Town on Tour

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 01/10/2024

AFTER Saturday’s productive northbound trip to Carlisle, Town now visit the opposite end of the country, travelling to Kent for our away game at Gillingham.

After a few full weeks in which to hone our team’s technical and tactical skills, our Head Coach now has to manage the short turnaround and effects of two long journeys in search of points. My hunch, based admittedly on his own words, was that Mr Artell is orderly and good at this form of preparation, that is when he’s not spending his time swallowing dictionaries of Performance Management terminology as he has been prone to do.

Our last trip to Gillingham resulted in a 1-1 draw. Since then Gillingham have changed their manager and brought in a number of recognised players, suggesting they are promotion favourites as they were last year. For our part, injuries and an apparent inability to deal with crosses are hampering our progress, but on the other hand a repeat of the character we showed as a team on Saturday in coming back from behind against Carlisle would be very welcome. Mr Artell did well to applaud the efforts of the younger and less experienced players who we had to call on, and also deserves credit for emphasising collective responsibility from managers to substitutes, and not indulging in self-pity over the injuries we have while looking after our keeper Eastwood following his dreadful injury on Saturday. This all suggests that he’s fully focused and the culture is right.

Town, in yellow and red on this wet evening, started with: Smith - Cass, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Barrington - Rose. The main question was who our goalkeeper was going to be with our two main stoppers out. The answer lay in Jackson Smith, who arrived in the nick of time on loan from Barnsley. Unsurprisingly Smith struggled to reach an understanding early on as McKenzie crossed for Gillingham. It was Gillingham who had most of the early play, winning a free kick following a Green foul outside the box. Town’s defensive wall did its job. Town won a corner on 9 minutes after a lovely run and cross from Barrington. Morris punched Hume’s cross clear. Gillingham put together a move on 15 minutes and McJannet did well to cut out the cross, conceding a corner. Ehmer’s header was weak and Smith gathered safely. Chances so far were at a premium. Barrington almost slipped Svanthorsson through on 18 minutes but the through ball was just too long. On 20 minutes Hume picked up the ball in Town’s half, took the ball forward to the half way line before slipping between two Gillingham players and placing a ball to Green on the right. Green deftly chipped the ball over Morris and inside the left hand post. Gillingham 0, Town 1. On 24 minutes McJannet received a yellow card for a crunching tackle on Nolan. Gillingham pressed and almost scored when Ogie cut inside and shot. So Ogie wasn’t the bogey. Town dealt with the corner but Gillingham continued to press. Town had a counterattack on 30 minutes when Khouri won the ball and battled forward. Gillingham remained on top however and were being undone at this stage by patchy passing and resolute defence. Good pressure earned Town a throw deep in Gillingham territory but possession was lost. Town cleared a Williams cross before Nolan misplaced a cross straight to Smith. McEachren fouled Williams in Town’s half. McJannet had to concede a corner. Town struggled to clear but were given a reprieve when Little fouled Khouri. Gillingham came back. Nolan won a corner which Smith punched clear. Green had a wild shot for Town before Gillingham attacked again but to no avail. It remained 1 - 0 to Town at halftime. Town scored from the only clear-cut chance as Gillingham wasted their possession. You’d have to think that Gillingham would improve and Town would need to keep the ball more, but there was plenty of fight about Town who self-evidently were in a good position.

Town had the first opportunity of the second half when a Green attempt came back to McEachren who screwed his shot wide with Svanthorsson unable to reach it. Hume was booked for fouling Nolan after Khouri lost the ball as Town attacked again. Gillingham set up an attack when Coleman’s determination won the ball in midfield. Nevitt took the ball clear but Rodgers put in a good block. Gillingham resumed where they left off with their attacking sorties, and Town’s defence was required again to hold firm. Town were doing everything to stop Gillingham playing but needed to continue the good work. A good ball from Svanthorsson to Khouri resulted in a poor shot before Gillingham countered. Clarke rounded Cass and crossed but the sliding Nevitt was unable to direct the ball into the net. Cass and Clarke then tussled for the ball. Cass won out and started a counter-attack but Hume on the left found himself crowded out. McKenzie then went clear on the right and crossed towards Lapslie but Smith was there first. On 65 minutes Pyke and Gardner replaced Svanthorsson and Barrington. Pyke managed to get a yellow card within a minute of coming on. Town won a corner on 67 minutes. Hume’s corner was headed clear. After a scrappy phase in the game, Town started to look assured. Gillingham continued to make mistakes, aided by the pressure that Town were exerting. On 72 minutes both sides made changes. Wilson replaced Rose for Town. Wilson almost got through after Gillingham were put under pressure at the back. Khouri was then fouled but Hume’s delivery was poor. Green received a yellow card for a tackle on Nolan on 80 minutes as the game became scrappiest. Gillingham won a corner but Dieng was unable to push the ball in through a packed box. Reliving a Crocombesque moment, Smith then received treatment to his eye as Town looked to slow the game down and regroup. On 85 minutes Hawkins won a free kick as Gillingham burst forward. McJannet won the header and found Wilson who burst forward and put in a ferocious but inaccurate shot. The lack of fluidity in the game was in Town’s favour as 5 minutes remained. Pyke was fouled going forward but Town lost possession. Khouri was the latest Town player to be booked for a foul. Gillingham attacked but Town’s defenders threw themselves at the ball. 7 minutes were added. Gillingham continued their assault. Gbode won a corner. Gillingham were starting to look desperate. Nevitt had a chance but only succeeded in heading upwards. Smith collected the ball. Rodgers pulled down Nolan. The referee allowed play on. The cross was poor. Smith collected. Rodgers was booked for a foul on Hawkins. Town regained possession. Pyke cleverly won a corner for Town. And finally, it was all over ... Gillingham 0, Grimsby Town 1.

Dare to dream. Town sit in 8th place. This was a thoroughly professional performance. Apart from the goal, this was about resilience rather than fluidity from Town’s perspective. Town’s defence was outstanding but so too was the midfield in harassing and pressing Gillingham, who weren’t being allowed to find space or play. Gillingham were responsible for their own downfall with their slack play and inability to create clear-cut chances but Mr Artell and Town’s players deserve great credit for their management of the game. Once again the substitutions were good, and one thing that was clear from this and the Carlisle game was that the whole squad has a role to play and knows it. This mini tour of Carlisle and Gillingham have served to dispel the myth that we can’t win away games. Long may that state of affairs continue.

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