Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Wednesday 22 September 2010
22 September 2010
Five changes to the starting line-up, 863 spectators, two shots on target and, most importantly of all, one point. A point gained or two lost? The Grimbarian's glass is always half empty, of course, but it's hard to know what to make of last night's shut-out at Gateshead. Especially for your original/regular Diary, who followed the game at several removes, as Mrs Diary had the Spurs match on the radio, so I was picking up what I could via online chat with other members of the Cod Almighty team, who were relaying whatever they could pick up from George Kerr on Radio Humberside.
And from what I could gather, the first half was bloody awful, but Town began strongly after half time and created a handful of decent chances, only to lose momentum and return to the back foot after two curious substitutions before the hour mark. The Mariners' superb new official website has another of those actually quite good match reports if you'd like a look. Given Gateshead's improved recent form, especially at home, let's be kind and put this one down as a point gained. Boooo kindness, are you happy being non-League or something, boooo, Diaries out, etc etc and so on.
But what do the manager and skipper make of it? Happily for us, they've been Telling The Telegraph We've Not Been The Best Lately But We'll Get Better Now, Honest. "We can't keep saying what we're capable of - we've got to start showing it," says Lee Peacock, saying what we're capable of and not really showing it. "Without being disrespectful to Gateshead, there wouldn't be one player from their side that would get into our side before we started the game," says Neil Woodses, being highly disrespectful to Gateshead.
And this puts the Diary in the mind of a humiliated Steven Gerrard squirmingly telling the cameras: "It was their cup final," after Algeria outplayed a thoroughly inept England during the summer's World Cup. Isn't it precisely the kind of Billy Big Bollocks attitude that means the players go out onto the pitch expecting to win without having to actually play football, just because they're 'better' players?
He could never be as good as Wayne Henderson, but he's definitely better than Tommy Forecast. And after two clean sheets in his four games for Town so far, loan goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell says he'd probably be up for a longer stay if we need him - which is good, what with Kenny Arthur out for another two weeks. Despite the general failure of the team during his time at Blundell Park, O'Donnell has emerged with a fair bit of credit, even after his unexpected participation in last Saturday's horrific non-performance against Fleetwood following the dramatic malfunction of Arthur's magic finger-protecting gloves. And in a Grimsby Telegraph interview today the Sheffield Wednesday keeper explains that he'd "definitely consider staying" after his initial one-month loan expires. "I'm really enjoying it," says O'Donnell, which will come as a pleasant surprise to fans in the Pontoon during the Fleetwood game who witnessed the exasperated custodian bellowing: "FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" at the inept defenders in front of him.
"I've been surfing through your site and can see you are an online service provider," begins an email to the diary from someone calling themselves only Surya. "Just wondering if you outsource some or all part of your client campaign or would like to do so, maintaining the same quality but at a considerably reduced price." Well, Surya, it's funny you should mention it. As regular readers of the diary know, we've been trying desperately to outsource our "client campaign" recently. And a price that's considerably reduced from the current zero outlay would mean you'd pay us to let you write the diary, yes? Super. We'll be in touch.