Blunders Cost Town Dear

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 10/02/2024

GRIMSBY were easily beaten at home by leaders Stockport. The Hatters raced into a 3-0 lead at halftime thanks to some free gifts from the Town defence. After the break Town pulled a goal back but County were not unduly troubled and comfortablly saw out the game.

Town named an unchanged team from the one that secured a 0-0 draw at Accrington. Stockport has done their homework on Grimsby and their pressing game reaped early dividends forcing Town into mistakes. The first goal was a disaster when Cartwright attempted to pass the ball to the central defence but it was intercepted by Sarcevic who went on and stroked the ball past Cartwright in an accomplished finish.

Five minutes later another calamity struck the Mariners. Stockport were awarded a free kick deep in their own half and the kick was quickly taken with Town's defence completely unprepared. Lemonheigh-Evans squared and Olaofe combined for a simple finish to leave Grimsby 2-0 after 15 minutes.

Stockport had a goal disallowed for offside then Grimsby had what would have been a brilliant goal by Holohan chalked off for the same reason after a great move and cross by Hume.

The next goal was crucial if Town were to have a hope of getting anything and it went to Stockport to put the game out of sight with just one-third of it gone. A County corner was not properly cleared and the ball came back into play and Sarcevic played the ball back in the box for Cass to guide a looping header into the net.

Apart from a few shots well wide of the target Grimsby created very little in the first half and Stockport were ruthless in their punishment of any mistakes.

Green, Andrews and Vernam replaced Thompson, Holohan and Gnahoua at the break as David Artell needed a miracle. Vernam looked immediately the best hope of getting a lifeline and a shot early in the second half was saved and bounced into the path of Eisa who stroked in Town's first to make the score 1-3.

Stockport responded to the goal by protecting what they had, bringing on more defensive substitutes and seeing the game out. Town continued to play the ball out from the back, getting into a few scrapes they managed to get out of but there was little created of note and the match finished 1-3.

The Mariners have conceded 16 goals in 4 league games. They are in freefall in the league and only remain a few points out of danger thanks to the inability of the bottom two sides to win. Town have some very important games coming up against the teams around them, and can't afford to slip up. Artell's style of football has proved incompatible with the players at the club, including the ones he brought in. If Town lose heavily at Colchester on Tuesday night it should probably be time to abandon Artell's approach and return to the more cautious approach of the caretaker team. If that means sacking Artell then that is what it takes.

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