Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Saturday 3 April 2004

3 April 2004

A sixth-minute strike from Darren Mansaram followed by a close-range Tony Crane header just after the half-hour give the Mariners a heart-warming win over Sheffield Wednesday before a non-capacity Blundell Park crowd of 6,639. The points are all but sealed on the stroke of half-time when the wondrously named Owls forward Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu is dismissed for a violent foul on Phil Jevons (restored, significantly, to the left of midfield, whence he put Flash through for the opener). Nicky Law's first win as GTFC manager coincides with the side's first clean sheet in 15 games, stretching back to the goalless draw with Plymouth on 10 January. With typical Town ill fortune, however, they are one of six sides in the bottom eight to record victories this afternoon, and so the points gained take them above only the other two, Brentford and Colchester, who drew 1-1 at Griffin Park. Looking slightly higher up the league table, the Diary notes Rushden's poor run of form since the departure of manager Brian Talbot in March and the exodus of several players on transfer deadline day, and anticipates that the Northamptonshire minnows' visit to BP in two weeks' time could turn out to be a decisive six-pointer.

Finally this week, after some recent cynical comments about Jamie Lawrence's appointment as Town captain, the Diary feels compelled to acknowledge the revelation on the club's official website that he "turned down a chance to play for Jamaica midweek, instead opting to stay and train with the Mariners in the fight against relegation." Good on you, sir!