Cod Almighty | Match Stats

Saturday 5 November 2016

FA Cup (R1)

Bolton Wanderers 1 Trotter (20)

Grimsby Town 0

Attendance: 7173 (1905 away fans)

The old men of the sea in the centre were sensible shades of super, but the inexorable rise of Zak! Mills continues. Rather elegant in defence and purposefully prodding in attack. What a jolly good show.

"Fantastic. Second week on the run. You can't ask any more of the lads. Certainly Bolton started off the better, hit the post after a few minutes, then the goal gives them a boost. The last 20 minutes of the first half and the whole of the second half, I thought we played some terrific stuff. I really couldn't have asked for any more. We played with spirit, pace and moved the ball well. I really, really couldn't have asked any more."

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"In the second half, Grimsby have to be given credit for making it a real cup tie. We were careless in possession and we gave away the ball cheaply. However, when called upon, our defending was excellent. We had suspensions and injuries to deal with so it has to be looked at as a terrific result."

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A bit too scaredy cats in the first half of the first half, ceding initiative and not stymying their stormy surges at all. Town survived through home fires missing and some individual positioning by the collective defence. Even Andrew was almost adequate.

When four became four and one became two, Town dominated with passionate pinging and winging. The avoidance of scoring was a mixture of goalkeeping excellence and the Hurstian purchasing policy of non-scoring centre-forwards. Browne's cameo was immensely enticing: sturdy, fleet of foot and quick of mind with a directness to his dribbling. Town matched the Scunny stalkers and deserved a draw in the end.

You know it was a really enjoyable second half. They can do it if they are positive. Time for change in the land of the free transfers. Have you got the Bignot badge yet? Hope! Yes we can!

Bolton walked through Town at will for 20 minutes. They were just a lot better individually and collectively, for they had a plan to play their way and had the physique. Town players were literally bouncing off them.

My, they had some hugeness running through them. Beevers and Wheater was massive, Ameobi would make a fine window cleaner, and Trotter is a great big block of cheese standing in the centre. And then they have Zac! Clough. Richer teams will sniff. He'd fit in well at one of those perky workaholic teams whose natural habitat is that woozy, spongey zone twixt Premiership and Championship.

You could see why Bolton are where they are – why they are near the top of the third, but also why they got relegated last year. Bolton didn't cope well with some football that wasn't based on harem-scarem dodgems and basketball. Passing, intensity and organisation caused a right huff and fluff. In the end their goalkeeper saved them from an ignoble end.

Just the normal couple of thousand fish-clapping throng, in full song, at one with the team.

Mr T Kettle (Berks)

Dear old Trev was perfectly acceptable. Occasionally ill-served by one of his linesmen, the accumulation of minor quibbles about minor things are merely par for the course. Even his errors were small but perfectly formed for us. Who isn't looking at the number 7.418 and thinking, hey, that's Trev? You aren't? What a curmudgeon you are.

We came, we parked, we conquered our fear of flying wingers.

In a word: space