Fix! Recount! False start! Er, what else is there?! So, who knew that Colchester United weren’t going to stick to the script last weekend? In his first match in charge of Boro’, new boss Dino Maamria wasn’t able to conjure up three points. Not so much a bang, but a boo-sucks; this new era at the Lamex started still suffering a hangover from the fallen regime. The honeymoon period was a bit ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’, but now it can only get better.
And we’ll look deep into your eyes and tell you that is how it is. Don’t get us wrong; it’s hard for anyone about to travel to Grimsby to be told that things are looking up. Just think of it as a little leap of faith. You’ll be back home before you know it too. And, by the time you are, the Maamria Era will hopefully be up and running. If a little later than planned. We’re almost a bit like British Rail, really. We may be running late, but we’ll get there.
Grimsby Town v Stevenage: The Lowdown
The Referee
P1 W0 D1 L0 F3 A3; last result: Stevenage 3-3 Newport County, 05/12/2017
We probs did this gag on the opening day, but we’re not shy about it. Ho ho ho, that’s because it’s Martin Coy! And our opening day six-goal stalemate with Newport County is the only time that we’ve met so far…
The Opposition
P3 W2 D0 L1 F7 A6; last result: Stevenage 3-1 Grimsby Town, 19/08/2017
In the grand scheme of life, the universe and everything, us and the Mariners are relatively new to each other. It’s only the second time we’ve been to Blundell Park; the first time not being one you’d want to dwell on too long, given our 5-2 drubbing. Since then, however, two matches indoors have yielded six points for Boro’. And, for us here, the chance for a rare league double; for them, meanwhile, a chance to redress the early balance.
The Form
From 11th and a point outside the playoffs on 10 December to 21st and three points above the drop; the way in which Grimsby Town have plummeted down the table has been as dramatic as it has been comic. At the risk of setting ourselves up for an equal and opposite reaction, our hosts this weekend haven’t won since that pre-Christmas high. That’s 18 games in total. In that time, the Mariners have picked up just four points.
You can now see why Grimsby have given Barnet and Chesterfield something to play for. Well, Chesterfield at least. Not so much Barnet. They’ve conceded at least once in each of their last 17, and at least once in three-quarters of all their matches indoors this term too. Up top, meanwhile, they’ve failed to score in nearly half of their home fixtures. Come on Boro’; you’ve been quick to be charitable this term, but this one’s a dud cause.
The headline stats from kickoff.co.uk…
• BoroGuide’s Grimsby Town club profile – because too many fish puns will give you a haddock…
