Grimsby 6 (SIX, in vidiprinter fashion) Barnsley 1

By: Richard Lord
Date: 28/02/2004

The Blundell Park faithful were treat to an amazing game this afternoon at Blundell Park as they comprehensively beat play-off hopefuls Barnsley 6-1, and Phil Jevons collected a marvellous four of them.

It was a game packed with incidents and talking points, not least the return of Michael Boulding, who was roundly booed by the fans before and during the game. Quick Mick was on the bench for the Tykes.

An injury to Iain Anderson paved the way for Jevons, who took up that left midfield slot and went on to destroy the visitors. Lee Thorpe partnered Isaiah Rankin, who had clearance to play against his employers.

Andy Pettinger got off to a comfortable start, but was called upon once to save smartly at his near post from a Daniel Nardiello shot. The keeper's next involvement was to set up Thorpe. Pettinger's huge kick downfield caught out the Barnsley defence and Thorpe raced onto the clearance but was held back in the area.

The referee pointed straight to the spot and Craig Ireland was sent off after being the last man. Phil Jevons grabbed the ball but struck the keeper's right hand post with his spot kick.

The deadlock was broken eight minutes later when Jevons atoned for his earlier miss. He guided his shot carefully into the top corner to give the Mariners the lead.

Thorpe and Rankin were fighting and chasing everything down, with Stacy Coldicott and Nick Daws giving little away in the middle. Jevons was sensational and Barnsley had no answers.

Darren Barnard then produced a great delivery from a corner for Chris Armstrong, who emphatically headed home at the far post. Things got even better minutes later when Jevons grabbed his second of the match.

The Mariners made it 4-0 ten minutes later, when Rankin got the goal his hard work deserved. Coldicott's ball down the line found Rankin, who cut inside Handyside and slotted past Marlon Beresford - before briefly celebrating in front of the Barnsley fans.

Simon Ford had to leave the pitch because of injury, and was replaced by Wes Parker with minutes to go before half time.

Des Hamilton replaced Coldicott after half time, but Town were just a little slow out of the starting blocks. Nardiello found the roof of the net from close range after an initial shot was cleared off the line from Parker.

However, Rankin won a penalty on 55 minutes after he had his ankles clipped just when he was setting to shoot. Jevons was first to grab the ball although Rankin and Barnard were quick onto the scene.

Jevons hammered the ball low past Beresford to make it 5-1 and that completed an impressive hat-trick. Tony Crane was sent off two minutes later for an off-the-ball incident. Nardiello was the man who went to ground, but interestingly got booked himself after Crane was shown the red card.

There then followed a passage of play when Barnsley controlled things but couldn't find an end product. Pettinger never really had to make a save, and substitute Greg Young was solid at the back.

Rankin was sacrificed following the sending off, but it didn't stop Town piling forward. Jevons saw a far post header saved before he grabbed his fourth of the game following a great pass from Barnard.

The pass left Handyside on his backside, and still with work to do, Jevons dummied, shimmied, and then sent the keeper to ground before clipping the ball home to make the score 6-1.

It could have been seven. Parker pulled the ball back for Jevons, who needed to get the ball out of his feet. However, his shot missed the target - but he could have so easily recorded a double hat-trick.

Boulding made a substitute appearance but never got into the game. Marlon Beresford must wish he'll never have to visit Blundell Park again, having conceded six the last time he came with Burnley last season.

Jevons will grab the headlines, but every single player played their part in the result. Lee Thorpe won just about everything in the air, and proved to be useful at holding the ball up in tight situations.

Rankin gave the Barnsley defence the run-around, and deserved his goal. But Jevons had that class - four goals from midfield (that's six in two games and twelve for the season) is rather impressive.

The Mariners will be full of confidence heading into the game against Notts County this Tuesday night.

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