Bristol City 1 Grimsby 0

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 30/08/2003

TOWN conceded their traditional late goal at Ashton Gate to go down 1-0 to Bristol City, but for once they could have few complaints about the outcome. After a second half of almost continuous pressure from the Robins, it was a wonder that the winning goal took 45 minutes to arrive.

Grimsby lined up as follows in their customary 4-4-2 formation: Davison, Barnard, Crane, Ford, McDermott, Crowe, Groves, Bolder, Campbell, Boulding, Rowan. Chris Bolder came in for the suspended Des Hamilton, player manger Paul Groves continued in the absence of Iain Anderson, and club captain John McDermott returned at right back, with Jason Crowe pushing up to the right side of midfield to replace the suspended Marcel Cas.

The game started in what was to prove to be the general pattern, with intense pressure by City, who had a number of early corners, and a Tommy Doherty header just over the bar was their best chance during this spell.

After the early storm, the game entered a rather dull spell, with neither side creating many chances. Town won several free kicks during this time, but all were wasted with nothing coming from any of them.

Town struggled all game to get the ball forward to the front two of Rowan and Boulding, and Bristol City totally dominated the midfield. When Boulding did get the ball he looked dangerous, but chances were few and far between for the Mariners all game.

The second half was almost continuous Bristol City pressure when a litany of chances going to the Robins. A combination of last gasp defending, with Tony Crane outstanding in Town's rearguard, a string of fine saves by Aidan Davidson, poor finishing by City's strikers, and a lot of luck was the only thing which prevented them from taking the lead.

When Town did get forward they were incapable of stringing a handful of passes together and continually gave the ball away in midfield. Nevertheless Town almost went ahead from a rare freekick, when Michael Boulding only needed to touch the ball to score, but it just eluded him and the moment was gone.

Finally just as the belief that we may actually get something from this game was beginning to materialise, four minutes of injury time was announced to a general groan in the away end. Prior to this Grimsby had won a rare trio of consecutive corners, which had eaten up a few minutes of the game, and some of the home fans were starting to drift away.

Almost simultaneously with the board being held up, yet another City attack resulted in Christian Roberts bursting onto a through-ball which split the Grimsby defence and firing the winning goal low past Aidan Davison.

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