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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 15, 2023 18:02:01 GMT
Right - it's Grimsby up next. And the 'Mariners' managed to do the double over us last term, as well as becoming the only team in 2022/23, and, indeed, the last one in any form of competition, to beat County by a two-goal margin - which they did at EP a year ago this weekend.
(You have, incidentally, to go back to late 2006 for the last time the Hatters secured three points in the Football League against Grimsby. On that afternoon, Macc Junior was our mascot, a day short of his third birthday. This December, he turns 20!)
Time, though, to put to the back of the mind all thoughts of our visitors being a bogey side, and keep this current winning run going...
You know what to do.
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Post by autistichatter on Oct 16, 2023 13:01:25 GMT
Hmmm, so what can we say about Grimsby then?
Well they are in 18th place, one below Harrogate Town, and their record of P 13 W 3 D 5 L 5 F 16 A 19 is modest indeed. Their A form is even more modest - W 0 D 3 L 3 F 7 A 12. Their Ws were against Salford City (h) 2-0, Gillingham (h) 2-0 and Barrow (h) 2-1. Their Ds were AFC Wombles (h) on opening day 0-0, Mansfield (h) 1-1, Walsall (a) 1-1, Bratfut (a) 1-1 and Tranmere (a) 2-2.
Their Ls were Notts County (a) 3-2, Wrexham (a) 3-0, Crawley (h) 2-3, Swindon (a) 2-1 and Accy Stanley (h) 0-2.
So all in all they've had some decent results against reasonable sides but their goal power is fairly limited. Top scorer is Sudanese winger Abo Eisa (previously of Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe and Bratfut) on 5, then striker Danny Rose (formerly of Bury, Mansfield, Northampton and Stevenage) on 4, Irish MF Gavan Holohan and striker Donovan Wilson both have 2 and then three other players have each scored 1.
Former Crewe MF Callum Ainley was signed before deadline day, he joins fellow signees MF Jamie Andrews (WBA on season long loan), Ex-Morecambe forward Arthur Gnahoua, and a pair of GKs - Jake Eastwood (ex Sheff U) and Harvey Cartwright - he started at Grimsby then was sold on to Hull from whom he has now come back on loan - the pair take the place of Kiwi International GK Max Crocombe. Also leaving in the summer was striker Danilo Orisi (4 goals in 32 apps last season) off to Crawley and MF Bryn Morris (42 apps last season) off to Newport.
So quite a lot of change then. I suspect they'll come to keep things tight and try to nick a goal or two so, as ever, the first goal will be key. That said, I reckon County are more than capable of winning this one at a canter, and that always makes me think of banana skins..... so fingers crossed.
Elsewhere in L2:
11th placed Bratfut v 5th placed Wrecktum
10th placed Crawley v 4th placed Crewe
7th placed Gillingham v 2nd placed Notts County
3rd placed Mansfield v 23rd placed Forest Green (who beat Cole U 5-0 last Saturday)
15th placed Salford v 6th placed Swindon
So there's scope for some favourable results there....
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Post by autistichatter on Oct 21, 2023 14:21:21 GMT
Well I did say County are capable of winning this at a canter and they lead 2-0 after barely 10 minutes!!!
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Post by dudleyhatter on Oct 21, 2023 14:59:40 GMT
I was happy for us to miss the penalty and keep the 2-0 lead I had predicted for Ceefer’s game. But lads keep the clean sheet!
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Post by autistichatter on Oct 21, 2023 16:19:52 GMT
Well that was nervy wasn't it?
Still not a bad set of results all told. OK Crewe and Notts County also won but Wrexham, Wimbledon and Swindon all drew, Mansfield didn't play and Gillingham lost. Only 3 teams (Crewe, Notts County and Swindon) have scored more goals and only 5 teams have conceded fewer goals (Mansfield, Wimbledon, Barrow, Morecambe and Bratfut) meaning County have the best GD in L2.
That said I have the same slight queasiness about County's D that I've had for the last couple of seasons. Definitely scope for improvement there. Maybe time for a switch back to 3 CHs? Anyway, Tuesday is a BIG game so fingers crossed....
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Oct 21, 2023 16:21:23 GMT
Sounds like a mad game.
3 penalties and a 2 goal lead wazzed up the wall and a fairly late winner but then 10 minutes added time !! Some bitten finger nails I presume.
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Post by hermannsays on Oct 21, 2023 18:20:39 GMT
T'was a peculiar afternoon! The moments silence at the start was immediately broken by someone being a moron in the CE.
Once the whistle went, we started very brightly. Barry converted comfortably from the spot at the CE after Collar was fouled making a run at a corner routine. Two minutes later, Olaofe went through on goal and finished well. But by the 20th minute I would say we had little control of the game, which may be hard to believe given the scoreline.
They started to get 2 '2nd ball' midfielders very narrow behind 2 narrow attackers and it felt like Horsfall/Wright/Croasdale were really struggling... which was to be expected given, you know, maths! No-one seemed to be able to work out why we were struggling so much in that area which was surprising to say the least.
That said, we had the opportunity from the penalty spot to go 3 up when Tanto was clattered after getting onto a ball ahead of their 'keeper. He took the penalty, so perhaps that was planned in the event of 2 penalties and the team knew, otherwise not acceptable they switched. It was a poor shot and went wide at the 'keeper's right hand side.
Both sides saw goalmouth scrambles just about defended and Grimsby ultimately got 1 back before the break. A slow-motion goal with a cross to our back right stick, our defenders not dealing with it and it dropping for a knock in. Really poor.
Into the 2nd half and they were soon on equal terms after converting from the spot. Again we were seemingly struggling to deal with the numbers they were getting forward centrally and the ball dropped into space in the box. Ben rushed out to try to smother but was late, conceding the spot kick. Cue a 'you're useless' shout from some clown who must have seen... only this game, I assume.
The biggest surprise had been how we hadn't adjusted... how much of the game had passed by and we just had no control, just moments of individual play while their tactics were meaning they were now not only back in it but could go in to win it. Wright stepped in to save the day not long after but, largely, they seemed to take their foot off it. Were they really not going to go for the win? Certainly seemed like it! Cheers!
The winner came from Barry after they had slowed down into 'let's take 8 minutes to walk off the pitch as I'm subbed' mode - baffling when they had the momentum. From the Fk, it went across and then back in from Collar for the close-in finish. Once Wootton was on and we had changed shape, things seemed to settle and they just weren't able to have the advantages over the back line centrally that they had enjoyed for so long, even if they tried to get back 'at it' now they were losing.
So, a weird one as it could have been 3 or 4 to us in the first half just for taking our 'moments' but Grimsby did, in my view, deserve to make a game of it given their tactics and game plan caused us problems for long periods and made the likes of Horsfall and Croasdale appear very average (and they are not).
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Post by gazz on Oct 21, 2023 19:56:49 GMT
Maybe time for a switch back to 3 CHs? I think we should keep it as it is, mate. It may well be a coincidence, but we're currently flying in the League with a four, so unless it starts to go badly wrong, I don't think we should change just yet. If it isn't broken... |
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Post by ceefer on Oct 22, 2023 8:43:35 GMT
We need to be a lot sharper and cut out the stray passes against Crewe. Strange how we let Grimsby back into the game.
Happy to get the 3 points. We move on.
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Post by gazz on Oct 22, 2023 9:52:35 GMT
We need to be a lot sharper and cut out the stray passes against Crewe. Strange how we let Grimsby back into the game. Happy to get the 3 points. We move on. Maybe if Louie had taken and scored that second penalty it would have been a different game, we will never know, but it seems to have been a huge factor in Grimsby getting back into it. |
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