Cod Almighty | Match Report

by Mike Worden

17 September 2015

Chester 1 Grimsby Town 1

Another nice sunset, another evening game in the north-west. As the 400 Town fans gathered at the 'whatever local garage can give us the best discount on our club car this month' stadium, they hoped for a better night than the horror show down the A56 at Altrincham just a month ago.

With final pre-match warm-up consisting of shooting into a practice net looking flimsier than poundshop string, the players were ready to do battle against a Chester side smarting from a weekend thrashing by rivals on the Wirral. The home side made some changes restoring George Thomson to play behind the front two of Craig Hobson and our former favourite Ross Hannah. You could have put your house on who was going to get the first goal.

Town ran out in a smart red away shirt and shorts combo, but it was the socks that were the talking point on the away terrace at kick-off. A debut for white and red horizontal striped socks. The sock debate took the attention off the real fashion faux pas: James McKeown's orange kit not sitting comfortably with his team mates' red outfit. Back in the day, Dot the kit lady would not have allowed this to happen.

No expense was spared in the Deva kitchen with oven chips on sale to the hungry Grimbarians. Sold out before kick off though. They need a bigger oven.

In front of McKeown was a back four of East, Robertson, Pearson and Toto, a central midfield pairing of Robinson and Disley with Arnold and Monkhouse out wide and Amond and Bogle up front. No changes to the side that beat Aldershot convincingly at the weekend.

First half

With their fans behind them the redmen with the stripey socks started brightly. Bogle was fouled on the edge of the box but hit the resulting free kick against the wall. His straight-on stance gives him no option to curve the ball and his free kicks can become predictable. It might work on FIFA and for Bale but it takes some technique for a Conference player to regularly get it right.

A chant of "just a town full of dockers" was hurled at the away fans. We wish. Don't they know our history? We also know how to make fish and chips and we don't cook our chips in the oven.

The Chester central attacking duo supported by Thomson looked sharp and were causing some difficulties for the Town defence. At the other end Town launched a number of attacks with both Bogle and Arnold making penetrating runs but unable to find the decisive final pass or effective shot. Worsnop made a great save from Bogle.

At the other end Monkhouse was booked for a clumsy foul but luckily the free kick sailed over the bar. East made a complete hash of a throw-in in his own half, with the ball jumping out of his hands skywards like it had been held down in a swimming pool and suddenly let go.

Hobson lay down in the Town goalmouth after a home attack and luckily for McKeown his helping hand on Hobson as he lay down wasn't spotted by the officials.

As half time approached Bogle found himself in Mr Whitley's notebook. The first period had been fairly even with Grimsby having lots of attacks but which broke down with a poor pass or shot on the edge of the box. The home defence had blocked a number of shots but it's arguable whether this was good defending or poor attacking.

Chester should have gone into the break in the lead with what was the best chance of the half for either side. Toto headed a ball away but it went straight to a Chester player and then a move down the left led to the ball being played right across the front of the goal, with just a touch needed to send the Deviants in to the break happy. Fortunately for Town, nobody could reach it. Just a minute later McKeown was bowled over and the bit of afters between Toto and a home player was calmed by Hannah.

Second half

Bogle started the second half brightly and a clever turn on the ball led to him being fouled. His free kick went high and wide of Worsnop's right post. Arnold's running was causing problems down the right but without a decisive cross or pass. Amond was fed excellently by Monkhouse but the Irishman chose to pass when a quick shot was called for. Town pressure almost resulted in the first goal but Rooney cleared it off the line. Where's that myopic linesman from the Altrincham game when we need him?

The lively Thomson was taken off, and Clay came on for the bits and pieces man Robinson in the centre of midfield as Hurst tried to inject some energy into the game.

The turning point in the game came shortly after the substitutions when at a corner, Robertson pushed Hannah to the ground in the box. No reason, no excuses, just plain daft. There was only one player who was going to take that penalty and Hannah duly stepped up and scored brilliantly off the post. The former Town player celebrated wildly in front of the main stand.

Chester could have doubled their lead very quickly but McKeown made a brilliant save. Monkhouse was struggling to track players and was duly substituted by Mackreth. Now we'd see those stripey socks flashing down the wing and then coming back.

Amond had a chance to score from a narrow angle on the left but hit a terrible shot well wide. Clay and Arnold went for the same ball on the edge of the box and had an argument about it as the game carried on. Lack of communication leads to the wrong sort of communication. Pearson pulled back a Chester player who had slipped past him too easily, and was rightly booked. He was then lucky not to get a second yellow for another foul.

Hurst decided not to risk a sending-off and substituted Pearson for Pittman, which also gave more attacking options as Town chased a point. Pittman was soon set up with a great chance but ballooned his shot over the bar.

In the four minutes of added time, Town applied pressure like they hadn't in normal time. The Town faithful behind the goal urged the red men on. Then in the added time of added time, with the last seconds of the game left, a ball came over from the left and Amond rose to flick it in to the far corner beyond Worsnop. Celebrations from fans and players alike as the Chester players sunk to their knees.

It was over. Just six months ago in this corresponding fixture, Chester snatched a point from a certain defeat and this time Town had done the same. Amond drifts out of the game sometimes to such an extent that you have to check you didn't miss a substitution, but cometh the second, cometh the man, he drifted back in to save a point.

A draw was a fair result. Grimsby were the better side in the first half but couldn't make the advantage count. Chester edged it in the second although Amond's late, late effort sent the visiting fans home the happier.