Same Old, Same Old

By: Lord Sommet
Date: 03/01/2010

WOULD 2010 be the start of something good for the Mariners, or would the new year/decade start as the last year/decade finished - poor, with defeat and depression?

It started with a draw after a much hard fought 80 mins but after the Mariners took the lead through an Akpro goal they couldn't handle Bury who got a very late equalising goal from the penalty spot.

Entering the ground news was circulating of a new signing but nothing on the OS at 2pm so we guessed it wasn't true until we saw this young thin lad was training with the squad. We asked a couple of the players who he was and we were told his name - Paris Cowan-Hall and he was from Portsmouth.

The first game of 2010 for the Mariners saw the team with a changed line up with Olly Lancashire being recalled to Southampton. Featherstone returned to the squad along with Akpro, replacing Lancashire and Conlon respectively. So the line up was Bore, Atko, Linwood, McCrory in defence. Featherstone, Leary, Sweeny and Coulson the midfielding four with Akpa Akpro and Proudlock upfront.

With the pitch covered in parts from the snow which had fallen overnight it is hard to suggest who had the best of the first period of the first half given both teams had a couple of decent opportunities to score but neither taking them.

Grimsby's first real chance came when Akpro won a corner in front of the away crowd and from the resulting corner Sweeney's shot was deflected just wide for another corner which saw Proudlock missing from close range.

Bury attacked but it was swiftly dealt with but when the Mariners attacked Proudlock was tugged back and although the Mariners had the ball the referee failed to play the advantage and brought the ball back. Given the referee is always right you shouldn't argue with it even though it seemed the real advantage went to Bury who were able to get their players back to defend the resulting free-kick which eventually went out after an header from that lanky ex-Mariner Futcher.

Grimsby continued to dominate but the Bury back two of Futucher and the one who wore that silly hat thing was dealing with Akpro confidently who was having a very poor game.

A talking point then came from the people around me when Newey was booked for a foul on Bore - tension between the two possibly?

Bury seemed to be leading at this point in terms of possession and were being given far too much room on the flanks and it very nearly cost us in the closing stages of the first half when Morrell unmarked in box came closish with an overhead volley which sailed into the Pontoon.

Half time came with the scores still 0-0.

Town came out in the second half and came extremely close when Bore's run at the defenders resulted in a corner. With the Pontoon in full voice for the resulting corner a close header from Linwood was headed off the line. Boos were ringing out for Newey along with chants of Mariners for the second corner which was easily dealt with.

With both sides attacking but the Mariners having the best of chances it was Town who shockingly took the lead even more shockingly through Akpa-Akpro when he was set up from Featherstone. Akpro went 1 on 1 with the 'keeper after taking the ball past Brown who had Akpro in his pocket most of the game and slotted it neatly under the Bury 'keeper. With the resulting celebrations Proudlock seemed to get injured - I couldn't tell what his injury was, but he was substituted and Conlon brought on to replace him.

Bury went on the attack and within 5 or 10 mins I received a text from a mate and all the text said was "One One yet?" Nope it wasn't but Town seemed to be struggling with Bury attacking but some decent defending from the back four was keeping us in front for the time being.

Town looking to counter attack almost put the game to bed when Akpro was again through but was again stopped by Brown, Town looked a lot more confident going forward and really should have put the game to bed but when Bury changed the play by substituting Newey to boos and applause it was Bury who looked more likely to get something from the game, and with the Mariners seemingly sitting back and being on the back foot for much of the last period of the game it was Bury who got something from the game when Lowe was brought down in the box after trying to turn Atkinson.

Bury equalised from the spot when Lowe took the penalty he won after a very soft foul, I say soft that's just my opinion and wouldn't want to be seen to be going against a referee's decision!

The game finished with the new signing Paris Cowan-Hall coming on for two or three minutes but it wasn't to be, the late soft penalty which felt like a kick in the balls for the Town fans cost us two vital points which now leaves us in grave danger and fighting for our league survival.

Man of the Match - Peter Bore. I'm saying Peter because even though he made a few mistakes in the first half and had people singing "you should of stayed in O'Neils", he had some very good chances and just seems to be improving game on game, and deserves credit because he constantly seems to be shot down by a lot of Mariners' fans.

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