GRIMSBY TOWN 0 BRADFORD CITY 2
THERE were again encouraging signs for Grimsby Town supporters despite a 2-0 loss to Bradford City last night at Blundell Park.
The Mariners matched their League One opponents for long periods in an entertaining friendly encounter, before being undone by second-half goals from James Hanson and Mark Yeates.
WINTERTON RANGERS 0-5 GRIMSBY TOWN
A FIVE-star performance from Grimsby Town saw them sweep past Winterton Rangers in their latest pre-season friendly at a sweltering West Street.
Lenell John-Lewis’ spectacular strike kicked things off, with Liam Hearn, Dayle Southwell, Joe Colbeck and an own goal completing the rout. Although with better finishing on the evening, it was no exaggeration to say that Town could have hit 20.
The Mariners included trialist goalkeeper Jake Turner, formerly of Scunthorpe, in their ranks, as well as giving Chris Doig another run-out after he impressed against Cleethorpes Town on Tuesday night.
Last season’s League Two ended up being dominated by Paulo Di Canio’s Swindon Town with some other surprising names making up the chasing pack, whilst traditional big hitters like Bradford and Rotherham struggled to make an impact.
The transfer of Nick Powell to Manchester United and Jack Butland’s call-up for England’s Euro 2012 squad shows there is plenty of talent in the Football League’s basement division and 2012/13 is shaping up to be a very competitive season.
The team of the season is a 4-4-2 formation and again comprises just one player per club.
Grimsby Town 0 Nuneaton Town 0
Grimsby Town are still searching for their first win of the season after a lacklustre 0-0 draw with newly-promoted Nuneaton Town on a baking hot summer’s afternoon at Blundell Park.
The visitors came in to the game having shipped nine goals in their two outings so far, whilst Town had seen victories snatched away from them in the closing stages of both their previous matches. The Mariners will have seen this as a perfect opportunity to register their first maximum haul of the 2012/13 season but they rarely threatened in a match were both teams laboured thanks to the substantial heat.
Given his chequered commentary career, you have to wonder how Ron Atkinson became a successful football manager and conveyed his messages to his players.
From his lollipops to the two Ms (movement and positioning), Big Ron spent many years of the European Championship frankly ruining ITV’s coverage of the tournament with his inane rambling. This site does a better job of summarising than I do.
But Atkinson really excelled himself in Euro 88 and seem to single out Marco Van Basten for his vitriol. Describing the Dutch striker as having ‘fallen down with exhaustion’ as he won a penalty against West Germany in the semi-finals, Atkinson went one better in the Final.
After witnessing perhaps the greatest goal ever scored, Atkinson’s could only offer ‘it’s as we’ve said all along, the Russians can’t defend cross balls’ as a summary. Because Lord knows, such luminaries as Big Ron’s former charges like Kevin Pressman and Carlton Palmer would have gobbled up a moment of absolute genius for breakfast. Continue reading
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