Being and Nothingness Part 2

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 27/08/2007

BY kick-off time the weather was glorious. It was warm, the sky was blue, there was a clear view over the river Humber, the tide was in and the ships rolled serenely by. Yorkshire was visible, spoiling it all somewhat.

In one of those bizarre pre-match moments, the announcer told us that on the pitch were five Norwegians who had all changed their surname to "Grimsby". Imagine the potential for confusion if they all worked together or have children in the same class. Perhaps they’re doing it to keep a low profile. Or is it just low self-esteem? Andy commented on the Blundell Park pitch - "it’s immaculate. There’s no excuse if we can’t play on this". I expressed my suspicion that we’d probably be looking for those excuses later. We were now about to find out. Town lined up 4 (Bennett, Fenton, Whittle, Newey) - 4 (Till, Bolland, Toner, Boshell) - 2 (Rankin, North) with Barnes in goal.

First Half. The first period was all very scrappy. Macclesfield had the upper hand but seemed determined to fire the ball at people’s legs. Whittle cut out a dangerous cross on 10 minutes, and Macclesfield won a corner. A Toner tackle led to a Rankin breakaway. Andy thought he could have done better "Ronaldo would have shot there", before realising the incongruous nature of the comparison between Ronaldo and Rankin.

On 15 Newey put in a neat pass to North who couldn’t keep his footing, and Fenton got a header in before doing so again a couple of minutes later. Balls were getting through to the front men but either North struggled to keep control or Rankin hesitated, which was his downfall on 26 after a neat ball from Bolland. Nothing much was happening and the crowd started to grumble. "It’s boring" was Revis’s analysis so far.

Rankin had another chance on 29 but took the unselfish option, passing to North who slipped. The ball returned to Till who blasted the ball over the bar. "What’s that bloke’s name? Guillotine?" exclaimed Andy. Actually, it said McIntyre, on his shirt and our death was by seeping deprivation of interest.

Macclesfield won a couple of corners and worked the offside trap well but it was all very messy. Whittle almost let Macclesfield in on 41 with a miscued clearance but the shot went wide. And so it went on to the point of half-time when Boshell put Rankin through. Rankin fired his shot in past the keeper but the ball rebounded off the post. The half-time whistle blew. 0 - 0.

First half verdict. Revis’s comment on proceeding was that she’d rather be at Bloodstock in the pouring rain. At best, this was 4th division mediocrity. The Town midfield were getting the ball through to the two attackers who were either hurried or hesitant. Mistakes were being made on both sides and if anything Macclesfield showed more composure, but they did not create any sort of threat and the Town defence was generally comfortable. It was not very good as a spectacle.

The report continues in Part 3

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