The Six Pointer

By: Jonathan Spurr
Date: 20/02/2010

AFTER Town finished in some style gaining a point away at Notts earlier in the week, the Mariners hoped to build on it by breaking the dreaded no win curse, but it wasn't to be after some controversial decisions by the man in pink.

Grimsby were forced to make changes given a suspension to Sweeney so Woods brought in Coulson and replaced the goal-shy Proudlock for now fit Peacock. Lincoln team news, don't know any so don't know who played last etc etc.

Grimsby started the game in the worst possibly way conceding within minutes when HERD put the ball past a stationary Colgan from just a yard out after some woeful defending and even worse goalkeeping. With 87 mins to go and the Mariners one down things were not looking good.

The first half an hour saw some entertaining football for a derby, not something a lot have seen for a long time with the Mariners starting to get more control of the game and they had some decent opportunities to pull one back. With the Town fans starting to revert back to the normal bitching of players making the odd mistake, even though they were putting in the effort, a goal was needed and luckily it came on the 34th minute from loan signing PEACOCK when he managed to scramble the ball over the line after a superb cross from Hull loanee Devitt. The first half ended with the Mariners in firm control of the game even though it was only 1-1.

Half Time: Mariners 1 Lincoln 1

Grimsby kicked off the second half and it was Town's turn to go in front from the start when a Bore-esq run from Coulson put the winger in space to cross the ball to PEACOCK who sent the Pontoon wild with the Mariners now leading 2-1. Folk were trying to remember the last time we came from behind to win a game, I can't remember the last time, saying that I only just remember the last time we won a game never mind coming from behind. The lead was short lived for within 15 minutes the Imps pulled the game back to 2-2 when GILMORE scored from the penalty spot after being tugged down by Atkinson.

Within minutes it seemed everything had gone wrong as the travelling army from Lincoln went crazy when Herd scored for the imps only to have the goal disallowed for a push on Colgan. Neither side were prepared to settle for the draw in a game where Lincoln were looking to secure their League Two status and the Mariners looking to try and kick start our poor season to date. Grimsby should have taken the lead only minutes later when Peacock missed a sitter from 4 yards out putting it over the bar, it was like a mirror image of a missed chance from Fishy poster Lukeo who missed from a closer distance in the Mariners' fans 4-0 victory over the Lincoln fans.

While the match was a fast, hard challenging match things were put on hold when Adam Watts was involved in what seems to be a nasty leg injury when a challenge from Peacock seemed to go wrong, albeit in a fair challenge. Watts was soon taken off the pitch in a stretcher and then moved to an ambulance and taken to hospital. I hope he makes a full recovery and hope his injury isn't too bad, it's not nice to see any player injured unless its Lee Hughes.

With about 10 mins plus stoppage time of 7 minutes to play the game really got interesting, the Mariners and the Imps both continuing to press for the winner it seemed to be anyone's game but when the Imps came almighty close but for the hands of Colgan who again pulled off a magnificent save to keep the Mariners in it. In the closing stages the controversial penalty decision that could have won the game for the Mariners was waved away after a clear handball by Herd much to the fury of BP. The referee soon blew for full time to a massive chorus of boos from the faithful 6k supporters from both sides after some awful decisions that went against both teams.

Full time: Mariners 2 Lincoln 2

The view from the Pontoon:

The referee was awful and effectively cost the Mariners their much needed and deserved three points.

The match while being one of the most exciting for a while will be remembered for off the field events when fans from both sides clashed in the corner of the Lower Smiths and Osmond but were stopped luckily by the police. Questions will be asked why the game was discounted to £10 when effectively its a Cat A high risk game and why no stewarding took place in the Pontoon with the stairs full of fans which was a massive health and safety risk, but let's not worry about the health and safety of fans!

The fans were kept in at HT in the smoking areas to try and help ease tensions, which was good thinking of the stretched stewards. For the first time in a long time I had to queue to go to the toilet at half time! Nice to see all these fans, hopefully they will come again on Tuesday and then for the following home games and not just give up because it won't be discounted.

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