Cod Almighty | Match Report

by Mike Worden

23 September 2015

Wrexham 0 Grimsby Town 0

Just a week after snatching a draw at Chester with a goal in the final seconds, Town were back down the road snatching another point, although the circumstances were very different. This was a hard-fought point against a team impressive in all departments except finishing. Indeed, if the Wrexham strikers had struck as well as their creators created, this could have been a heavy defeat for the Mariners. James McKeown was on fine form and was easily Town's man of the match.

Paul Hurst made two changes to the side which started against Tranmere, with Tomlinson and Mackreth given starting places. The Wrexham side contained two ex Mariners, Connor Jennings and Jamal Fyfield.

A minute's silence was observed impeccably by both sets of fans before the game. The silence was to remember the victims of the 1934 Gresford mining disaster which has a special place in the club's history as many of the victims had changed shifts specifically so that they could attend that afternoon's Wrexham game against Tranmere. It did not go unnoticed that just before the announcement for the silence the stadium PA announced ticket details for the forthcoming game against Tranmere. Gresford is a village just outside Wrexham and now home to the club's excellent training ground.

With the minute's silence over, the drums in the away section were brought into action as around 300 Grimbarians made the most of the covered roof of the main stand to create a bit of noise. The Wrexham fans behind the goal, the stand much fuller than in previous seasons, responded and the atmosphere was more fitting of a League than non-League game. At the other end, the vast kop stood bare except for a huge flag covering its empty central terrace.

First half

The first 10 minutes were fairly even. Wrexham had a good low effort which went wide and Bogle had a shot deflected for a corner. Toto made what could have been a critical error in passing the ball straight to a red shirt when trying to find Mackreth on the right, despite having lots of time and a clear line of sight. Luckily the Town defence managed to recover the situation. Wrexham applied some further pressure, forcing corners and getting in some shots.

Mackreth, a player who always looks like he has the potential to take the ball to the bye-line and cross but rarely does, actually beat his man down the right just in front of the Town fans and got in a great cross, but it was easily cleared. The drummers drummed. A Wrexham attack down the right was halted by a rash challenge from Tomlinson, who looked less impressive on his full debut than in his substitute appearance against Tranmere.

Wrexham's midfield general Evans was booked for a clumsy challenge on Bogle as the striker turned through 360 degrees on the ball.  It was a carbon copy of an incident at Chester the previous week. Watch out Southport, it's Bogle's little party piece. He'll trick you every time. Robertson replicated Toto's howler and made a critical error at the back by booting the ball straight at a Wrexham attacker when he had options and time, but once again his teammates recovered the situation well.

When Town got forward the final balls or shots were often wasted, as at Chester. Even the free kicks were predictable, long balls into the centre which were easily cleared. Gowling was booked by Jones the ref for a block on a Wrexham player and soon after Monkhouse followed him for a late tackle on Evans.

Vose was having an excellent game in the Wrexham middle and a long-range shot was deflected over the bar. Bogle attacked down the left but was fouled just outside of the box close to the bye-line. The free kick was floated in, cleared and knocked back in to Gowling who had stayed up. Finding himself unusually so far forward, he panicked and hit neither a shot nor a cross. He aimed and hit the ball but it just ended up going out. Tomlinson had a good chance, turning well in the box but his shot was saved by the Wrexham keeper.

On the stroke of half time, a long cross came over from Vose on the Wrexham left. The unmarked and onrushing Hudson threw himself at it but missed it completely as the Town defence breathed a sigh of relief.

Second half

Town's propensity to give the ball away cheaply was demonstrated in the first minute of the second period, when Robertson, bringing the ball forward down the left, passed to Monkhouse but so overhit the ball that the former Gas man struggled to control it and Wrexham were on the attack again. Clay hit well over from a corner, while at the other end Jennings smashed the ball over the bar following a clever attacking home move down the left. What do clubs see in Jennings?

Disley followed two of his teammates into the book for a clumsy challenge. From the free kick the ball was eventually bundled in to the net by Gray but ruled out by the linesman for offside. Robertson attacked well down the left and got a great cross in but it was cleared before Tomlinson could reach it.

As the north Wales rain fell, Wrexham began to get control of the game with Vose and substitute Adam Smith on the left causing all sorts of problems. Toto gave the ball away to Jennings and thought of bringing him down in the box, but need not have worried as the former Town player shot well over, again.

Once again Town put themselves under pressure by simply giving the ball to a wrong-coloured shirt. Smith ran down the left and dodged and weaved like Maradona between what must have been six Town players before having the time to tee up a cross. If the Wrexham strikers had been half as effective in shooting as Vose and Smith were in creating chances, this would have been an easy home win. When the shots did find the target, McKeown was there, safe and secure.

Pittman and Marshall replaced Bogle and Tomlinson and their energy caused a few problems for the tiring Welsh defence but as the game entered the final few minutes it was the home side who dominated, with Town hanging on for a point. Robinson made his final loan appearance for Town in the last minute, as he replaced the tiring Clay.

Town were relieved to get to the end of this game without conceding. Gary Mills has got Wrexham playing some good football, and in Vose and Smith the Robins have two excellent creative players capable of unlocking the tightest of defences. Fortunately for Town, Jennings and Gray didn't have their shooting boots on and wasted most of the chances created for them. Town huffed and puffed through the game. Poor passing, poor ball control and poor finishing would make this game forgettable before the Town fans had crossed the border on the way home.

A point away against one of the best sides in the league is not bad on paper, but belies a fairly drab display.