Excellent Start to the New Century.
Well – Morecambe’s Centenary Year kicked-off in a manner that not only nobody could possibly have predicted one hundred years ago but most of us would not have been able to envisage barely more than 100 days ago. When the original Shrimps kicked-off for the first time at the town’s extant Cricket Club ground at Woodhill Lane, the world was recovering from one of the first truly global pandemics – the so-called Spanish Flu. The virus H1N1 infected at least 500 million people right across the planet and actually killed perhaps as many as one in ten – effectively wiping-out the equivalent of the entire population of Britain at the time. At Blundell Park in Cleethorpes today, Grimsby Town entertained Derek Adams’ new-look Morecambe side in front of a virtually empty stadium because of the latest attack on humanity in the shape of COVID-19.
As far as Grimsby are concerned, there were reasons for nostalgia at their club too. Exactly nineteen years ago, they were top of the Championship, with a certain Manchester City in second place (and Bratfud in third). My – how things have changed…
Despite the surreal nature of the current viral situation, the Shrimps’ preparation for this League Cup match had been quite promising, with a victory away against a strong Everton side, a draw at Manchester United and a one-nil win against mighty Workington at the newly-renamed Mazuma Arena. Morecambe had a virtually dead-even record against the Mariners prior to today’s contest, with six wins and seven draws in their previous eighteen meetings. Ian Holloway’s preparations for the Lincolnshire club’s new campaign has included six new signings, best-known amongst whom is ex-Newport County player Danny Rose. Danny Preston – newly-signed on loan from Notts Forest – went straight into the first team today. Irish international Sean Scannell was also named in the starting eleven following his release by Blackpool. To the surprise of most fans at least, social media sources suggested that the club had also dispensed with the services of Assistant – and formerly Interim – Manager Anthony Limbrick less than 24 hours before kick-off against today’s opponents from Lancashire. Town Chairman Philip Day was quoted as saying that financial constraints underlined the reason behind the dismissal of the Australian, who was appointed by previous boss Michael Jolley. Since the story broke, however, the club have been at pains to say Limbrick had been furloughed until October and not sacked. Who knows? What we do know, however, is that on the field, Grimsby’s only friendly game resulted in a 0-3 victory over minor-league Cleethorpes Town. Friendly games, however, mean very little in the greater scheme of things: today marked the beginning of the serious business in English football this season.
For the Shrimps, four new boys were selected by Mr Adams to make-up Morecambe’s defence today, with the goalkeeper also making his debut behind them. Two fellow newcomers could also be found sitting on the bench. In contrast to the beginning of last season, only Alex Kenyon, Cole Stockton, John O’Sullivan and the little-used Carlos Mendes-Gomes survived from the previous Jim Bentley regime in the starting line-up.
It was quite bright by the side of the River Humber as the match began and the visitors started on the front foot on a pitch which was curiously threadbare in front of Blundell Park’s biggest stand. They won a corner kick within two minutes and Cole Stockton found the ball at his feet in the Grimsby box shortly afterwards following excellent control but he wasted the skill by giving the ball away immediately. Town had the next chance with five minutes played when Matt Green received the ball from the Mariners’ right when unmarked in front of goal. His attempt to beat Jake Turner, however, was absolutely woeful. The Shrimps took advantage of this let-off just a minute later. Ex-Shrewsbury defender Luke Waterfall was harried by Carlos Mendes-Gomes, who got ahead of him and intercepted his weak back-pass only for goalkeeper James McKeown to rush from goal and make an excellent tackle outside his area. Sadly for the man in the blue strip though, the ball went straight to Adam Phillips, who coolly lofted the ball over the stranded goalie from twenty yards out to put the visitors into the lead. Play was quite scrappy after that but Morecambe could have gone further ahead when Stephen Hendrie marauded forward and found Carlos who in turn played a fantastic reverse pass to set-up an unmarked Stockton, whose instant shot was brilliantly saved by McKeown. At the other end, Grimsby’s performance so far was personified by James Tilley, who allowed a Shrimps defender to tamely take the ball off him as he attempted a forward run after a quarter of an hour. Nineteen minutes were on the clock when Phillips sent an effort over the Town bar. Then Sean Scannell wriggled past a Morecambe defender down the Grimsby left but again squandered the opportunity with a poor cross into the middle. Town came as close as it is possible to equalise after twenty-two minutes when an unmarked Waterfall almost atoned for his earlier mistake with a header which beat Turner but bounced back harmlessly off the Morecambe crossbar. With almost a half an hour played. Mendes-Gomes had a tremendous shot from the right side of the Grimsby penalty area brilliantly saved by McKeown as he dived to his left. Town had the next chance – Matt Green latched-on to a weak clearing header after 31 minutes only to be denied by a fine save from Turner. The home team were clearly getting on top at this point and Scannell headed over the bar just before they equalised after 34 minutes. Danny Preston went on a mazy run down the Mariners’ left, crossed the ball into the area where Toumani Diagouraga allowed the ball to squirm under his boot to Green, who finally dispatched it to Turner’s right to bring his team back into the tie. Three minutes after conceding the equaliser, Stockton volleyed a free-kick from Hendrie wildly over the bar. Shortly afterwards, Slew also wasted a decent chance but the first half ended with Grimsby definitely in the ascendancy.
They started the second half in the same vein. Turner did well to keep an effort out after 49 minutes but found Green’s weak shot from a good position easier to field two minutes later. For the home side, that was basically it. They looked short of fitness as a unit and even the changes Manager Holloway made in the second half had little impact on a side which looked collectively tired after about an hour or so. Derek Adams took Jordan Slew – whose main contribution to the game so far had been a booking late in the first half – off at about this time and replaced him with Alex Kenyon. From that moment on, only one team seemed likely to win this contest. Cole had another shot blocked after an hour; the ball was cleared off the Grimsby goal-line more by luck than judgement by the Mariners defence after 74 minutes and McKeown made another astonishing stop by keeping McAlinden’s header from John O’Sullivan’s free-kick out after seventy-five minutes. A shot by Kenyon was blocked with six minutes left and the Grimsby goalkeeper again did well to keep out McAlinden’s effort from the rebound.
But the match ended one goal each and immediately went to a penalty shoot-out. As the wind whistled off the adjacent North Sea, Pollock stepped-up to take the first one – and scored. For the visitors, though, Kenyon missed the target altogether with their first spot-kick. Turner saved his blushes with a good save low to his right from James Tilley straight afterwards. He almost got to Green’s weak shot as well as only one kick for the home team remained. This was taken by Green’s opposite number and Town Captain McKeown. Jake saved it; John O’Sullivan converted Morecambe’s last kick and, with it, the contest for the visitors.
It was a well-deserved victory. The new defence looked pretty competent with Harry Davis in particular catching the eye. Carlos Mendes-Gomes continues to look a top quality player; Phillips put on a classy display before he left the field with what looked like a niggly injury and Cole Stockton had his moments too. All in all, this was an excellent start to Derek Adams first full campaign for the club. Long may it last.
Grimsby Town: 1 James McKeown (C); 19 Max Wright: 6 Luke Waterfall; 25 Mattie Pollock; 3 Danny Preston; 22 Elliott Hewitt; 4 Danny Rose (22 Evan Khouri 60’); 10 George Williams (20 Owura Edwards 71’); 11 Sean Scannell; 7 Matt Green (12 Montel Gibson 70’); 21 James Tilley.
Subs not used: 23 Sam Russell; 14 Luke Spokes; 29 Joseph Starbuck; 32 Duncan Idehen.
Morecambe: 1 Jake Turner; 2 Kelvin Mellor; 3 Stephen Hendrie; 4 Nathaniel Knight-Percival; 6 Harry Davis; 7 Jordan Slew (Y) (14 Alex Kenyon 56’); 8 Toumani Diagouraga (C); 9 Cole Stockton (18 Ben Pringle 84’); 11 Carlos Mendes-Gomes; 16 John O’Sullivan; 20 Adam Phillips (19 Liam McAlinden 70’).
Subs not used: 12 Mark Halstead; 5 Sam Lavelle; 21 Ryan Cooney;
Ref: Graham Salisbury.
Attendance: Several seagulls.
