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Preview: Accrington v Grimsby

By: Alex Green
Date: 06/09/2007

WITH an impressive win against Huddersfield still fresh in their minds The Mariners travel northwest to face bottom of the league Accrington Stanley who haven’t won at home since April.

Home > 2007-2008 Season > Previews > Accrington (a)


The Opposition

Overview

The start of the season may have heralded the bursting of the bubble for Accrington, as their start seems to suggest they may be suffering from "Second season syndrome". A tough start may be the least of Stanley’s problems as chairman Eric Whalley has insisted investment is urgently needed if the club is to stay a float and prosper. With the lowest gates in the league its hardly surprising one of the founders of the Football League is faltering in their second season back in league football. After cruising to the Conference title two years ago Accrington managed to stay in the league last year with some battling performances and an impressive home form which saw them beat Peterborough, Hereford and ourselves on their way to league safety.

This Season
Manager John Coleman (above) is doing his up most to bring the club forward on a tight budget and has been rewarded in turn for doing so. Stanley’s manager of nine years (one of the longest serving in the league) is by far their most successful with three championship wins and five cup wins under his belt while been in charge at the Fraser Eagle Stadium. Stability is a treasured thing in the northwest with five of Accrington’s squad making 200 or more appearances for the club and a handful of others around the 100 mark. A vast number of changes have been made at The Crown Ground since the end of last season with Andy Todd (Not that one) leaving for Rotherham, Andrew Mangan doing the same with Bury and another six players leaving. In return seven have been signed including Graham Branch (left) from Burnley and Lee McEvilly from Wrexham. McEvilly was the midfielder who put Wrexham into the lead at Blundell Park last season before Toner and Bolland gave Town a 2-1 in what was to be Martin Patterson’s last game for Grimsby. Coleman has bought in some younger faces to add a bit of speed to the experience that Stanley have to choice from with the team still gelling Saturday may be the day Accrington start to move up the league table and leap frog Grimsby.

Key Player
Paul Mullins. Mullins is a managers' dream: after making his debut in 1995 he left for Radcliffe Borough and made his way through a number of teams Clitheroe, Trafford and Darwen before returning to his first club in 2000. The striker made inroads in to the non-league defence and was able to make the jump up to league football with comparative ease scoring 16 last season. After much interest from other clubs the man stayed loyal to the team which gave him his first chance at football and has paid them in kind with a total of 174 goals from 371 appearances. An impressive tally which Buckley can only dream of right now from one of his forwards.

Recent Form

TownAccrington
WHuddersfield (JPT)(h)4-1
LShrewsbury(a)1-2
DMacclesfield(h)1-1
DBury(a)1-1
LBurnley (CC)(h)1-1
(2-4p)
Currently 22nd in League Two.
LOldham (JPT)(h)2-3
LPeterborough(h)0-2
LLincoln(a)0-2
LDarlington(h)0-3
LLeicester (CC)(h)0-1
Currently 24th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownAccrington
Ciaran Toner2
Mullin1

Team News

TownAccrington

  • Ryan Bennett will be back after suspension and Justin Whittle is set to play after worries of his ankle which gave concern a few weeks ago.

  • Alan Buckley has a number of options, the most fundamental of which is whether to play 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. He's quite likely to not want to change a winning team too much which means Ryan Bennett and Paul Bolland will both be fighting to get back into contention. Andy Taylor also will be pressing for a starting role after his excellent performance in midweek.
  • Stanley will be without Lee McEvilly who is suspended after the match against Peterborough as is Graham Branch after receiving a second yellow card.

  • Leighton Mcgivern is also suspended
  • Probable Teams

    TownAccrington
    1GK Barnes
    14D Mulligan
    5D Fenton
    5D Whittle
    3D Newey
    7M Till
    8M Bolland
    11M Boshell
    10M Toner
    9F North
    12F Rankin
    1GK Arthur
    3D Richardson
    4D Williams
    5D Roberts
    20D McGrail
    7M Whalley
    6M Proctor
    8M Harris
    11M Miles
    14F Boco
    10F Mullins

    Subs

    TownAccrington
    13Montgomery
    5Bennett
    18Bore
    19F Jones
    20F Taylor
    25Dumbavin
    12Edwards
    18Brown
    9D’Sane
    21Webb

    Head to Head

    Only last season is really meaningful, but Town have a 100% record against Accrington in 12 games, which must be some sort of record. Away from home Town's record in still fairly good, but they of course lost 4-1 at the Crown Ground last year.

    P 24 W 17 D 0 L 7 F 53 A 27

    Accrington Head-to-Head (5th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Accrington 4-1 Grimsby (Tuesday 14th April 2007)

    Accrington, fighting for their Football League status, recorded a resounding win against the Mariners, who had nothing to play for, in the fourth last game of the season earlier this year. Gary Croft was sent off just before half time which gave Town a mountain to climb, as they also conceded a penalty in the same incident.

     Report

    Prediction

    Accrington 1-2 Grimsby

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