Stumbling On

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 22/03/2025

NEWPORT County is the nearest league club to where I live. I did go to the away fixture there in October. Now it was payback time with a 270-mile trip to Cleethorpes. I can't remember the last time I was present at a home victory, so today I changed my routine.

And instead of getting off the train at Cleethorpes, got off at Grimsby and walked over to Freeman Street for something to eat and a bit of nostalgia before making my way to the ground. In amongst all the data, IDPs and improvement plans, Town haven’t asked me to change my routine, it has to be said but I thought it might help.

Our opponents Newport have had a patchy season but have done enough to keep away from relegation and prove that on their day they could be a handful. This is a team that doesn't tend to win or lose by a single goal. Of their last six matches, they have won two and lost four, the last two games being a 0 - 5 defeat at Accrington and a 3 - 0 victory over Harrogate. But which version of Town was going to turn up today? The sky had no limit after our impressive victory at top-of-the table Walsall before a disappointing but not totally discouraging home defeat to Notts County. Then came Salford and an abject defeat in which we couldn't put two passes together. Not so abject, according to David Artell who told us that the data metrics suggested a draw was the right result. Well it wasn't the actual result. In spite of what he keeps telling us, home and away performances do seem to be like two separate products.

Grey clouds hovered. There was a light breeze and rain in the cold air. It was turning into a damp and bleak afternoon. The weather wasn't a good omen. Town's team charged with the task of brightening up our lives today was: Wright - Warren, Rodgers, Tharme, Hume - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Barrington - Rose. In the opposition line-up was former Mariner Anthony Glennon. Newport, followed by 91 supporters in today's crowd of 5,339, wore the red of Wales.

Town kicked off away from the Pontoon for the first half. The crowd was animated. Rose was fouled on 2 minutes. Khouri played a lovely ball through the defence to Barrington who had a clear chance but shot straight at Townsend. Newport's Evans was booked for a robust tackle on Hume near the half way line. On 8 minutes Ajiboye threatened to wriggle through but Town's defence closed ranks. Town countered. Rose was fouled and took a quick free kick. Svanthorsson cut inside from the right and passed Tim Barrington whose rising shot was deflected for a corner. Hume sent in his cross. The ball was played back to McEachren who steamed in and delivered a low piledriver which was blocked. A dummy by Barrington on 11 minutes gave Town a further chance as Khouri ran on and again the shot was deflected. Town were on top and playing the better football. On 18 minutes a Green turn in the box found Rodgers who proved why he isn't a striker, firing over from the right edge . Good work between Hume and Svanthorsson led to a cross hitting the top of the crossbar but this led to Newport's first fluid move and a shot by McLoughlin which was off target. Newport followed this up with another move which ended when Ajiboye headed over from a Glennon cross. Damp was becoming damper as the rain became heavier. On 30 minutes Rose found Green whose surging run from the right forced Townsend to rush out. Barrington was on the 6 yard line but not close enough to drop onto Green's pass. Good work again between Svanthorsson and Hume again earned Town a corner before Khouri cut out a threat as Thomas broke out for Newport. on 34 minutes a through ball from Green brought Townsend out but Newport's keeper was first to the ball, beating the onrushing Rose. It was cold, wet and miserable out there and in the stand. 35 minutes had gone. Spectators around me went to seek refuge in the bar. Town had started brightly but were now struggling in worsening conditions. Khouri win a corner, and good skill by Barrington helped Svanthorsson to win another as Town pressed on but without much inspiration. The surface was now slippery. On 41 minutes as the half seemed to be petering out, a brilliant interception and explosive run from Green almost broke the deadlock. Glennon then burst out. Rose received a yellow card for a trip. It looked like a dive by Glennon. Two minutes were added. Only a last-ditch save by Wright prevented a Newport goal as McLoughlin threaded a pass to Spellman. It would have been an injustice as Town had dominated the half, with 73 percent possession for those interested in data metrics. But Town also lost their way towards the end as the weather deteriorated. So 0 - 0 it was at the half.

The second half began. Town won a corner before putting themselves under pressure after a poor pass from Tharme and a free kick which Newport wasted. Khouri was booked on 54 minutes for a tackle on Brennan in Town's half. Newport however were not presenting any threat just as Town were making no headway. The rain continued to fall. Rose was clattered as Svanthorsson started a Town attack. A feigned free kick saw Khouri receive a pass from Hume. Khouri's cross almost caught out the Newport defence as they scrambled to recover. McEachren then won the ball in midfield and started a move. Barrington received the ball on the right and crossed to Rose whose instinctive flick ran inches wide. On 61 minutes Whitmore received a yellow card for a foul on Hume just 30 seconds after coming on. The ball was played up and Rodgers was tripped on the edge of the box, earning a yellow card for Baker. With the wall in place McEachren sent a low left-footer past Townsend into the bottom left corner of the net. Town 1, Newport 0. Finally, the home fans had something to cheer about, and did. This was a particularly good time for Town to score, as the game was getting scrappy and the foul count was increasing. Barrington had a volleyed shot on 67 minutes which went wide. Town were controlling the game but a short pass by Khouri almost undid the good work. Wright did well to save Martin's shot. Town broke out. An excellent diagonal pass from Barrington to Svanthorsson led to desperate defending before Khouri went close with a header. As the game went on there was plenty of midfield action but assaults on goal were becoming less frequent. Luker, who had replaced Barrington on 73 minutes, had a shot from outside the box on 79. But as the rain came down more heavily, and the pitch started to cut up, so the play increasingly lacked quality with fouls continuing and both sides sending the ball in the air, resulting in a midfield aerial battle. But Town were under no threat, and only would be if they made a mistake. Newport did win a corner on 81 minutes but Brennan's shot from range was blocked. Four minutes later Glennon flattened Rodgers as both sides struggled in the inhospitable wet and slippery conditions. As 5 minutes were added, Thompson replaced McEachren. Town spent most of the added time in Newport's half, controlling the ball and the game but there was a momentary panic when Rodgers lost the ball but it came to nothing as Town averted the threat. So the game ended: Grimsby Town 1, Newport County 0.

It's always a dash to get the 1726 train, my only option if I was to get back today. It's not so easy as I get older. Added time is not subject to the rigorous calculation that it was at the start of the season, which is a relief but I fully accept that the idea of compensating for wasted minutes is right. As an Exile, I don't go all that way to miss a minute of it and didn't today in the rain and cold of the Findus stand but I did rather take issue, albeit quietly, at a recent Forum comment “what difference does it honestly mean to journey times if you leave early?” and linking this apparently subversive behaviour with those who abuse the Head Coach. Yes, I too wonder why people who leave who don't have to, but then I guess we all have our reasons, and agree that abusing anyone is totally unacceptable, but surely people can leave when they like? Perhaps there should be a rule where you can only go if you live within three miles of the ground: “All Town aren't we but only if you live nearby, stay to the end and applaud enthusiastically and clap like seals without interruption for 10 minutes”. Oh, and while I'm at it, season ticket holders must attend all games without fail, and we must obey the edict of our Head Coach by singing our hearts out even when the players are dispensing the human equivalent of a sleeping pill. This is Cleethorpes, not Communist China. Well anyway, I had no time for applause, deserved or otherwise, as the one-mile dash was on - 46 minutes according to everyone's favourite search engine. Less of a dash is Town's progress towards the play-offs. But we did what needed to be done today. Whilst the weather was never going to allow a classic, Town controlled the game against a poor Newport side. They never looked like scoring and it was down to us to capitalise on the possession we had, and keep control of an increasingly patchy, weather-affected, foul-ridden game. We did that. As a result we're still in with a shout of a play-off place. It's not pretty, but we stumble on in the right direction.

Add To Facebook

This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!

Related Stories

• Town Lack Firepower
• Bonanza at Bescot
• Turf Wars
• More Stories