Braintree v Grimsby Team News

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 19/02/2013

GRIMSBY go back to their day job after the excitement of the weekend and they'll have to concentrate on a league game against Braintree. Town need no reminders of the difficulty of playing at a small ground with a poor pitch having lost there 5-0 last season.

The match has already been re-arranged three times, once for TV and twice because of rain. The game there at the weekend was called off because of rain, but the playing surface is currently deemed to be playable, and rain is not forecast in Essex today.

Town's only changes are likely to be tactical to accommodate both the heavy pitch and the more direct style of Braintree. The Mariners might also rotate one or two players to give the chance of extra rest for anyone who isn't 100%. It's likely that's going to be the pattern for the rest of the season with two or three games a week from now on.

Braintree are an all or nothing side: they have won 5 an drawn 5 of their last 10 league games without recording a draw. They have lost their last two league games, but beat Forest Green at home in December so are capable of beating the stronger sides. On paper you'd expect Grimsby to win but football is not played on paper, it's played on grass (or sand in the case of Braintree).

Town have no injuries at all - even Liam Hearn, now back in training, is not far off from playing, although he's not going to feature at Braintree. Braintree captain Kenny Davis is doubtful (knee) and missed last Tuesday night's 4-1 defeat at Forest Green, but he may have recovered by now,

Goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt (ankle) is still out so Nathan McDonald keeps his place, while veteran midfielder Bradley Quinton (knee) is also unavailable.

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