Cod Almighty | Match Report

by Mike Worden

2 April 2014

Wrexham 0 Grimsby Town 1

What a difference a year makes. Well, for Wrexham anyway. Twelve months ago this week the Dragons were parading the FA Trophy around the Racecourse and, confident that they were the best side in the Conference, dreamt of a return to the Football League. Following failure in the play-off final at the end of last season and the break up of a talented squad, they are now they are struggling in the wrong half of the table.

Off the pitch it shows, with only a couple of thousand north Walians spread thinly in the three stands. The old Kop remains closed to supporters and with its famous flagpoles laying bare in the Wrexham night sky, its presence is eerie and sad, especially considering how many great games, including internationals, this ground has witnessed.

For Grimsby it's not that much different to last season at this time. Play-offs beckon but there are still sufficient points to play for Mariners fans to remain a little nervy.

Outside the ground, the sound of the 150 Town fans in the Yale stand could be clearly heard. This is the old main stand, a dated, now all-seater structure clearly in need of a clean-up and a sharp pigeon shooter, given the state of some of the seats. Wrexham's vocal support was housed behind the goal.

On a pitch with more straight lines than the Kirmington runway – a reminder of the rugby tenants – Town lined up with McKeown in goal; a defence of Hatton, Boyce, Pearson and Thomas; a midfield of McLaughlin, Disley, Thanoj and Rodman; and Hannah and John-Lewis up front.

First half

With the wide decent pitch and indeed the opponents footballing style suiting a passing game, Town were in the ascendency from the off. Nice little passing moves became the order of the evening and this continued for fairly much of the 90 minutes. This wasn't the big hopeful boot up to John-Lewis: this was decent stuff, working the ball forward, with McLaughlin and Rodman using the space out wide well.

After a couple of decent Town attacks, it was McLaughlin who seized his chance, picking up a ball from Hannah and cutting inside from the left, checking left to confuse the two defenders and then slipping a low shot past Coughlin in the home goal. Eleven minutes on the clock and Town in the lead. McLaughlin past Coughlin, get in.

Although on top for much of the first half, Town lived dangerously at times. Hatton, with time to clear easily, pondered and finished up trying to boot the ball upfield just as a Wrexham attacker closed him down. The ball spun forwards and the defence was fortunate to avoid the equaliser. Wrexham livened up towards half time, Harris shooting over and then Hunt heading wide, but it was the visitors who took the well-deserved lead in to the interval.

The half-time draw

Now for the real excitement of the evening. The half-time draw. Except this was no ordinary competition. The winner of tonight's prize raffle, drawn live on the pitch in front of two thousand people, would take home – wait for it – a family set of beach towels.

“How was the game, love?”

"Oh, we lost but never mind, dear – I'm a winner. I got to go on to the pitch and collect a set of beach towels. They'll be just the ticket for our next trip to Prestatyn."

Second half

The second half continued where the first ended. Town on top, playing some nice passing football from the back. Lenell John-Lewis led the line well, supported by the energetic Hannah. He may have shot when he should have passed, headed backwards instead of forwards and allowed himself to robbed by Welsh midfielders half his size, but the big man was having an excellent game. A handful and always a target.

Town won a series of corners down the right in front of the away fans, mainly due to Rodman's inability to get the ball crossed and instead accept the inevitable block from the Wrexham full=back. McLaughlin took every one on the right with his left foot, and each one was predictable and ineffective.

John-Lewis was sprung clear but snatched at it, when a second of calm would have ensured his name was on the scoresheet

Late in the game a great free kick routine from Town almost doubled the lead, as two Town players were inches away from heading the delivery in. John-Lewis was then sprung clear but he snatched at it, when a second of calm would have ensured his name was on the scoresheet.

Thomas got into an argument with the north Walians in the Mold Road stand who didn't like his going down injured after being kicked by a Wrexham player. Jennings and Tounkara replaced Hannah and John-Lewis in the Town attack for the final 10 minutes or so. Jennings got himself into a couple of good positions but wanted too much time and a posse of Wrexham players robbed him of his opportunity.

With time ticking away, Wrexham piled forward and an almighty scramble in the Town goalmouth seemed to last for minutes before the ball was booted away, to the relief of the visiting fans. A late corner in added time saw Coughlin come forward but McKeown caught the ball easily. With the Town fans shouting for him to boot the ball to the now open goal at the opposite end, McKeown just decided to take his time and allow his fellow keeper to get back in his own half before launching the attack.

And that was it. Three well-deserved points for Town and earned the right way. A decent footballing performance. Some 150 Grimbarians left the Racecourse singing songs of "going up", while one Welshman left holding his beach towels.