FLASHBACK : The day City embarrased the Mariners

By Nathan Jackson
September 18 2007

It seems a lifetime ago now but it's not even been 18 months since the Imps beat Grimsby Town 5-0 at Sincil Bank back in the 2005/6 season, with the Imps being 4-0 up by half-time. Due to the recent depression around Sincil Bank, we now look back at the match report from that game and the aftermath. It was to turn out to be our only victory over Grimsby compared to 4 Mariners wins that season.

THE BUILD-UP

City had played fairly badly throughout the season, but came into the game on the back of a 4 month unbeaten run coming to an end. City hadn't lost since losing 3-0 at Blundell Park at Christmas until Boston United's Lawrie Dudfield put an injury time winner past the Imps. During that time the Imps had climbed up from midtable also-rans to genuine challengers for promotion.

During the week leading up to the game City had brought in Jamie Forrester on loan from Bristol Rovers. He was to replace Simon Yeo who had been injured in the game at Boston.

Grimsby had been having their first decent season in ages, and were challenging for the title with Carlisle United, Leyton Orient and Northampton Town. They came into the game on the back of a 5 game unbeaten run, winning 3 of those.

THE ORIGINAL MATCH REPORT

THIS MATCH REPORT WAS WRITTEN ON THE SAME DAY AS THE GAME, HENCE WHY MOST OF IT REFERS TO EVENTS AS THOUGH THEY RECENTLY HAPPENED

The Mariners got the game underway and won a corner in the 30^th second, it was headed out for another corner which Jamie McCombe was able to head the ball clear and ex-Imp Ciaran Toner could only shoot over. A cross was punched clear by Marriott but the ball fell to Paul Bolland and his shot from just inside the area was well saved by Marriott. Toner again shot well over with 7 minutes gone. City finally got out of their own half with 10 minutes gone and almost scored a surprise opener. Scott Kerr won the ball on the left and crossed the ball into the box, new loanee signing Jamie Forrester headed it just wide. Grimsby wasted yet another opportunity when Futcher tried to control in the Imps box but ended up clearing it up field to Imps players. That turned out to be a mistake as the ball went out for a throw in to the Imps. Paul Mayo stepped up for the throw in and launched it into the box and Luke Foster headed the Imps into a lead after a little help from the post. 

It certainly got the Imps fans going who had been silent up until the point. A midfield battle ensued that resulted in Jamie McCombe playing the ball over the top which Jamie Forrester ran on to and he lobbed the on rushing Mildenhall and made it 2-0 to the Imps.

 The game slowed down for the bit but Premiership ref, Steve Bennett got very busy soon afterwards when the Mariner’s won a corner just after the 20 minute mark. Tussling in the box saw the experienced Kent official have strong words with Grimsby’s Futcher and Reddy, as well as Lincoln’s Brown. Beevers headed the corner clear. Beevers infact was having a good game and seemed determined to prove himself to fans who have been very critical of him in recent weeks. Marvin Robinson was the first player to be booked when he fouled Gary Jones. Woodhouse took the free kick but Marriott was on hand to punch the ball clear. Not long afterwards saw good link up play between Mayo, Green and Kerr before Green sent a decent cross into the box but Whittle headed the ball clear. Mayo then lay on the ground injured after a tough tackle from Cohen, but just as it appeared that Lee Frecklington was about to come on, Mayo was given the all clear by Keith Oakes to continue. The game went quiet until 7 minutes before the break when great work from Forrester saw Marvin Robinson released, the striker seemed to take too long on the ball but when he tried to round Mildenhall, the keeper appeared to bring down the striker and City had a penalty. In all fairness, it did appear to have a slight hint of a dive in it. Paul Mayo stepped up and kept up his 100% record of taking penalties for the Imps as he made it 3-0, the same score that Grimsby beat the Imps by in December. 

City were all of a sudden back into 5^th gear when Green and Forrester worked well before the latter sent in a great cross. Green nipped between the defenders but his shot from close range hit the bar. It didn’t stay at 3-0 for long thought as the Imps continued to attack, Forrester again was involved in the set up when Beevers sent in a cross that Marvin Robinson tapped into the net to make it 4-0 before half time, something that the Imps have rarely achieved into the past.

Toner sent another speculative effort well over the bar. The half time whistle was greeted with cheers as loud as the goals from the Imps fans. Russell Slade sent his players “back to school” at half time as he forced them all to stay on the pitch at half time and quickly literally went back to the drawing board. 

City started the second half but Grimsby calved out the first chance when they won a free kick. Woodhouse sent it in and just as Reddy was preparing to volley towards goal, Green acrobatically cleared the ball. Green almost created a goal 10 minutes later when he flicked the ball forward but the chasing Marvin Robinson was offside.

It was a strange atmosphere at Sincil Bank because everyone knew that Lincoln were going to win, the only question was what the score was going to be. Green was again involved and almost scored when Beevers cross in a dangerous ball along the floor and after battling off 2 defenders, Green was left with a 1 on 1 but his shot was well saved by Mildenhall.  The game quietened down, however off the pitch everything started happening as a group of Grimsby fans ran at the Lincoln fans before they were eventually stopped by the stewards. they instead ran around to the gates and broke them through, ran around to the Stacey West end, after a while they all forced themselves back into the away end and several of them invaded the pitch and Steve Bennett appeared ready to stop the game before the stewards and police managed to get all of these “fans” off of the pitch. Marvin Robinson was then substituted after a good game that saw him score and win the penalty, he was replaced by leading goal scorer, Gary Birch. Crowd trouble again started taking the attention of all the fans as Grimsby fans again invaded the pitch, whilst this was going on, the Imps were winning corners. City infact won 4 in succession, the 4^th of which was cleared.  Forrester then went off for Gritton, it was a very impressive debut for the former Grimsby striker and he showed a lot of potential. 

Soon after, the Imps made it 5-0 when Kerr played in Beevers and the defender capped off an impressive afternoon by sending a thundering shot along the ground and into the net from the edge of the area. Soon afterwards, Kerr was replaced by Frecklington. The game filtered out and when the final whistle went, a huge cheer roared up from the Imps fans to secure the biggest win since beating Carlisle 5-0 in the 1999/2000 season and the ironic thing being that our next opponents are Carlisle.

THE AFTERMATH

City lost their next two games and only won twice more during the season, away at both Wycombe Wanderers and Shrewsbury. City still made the Playoffs though and were to face familiar opponents.

The Mariners followed this game with a 2-0 win at Wrexham, but their chances of automatic promotion faded with some very bad form. They were 30 seconds away from League One as they were beating Northampton and Leyton Orient were only drawing against Oxford. Northampton equalised with 30 seconds to go, but that proved irrelevant as Orient took the lead against Oxford, meaning that that Northampton goal hadn't cost Grimsby automatic promotion.

So Grimsby entered the Playoffs and faced the Imps. City had two early goals disallowed in the first leg but Gary Jones put the Mariners ahead with their first realistic attack. Brown had a chance cleared off the line for the Imps in added on time during the first leg.

The away leg was a few days later and Marvin Robinson drew the Imps level. Ben Futcher scored an equaliser on the night for Grimsby before Gary Jones made it 3-1 on aggregate and sent the Mariners to the Playoff Final. It would be Keith Alexander's last game in charge of City.

Grimsby went to the Playoff final but failed to create an impact as a Steve Guinan goal proved the winner as Cheltenham won promotion. That game would be Russell Slade's final game in charge of Grimsby Town.