Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 27 July 2005

27 July 2005

A surprise appearance at right wing-back by Gary Cohen, a decent early goal from Michael Reddy, an equaliser from Frazer Richardson on 24 minutes, and another Town penalty miss from a spot-kick that shouldn't have been awarded anyway. They are the salient features of last night's 1-1 draw with Leeds, which was watched by 3,559 people, of whom Town's official website says 839 supported the visitors but of whom Leeds' official website says "nearly half" supported the visitors. The result, hilariously, has the purple-faced messageboarders screaming murderously that the Mariners are without a win since their 4-1 stroll at Kidderminster in, er, the penultimate game of last season. Sometimes eugenics doesn't seem such a bad idea after all.

New on the trial trail are tough-tackling former Port Vale midfielder Levi Reid and another striker, Samuel Ipoua, who came on as a sub last night and may also appear this evening at Doncaster. The Mariners' official site confusingly declares that Ipoua is Congolese but managed to play two games for Cameroon 19 years ago at the 1986 World Cup. One can only assume that the old warhorse is looking for a part-time contract to top up the miserly retirement pension on offer from both the Congo and Cameroon social security systems.

Town have also given a trial, test, audition, assessment, examination to a new defender, shielder, guardian, minder, protector and it is anticipated, expected, imagined, supposed, presumed that he will take some part in tonight's game, match, contest, competition against Doncaster Rovers, Ramblers, Strollers, Wanderers, Meanderers, Amblers, Roamers. He plays for Oxford and his name is Roget. Did you see what I did there?

Children are to be allowed in free to watch the forthcoming friendly against 'physical' top-flight outfit Blackburn Rovers, reports Town's official Grimsby Telegraph website. The news comes as a blow to local child protection officers, who, after viewing footage of Rovers' 2004-05 Premiership campaign, were rumoured to have been pressing for the match to be given an 18 certificate and tickets to be printed with the warning "contains scenes of extreme graphic violence".