Cod Almighty | Article

by None

11 September 2006

The other day in Cod Almighty Towers the staff were discussing Town's home form, following on from the win against Walsall at the weekend (and another win with us shooting towards the Pontoon in the first half too). We were struggling to remember the last time the Mariners had lost at home in the league. One quick check of the records later and we were thus informed: the last away team to win at Blundell Park in the league were Peterborough United on 28 January 2006. Whatever you may think or have to say on the end of last season and the start to this you cannot deny that that's some run. Thirteen matches unbeaten, and counting.

And that was the statistic that led to this week's Ballpark Figures. It's not as analytical as usual. There are no complex calculations or advanced algebra; nor even any classic linear regression models. Just facts. A 13-match unbeaten run at home is impressive; we'd all admit that - but just how impressive? Historically, how does it compare to other long runs? That's the question we'll answer this week. And the chart below will do it. It's simply a record of Grimsby's cumulative home matches unbeaten since the start of the 1980-81 season.

So, historically, this current run of home league matches unbeaten is pretty good. You have to go back to April 1998 to find another run of 13 games in a row at Blundell Park without a defeat. But to beat it you have to go all the way back to February 1984, when a run of 15 matches unbeaten at home helped the Mariners to their highest league finish since getting relegated from the first division in the 1940s.

In conclusion, then, long may this home run continue. Whatever you may say about the team, the walls of Fortress Blundell stand tall. It's results away from our stronghold that are a pressing concern. Here's to three points tonight at Rochdale and the first step on the path to correcting that problem.