Rochdale 2 Grimsby 0

By: Darren Todd
Date: 02/03/2005

THE trip down didn't start the way we planned as we didn't leave Grimsby till late with the usual last minute panic but at about 4.30 we were out of Town and on our way to pick up Dave from Leeds, then on to the game.

Things on the motorway didn't look too promising with accident after accident along the way. Leeds was very busy, as it usually is, but our trusty driver Gazza was at his usual best and was going through traffic like Moses' parting of the red sea!

We arrived at Rochdale with a nice parking space just outside the away stand and a few yards from the Church pub, which we went to last time for a very nice and cheap pre-match pint. Into the ground we went. A stampede to the pie stand followed and steak was the choice tonight, served by the very good-looking Rochdale tea ladies!

Now for the match, which the majority of Town fans were looking forward to after the great result against top of the table Yeovil on Saturday.

The starting line-up was as follows:

Subs: Hockless, Crane, Pinault, Soames, Jones

Town started shooting to the right hand side of the Town following. The game's first shot by the Mariners was by Gritton from about 25 yards but to no avail. Things started bad as Reddy, who had passed a fitness test just before kick off, had to leave the field for the evening due to his injury playing him up. Reddy was replaced by Pinault, so Town switched to 4-5-1 with Gritton at the top on his own. Then Rochdale followed Town's early change and their right back was replaced by ex-Town player Tony Gallimore who himself had to play out of position at centre back.

Things got from bad to worse for the Mariners when a chance was half cleared and it fell sweetly for Lambert, who unleashed a volley into Willo's left hand corner and gave him no chance.

This wasn't the best start for Town as they knew chances would be rare without Reddy's presence up front. Town reacted quite well as Crowe let fly a 25 yard shot that was tipped over well by Gilks. This was followed by another chance to level the scores as good work from Pinault set Parkinson on his way, but his shot was surprisingly straight at the grateful Gilks.

Rochdale reacted when a weak header away by Forbes was gifted to the goalscorer Lambert who unleashed a shot that was deflected by Fleming onto the bar with Williams routed to the spot.

The half ended when a good run from the ever-threatening Holt down the right flank was stopped in his tracks by Ramsden, who was booked for his efforts.

Half time: Rochdale 1 Grimsby Town 0

The 2nd half started as the 'Spiderman' balaclava was set out by Chapple, having worn it during Town's second half display against Yeovil. Then Jones replaced Crowe, who had to go off with an ankle injury, and Jones slotted in at the back, while the team now looked to be playing in a 3-5-2.

Town started the better of the two sides and after a couple of minutes Pinault joined Ramsden's name in the book of the heavily present referee for a lunge on Lambert in front of the Town faithful. Fleming and Holt looked to join them after some handbags in the far corner as Holt kicked out at Fleming on the deck, but both players were let off with warnings.

Town's first good chance of the half started from some good work by Coldicott and a brilliant back heel by Gritton, but was then cut out with a great challenge by a Rochdale defender to stop Parkinson form dashing into the six yard box and banging it in. Holt, who was warned earlier, was then booked for a vicious swipe at the frail ankles of the ageing Whittle. Town took the resulting free kick early and a through ball to Parkinson was handled mid-air, and this led to Evans getting a straight red for his troubles.

Soames then made his first appearance this season as a straight swap for the hard working Macca with about 10 minutes to go. This left Soames out wide on the right and Ramsden with a bit of room out on the left.Soames looked like he has been working hard on his upper body and used his wrestler's frame to his advantage but unfortunately was booked for a challenge in the left hand corner.

Town threw bodies forward with the height of Jones and he was put through with a great cross by Soames and headed just over the bar. Rochdale weren't on top this half but, as all through the game, were getting the rub of the green. Then the quick Holt broke down the left hand side against the run of play and played a great ball into Jones. who hit a great shot past Williams in off the post to make it 2-0 with just the added time to be played.

This ended what had been a frustrating game for Town and the tension on the pitch spilled into the crowd as chants of 'Slade Out' and a ring of boos billowed out in the Town section of fans by the usual Town Chav idiots. One of the lads with us, as did another guy, stood up and reacted angrily to these boos and they had a right to be mad with the Chavs.

Lets hope we get a result on Saturday against Oxford to hopefully put us back on the right path up the table.

MOTM in my opinion was Whittle as he made a few good challenges and won some good headers in each of the boxes. Rochdale's star man for me was Holt, closely followed by Tait. Holt was a menace throughout the game even thought he spent more time on his backside than Emile Heskey!

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