Cod Almighty | Match Report

by Mike Worden

1 February 2011

Southport 2 Grimsby Town 2

One of the things about watching Grimsby in this league is that when you arrive at an away game, you feel that the game must be off, such is the lack of people converging on ground. This was the case at a quiet Haig Avenue at 7:30. More spectators head to Bradley pitches on a Sunday morning than this Southport suburb on match night.

The loyal Town fans, though, were making their way to the Sandgrounders' home on the edge of the resort. With rain in the air, a difficult choice met them. Stand on the open terrace behind the goal for £12.50 or sit in the main stand for £14.00. £1.50 as an insurance policy for not getting soaked by the Lancashire rain seemed a good deal, but the drummers and the flag boys were not having any of it and made their way to the terrace. Adverts for "Funland - Southport Pier" were in abundance around the ground, a glimpse of the pleasure available just a mile down the road.

Under what must be the lowest-hanging floodlights in the league, Town took to the field with new signing Bryan Hughes starting in the centre of midfield. Alongside him was Micky Cummins with Bore and Eagle out wide. Behind them were Wood at left-back, Atkinson and Kempson in the centre and Watt filling in at right-back. Up front new boy Duffy partnered Alan Connell.

First half
The home side took control right from the start and seconds into the game Arthur pulled off a fine save from the pesky little Kissock, who started and finished an attacking move. Imagine a quicker Jamie Forrester with shaggy hair and a headband. The ex-Everton trainee signalled his intention to shine. He certainly had a big influence on the early part of the game and was clearly the dangerman.

It was all one-way traffic and therefore no surprise when the home side took the lead on seven minutes. With Town attacking, Watt tried a pass with the outside of his foot but gave the ball away to the home side well just into their half. Kissock collected and threaded a ball inside of the back-pedalling Watt to Whalley running down the left. Whalley picked up the ball, turned Watt and curled a great shot just inside of Arthur's far post. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Town were living dangerously. Kissock was running the show. Backs to the wall and it wasn't even halfway through the first half. If only D'Wayne Fandango had completed the deadline day paperwork in time, the story might have been different.

Worse was to come when the big centre-half Davis rose unchallenged from a corner and headed home the second. Town's chances in the rest of the half were limited and Southport could have had more. Bore was lucky not to get on to the home side's score sheet when Kissock's free kick glanced off his head, forcing Arthur into a diving save.

It wasn't working for Town. Watt was cruelly exposed at right-back and the midfield were too weak to impose any control.

First 45 over, and time for the Woodses mouthful. He used to grace this ground with his pace and now he'd watched his team play like the donkeys on the nearby beach. The watching Tony Ford texted his wife. "Home early. This is shit."

Second half
The Woodses treatment at half time seemed to have worked as right from the off Town looked more like a football team and actually had some energy. A Bore cross was easily caught by the keeper. A few minutes into the second half, Kempson and Ledsham clashed heads in the centre of the field. Ledsham fell to the ground, Kempson stood up, but both had to go off and be replaced. Kempson ran off with a towel on his head with Dave Moore calling for the doctor.

The injury forced Town to reshape and introduce Serge Makofo into the play, a move that changed the game for the better. Watt, who'd struggled against the home side's pace down the left, moved to partner Atkinson in the centre and Town went 4-3-3.

Serge's influence was immediate, though the first corner he won came to nothing. He was bundled over to win a free kick and then, from another free kick, Hughes shot over the bar.

On about 65 minutes, Hughes showed some rare dribbing skill, getting into the box and laying off to Duffy, who shot low and wide. Cummins was booked for a late sliding tackle. Serge made a good run to the bye-line but there was nobody in the centre to meet his cross.

A horrible tackle by the first goalscorer Whalley on Alan Connell resulted in a straight red card while he was being treated on the pitch, having come off worse in the reckless challenge. So muted was the protest from the Southport players and fans that some started to wonder whether their eyes had deceived them and Whalley had only been booked.

The sending-off gave Town even more confidence and Duffy powered home a header from a short corner which Connell crossed.

Eagle had also been the subject of some harsh challenges and he was struggling to run. Woodses turned to Dave Moore and said: "Shall we get Lee on?" A nod, a click of the fingers and Peacock started to get changed. Layer after layer came off and the black and white shirt went on. Forget warm-ups: his ageing legs don't need unnecessary tiring. He took his place up front in the middle.

Not content with the Peacock change, Woodses gave instructions to Hudson to strip off just as the man he would replace, Hughes, had a decent shot at goal.

With just under five minutes left, a long free kick from Cummins floated into the box. Atkinson met it well and steered his header into the net. The drummers were drumming. Woodses was smiling. It was all Town now. Oh yes, we're going to win this now. Serge turned well and Connell was blonde whiskers away from meeting his cross-shot and almost guaranteeing the points.

Cummins pulled Kissock back on a rare late Southport break and was sent off for a second yellow. Five minutes were added, mainly due to the head clash and the Whalley foul. Grimsby had the edge in the final minutes but couldn't get the vital chance to take the points.

Yet another game of two halves. Grimsby were appalling in the first half and should have been more than two down at half time. The second half was a different game. Aided by the Whalley sending-off, the enforced introduction of Serge Makofo, changing formation and switching the vulnerable Watt to centre-back, the Mariners were clearly on top. Fitness helped too, as Southport's fast and furious start could not be maintained, creating more options for Town as the game went on.

The first half boos from the travelling fans were replaced by applause. The old men in the main stand shook their heads and trooped out into the Sefton night.