Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 4 August 2011

4 August 2011

It was a case of the 'best of the rest' for the Brigg friendly yesterday. The majority of the cup-winning Town team - that sounds good doesn't it? - were rested after their exertions on Tuesday night. So we got a team of Mulreadys, Freemans, Marshalls and of course the mysterious A Trialist for Grimsby's penultimate pre-season excursion. If anyone has any information on how A Trialist got on, or his/her real name, or even a brief description then please email - we'd like to hear from you and we'd quite like to know as well.

Damian Spencer also played, and scored during the second half, with Grimsby apparently 'easing to victory'. Brigg was never going to be one of the more exciting pre-season ventures. After the high-octane, adrenaline-fuelled, fist-pumping victory in the cup it was really just an exercise in letting a few other people have a game before it all starts properly next week. KA Kenny Arthur and Town's misspelt youth Darran Kempson, and possibly Wood or Spencer, were the only players last night with realistic hopes of starting the game against Fleetwood. Who knows who will be starting in goal this season? McKeown and Arthur have both played their share of friendly games, although McKeown being preferred for the Lincoln game could suggest he is edging out his rival; oh the excitement of pre-season teamsheet predicting.

Town will take a full squad to the final pre-season game against North Ferriby United tomorrow at the rather humorously named Rapid Solicitors Stadium. This has evoked - in the mind of your Part-Time Diary, at least - a Benny Hill-inspired scene of bespectacled, suited and booted, briefcase-clutching and legal-document-waving types rapidly rushing around in circles chasing the ball. I'm sure it's nothing like that though, probably just a dull sponsorship thing, although for £9 entry it may well be worth a look just in case. The directions provided by the SNOS are entirely correct as well this time; they got the right county and everything.

Well, it's only one more fitness-building and team-gelling warm-up before things start to really matter. And after some good pre-season results and performances we can see how well we actually measure up to the teams in our own division when it counts. Then Liam Hearn can get cracking on with scoring some goals: he has set himself a target of 20 which he'll be fuming if he doesn't get to. And from what I've heard you don't want to see him when he's angry so, for everyone's sake, let's hope he gets there.

Only one more Grimsby-free Saturday to go, then. I would usually say enjoy it while it lasts but I'm quite looking forward to this new season, dangerously so in fact, but if you do need a Mariners-related fix there is of course that sponsors' horse racething on Saturday - and it's on terrestrial so you can cheer on the tenuously Grimsby-related Tax Free for free. Enjoy.