Brighton 1-2 Grimsby

By: Richard Lord
Date: 28/09/2002

THE Basement Battle went the way of Grimsby Town this afternoon as they defeated Brighton 2-1 at the Withdean Stadium. The Mariners avoided the record books by securing their first win of the season in their tenth game of the campaign.

Town entered the game on the back of six straight defeats but had been performing well away from home. Ford stepped in at the back to replace the injured Chettle and Gallimore played his last game before he serves a three-match suspension.

Young striker Darren Mansaram started up front alongside Robinson after Steve Kabba failed a fitness test. Other than that it was the same Town team that started the game last Saturday against Notts Forest.

And the game got off to the perfect start when within two minutes Darren Barnard had put the visitors in the lead. He carefully slotted the ball past the Brighton keeper to set the Mariners on their way.

Mansaram had half a chance to double the lead, but his shot was deflected onto the post with the keeper beaten. Brighton created little, although the lively pairing of Zamora and Barrett up front posed some questions for the Town defence.

Brighton began to control the game in the second half and their pressure finally told when Bobby Zamora scored from a tight angle to cancel out Town's lead.

Brighton continued to press and Danny Coyne was called upon to make a good block from a Barrett shot. Manager Paul Groves changed things around and replaced Robinson with Rowan in a straight swap.

Then Groves took himself off and Raven stepped in at the back alongside Ford. A free kick was won just outside the box and Pouton appeared to score a legitimate goal but the referee ruled it out for encroachment by a Seagulls' player.

But just minutes later Pouton scored a fantastic solo goal to put the Mariners back in the lead. The home side never looked like replying and it was game over with ten minutes to go.

The three points more than double Town's points tally this season, but they still remain several points adrift of safety. The disappointing 3-0 home defeat of last week was banished and Groves can now concentrate on getting a first home win of the season.

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