Head to Head

    There have been 47 meetings between the sides in all competitions, with Town being the most successful, they have won 22, drawing 10 with Shrewsbury winning 15. The first ever match between the two teams came in the 1959/60 season with Town winning 2-1 at Blundell Park. However The Mariners have only won 1 of the previous 5 meetings, and only 2 of the last 11.

    P 47 W 22 D 10 L 15 F 71 A 63

    Shrewsbury Head-to-Head (17th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    A crowd of nearly 6,000 saw Town drop into the play-offs as they were held by a resilient Shrewsbury side who took the lead on 27 minutes through Sagi Burton. Town equalised with a penalty which Marc Goodfellow smashed in off the crossbar, but Shrewsbury held on for a point as Town threw everything at the Pontoon goal, and had a Rob Jones header strangely disallowed late on.

    15-Apr-2006
    Grimsby1 - 1Shrewsbury
    Goodfellow (p)
    Bolland 45
    Burton 

    Grimsby Team: Mildenhall, McDermott, Whittle (Futcher, 89), Jones, Newey (Croft, 48), Parkinson (Mendes, 64), Bolland, Woodhouse, Goodfellow, Reddy, Jones Subs (not used): Kalala, Toner

    Shrewsbury Team: Hart, Herd, Hope, Burton, Ashton, Hogg, Sorvel, Edwards (Tolley, 45), Stallard, Hurst (Cadwallader, 89), Langmead
    Subs (not used): Thompson, Cowan, Leslie

    Attendance: 5,935  Report

    Prediction

    Shrewsbury 0-1 Grimsby

    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Gay Meadow (left).

    Pubs

    Click on the link for pubs close to Gay Meadow.

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