Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 21 November 2007

21 November 2007

It was going to be the perfect build-up as Town travelled to Barnet on Saturday. "The team without a clean sheet in seven months faces the team that has never scored against them... something's gotta give!" But of course, rubbish old Grimsby had to spoil it again last night. Not only did the Mariners record a thoroughly deserved win over Carlisle Five: they also contrived to go 90 minutes without conceding a goal for the first time since 28 April, when Sir John McDermott was bidding goodbye to Blundell Park, Tony Blair was Prime Minister, and people in England were still free to inflict deadly diseases on public service and hospitality employees by smoking in enclosed public places. The only goal of the game, if you don't know by now, was scored early in the second half by Gary Jones following a superb link-up with Danny North. Both frontmen impressed - as did Gary Montgomery, who was called upon at late notice to keep goal after Phil Barnes withdrew with the poorly. In all the excitement of the build-up, a subeditor writing headlines for Carlisle's News & Star forgot that football matches aren't always won by the side 45 places higher in the Football League; young sub keeper Leigh Overton is having his name widely misspelt; and the Grimsby Telegraph's David Pye was so gobsmacked by the disparity between Town's league and cup form that he got his metaphors in a twist, urging the Mariners to "marry the two contrasting ends of their current spectrum". But, as Alan Partridge would say, let's not get bogged down in that whole gay hornets' nest.

So, Town having recorded their second FA Cup win since the first week of the millennium, another third division side awaits in the second round - and that would be Huddersfield, away, on 1 December. The Diary seems to think Town have a good recent record against Huddersfield. And when I say a good recent record, I mean this season, really.

And as if all of that isn't tremendous enough, Town have signed a player. Sam Hird arrived on loan from Doncaster yesterday, a 20-year-old defender whose only first-team start in his career so far came in Rovers' 2-2 draw at Blundell Park in the Dulux Cup last week. Hird was booked for unsporting behaviour after 69 minutes and substituted shortly afterwards, so whatever it was, let's hope he's said sorry.