Zero Hour

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 05/03/2024

I MADE the comment after our opening-day goalless draw with Wimbledon that it looked like we were witnessing two mid-table sides. This has proved to be the case with Wimbledon, who sit comfortably in 10th place.

Taken as a whole, our season has been baffling and disappointing, and whilst Saturday's victory over Forest Green Rovers was welcome, you have to think that we need to raise our game for this evening's game at the Cherry Red Records Stadium. This said, Town's players showed plenty of character, the shape seemed right and both the defenders and attackers performed well. It's our midfield and their ability to control and distribute the ball that gives me more cause for concern.

Town, in black and white this evening, started with an unchanged side: Cartwright - Clifton, Mullarkey, Tharme, Rodgers, Hume - Thompson - Holohan, Andrews - Wilson, Rose.

Town had a good chance on 3 minutes when Rodgers headed wide from a Hume cross after Thompson was pushed. Both teams were wary as the ball bounced around. Wimbledon broke on 7 minutes. Curtis ran forward and found Neufville who passed to Reeves whose shot went well over. Mullarkey then saw a gap and ran forward, supplying Wilson who was dragged down. The chance was wasted when Andrews's cross was too close to goalkeeper Bass. A mistake by Mullarkey led to a Wimbledon but Tilley's corner was overhit. 15 minutes had gone. The quality from both sides was poor. Town then put together a sweeping move with Holohan and Clifton combining, but Rose was unable to get power into his header from Holohan's cross. Wimbledon responded with a run upfield. Cartwright did well to save low from a strong shot by Currie. Rose was pulled down at midfield on 24 minutes. Mullarkey crossed to Rodgers who headed the ball into the centre. The ball was threaded through to Holohan on the 6-yard line. But Holohan was unable to hit the ball first time or gain control of the ball and a good opportunity passed. Thompson was booked for pulling Little back as Wimbledon threatened to break loose. Both sides had promising breaks but such was the poor quality that neither side was able to finish the move. The end product was invariably poor. The sides traded more misplaced passes before Wilson sent in a cross which resulted in Town winning a throw near the corner. This was cleared easily. Wimbledon had a brief spell around the 40-minute mark, winning two corners. Reeves had a fierce shot which Cartwright did well to tip over. On 43 minutes Wimbledon attempted to play the ball out from the back and hit into trouble, conceding possession. Wilson fought in the box to shake off the attendant defenders, turned quickly, and was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the crossbar. All in all, it however was a poor half with both sides guilty of mistakes, and threats being minimal but from Town's perspective, the situation was satisfactory.

Three minutes into the second half, Wimbledon almost committed footballing suicide when Rose jumped in as the goalkeeper and a defender played short passes in their own box. Wilson and Rose descended and seemed to fall over each other. Wimbledon broke but Tilley's header was aimed directly at Cartwright. Town then won a throw after a tussle between Rose and O'Toole. Wimbledon had a spell of attacks but the home side's delivery was poor while Town's defence looked solid. Like the first half, the game lacked fluidity. On 61 minutes Tharme did well to take charge, cutting out a through ball from Tilley to Neufville. Holohan was then guilty of placing his pass behind Wilson, before Wimbledon attacked again. Andrews tripped Tilley and received a yellow card, conceding a free-kick on the right corner. Wimbledon seemed to be increasing their attacks. Town were looking tired but were battling. Clifton did well to stop an attack on the left, resulting in a corner. Wood replaced Andrews on 68 minutes shortly after a nice move on the left between Andrews and Hume. Wimbledon were on top but we're not presenting much threat at this stage. But Town were struggling now. Currie started a move. After a foul by Clifton play switched to the right from where Neufville found Curtis's head. The header went straight to Cartwright. Wimbledon were smelling blood now. Hume had the opportunity to advance in Wimbledon's half on 79 minutes and did well, wriggling through and finding Wood whose cross was put out for a corner. The game was stopped after Wilson and O'Toole clashed heads. Rodgers and Tharme were instrumental in repelling more Wimbledon attacks. Green and Obikwu replaced Thompson and Wilson on 85 minutes. Here at the home of the London Broncos Clifton seemed to forget the code he was playing and fired a shot high into the stand where Town's 453 fans were housed in tonight's crowd of 7,028. It had become a matter of survival now. Wimbledon won a corner on 87 minutes but once again the delivery was poor, and Cartwright gathered easily. Green then cut out the marauding Little to concede another corner. Five minutes were added. Town's defenders put in a series of blocks before Tilley screwed a shot wide. Hume was booked for a scuffle following a disputed throw. Holohan stemmed the flow and advanced in the Wimbledon half but had no control. Little pushed forward again as full time beckoned but Tharme kept his eye firmly on the ball and impressively made an interception. It was all over: AFC Wimbledon 0, Grimsby Town 0.

Town were patchy in the first half and lacked rhythm in the second period but once again showed plenty of character. Wimbledon flattered to deceive, attacking but failing to deliver any sort of decisive blow. It was a poor game. Moments of skill were fleeting, but Town's defenders deserve particular praise once again for their coordination and anticipation. Cartwright too made some important saves. 0 - 0 was a fair result and for Town this was a valuable point as we look to pull ourselves away from the bottom. Zero hour it may have been, but whilst it didn't reach the heights of Happy Hour, we can be very satisfied with our team's efforts this evening.

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