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We returned for the FA Cup 3rd round and looked to be coasting to victory at 2-0 until we conceded a rather dubious looking penalty in the second half. A late equaliser took it to a replay and that was probably our easiest game of the season as a poor looking Grimsby were beaten 4-0.
When we met in that cup replay back in January Grimsby were fourth from bottom of the league with Brighton, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke the three clubs below them. That remains today although they now find themselves seven points behind the next team (Derby) whereas in January they were only three points behind Bradford.
Unless there is a major collapse by one of the teams just above them it is a fair bet that the three relegation places will be taken by the bottom four and right now they are just out of those relegation places by one point.
For that they can be thankful for six points in the last week without which they would be routed to the bottom where they were a week ago.
But last Saturday they clinched a 1-0 home win against Watford with a spectacular winner from player-manager Paul Groves and in midweek picked up another three points when John Oster scored a stoppage time goal to clinch a 1-0 win at Rotherham.
It will probably run for the rest of the season with just one of them staying up. Sheffield Wednesday look the most likely to go down at the moment but as Grimsby have shown in this last week a couple of results can change things very quickly.
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For the win at Rotherham they lined up: Danny Coyne, John McDermott, Simon Ford, George Santos, Tony Gallimore, John Oster, Paul Groves, Richard Hughes, Stuart Campbell, Darren Barnard (Stacy Coldicott), Darren Mansaram (Steve Livingstone 87). Subs not used: Shaun Allaway, David Soames, Steve Chettle.
Grimsby were the better side at Rotherham and the home side hardly looked likely to score with former Sheffield United player Georges Santos in dominant form. He was without doubt the man of the match. Grimsby did have to defend for long spells in the first half but apart from one effort from Gareth Farrelly the keeper Danny Coyne had an unusually quiet night.
They picked up in the second half and Rotherham were hardly able to get forward. It did look as though they would have to settle for a point but substitute Steve Livingstone got down the left wing deep into stoppage time and John Oster met his cross some ten yards out and made no mistake as he smashed it home.
Player/boss Paul Groves said after the game, "I felt that we always looked dangerous and with us being able to keep the ball so well I always thought we could nick it".
The goal by John Oster was his sixth and means he is now joint leading scorer in the league along with a former loan player Steve Kabba. He scored six when on loan from Palace, the last two of these coming against the Clarets in the 6-5 game.
Click HERE to see our preview for the away game, HERE to see our preview for the cup tie, HERE for the replay and HERE to see Grimsby’s results this season.
He played for both
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Despite his physique he was hardly the big strong bustling forward and as he reached the reserve team didn't appear to have too much going for him. He did make the first team though when Willie Irvine broke his leg and scored two in a 2-1 win at Blackpool just after getting to the team.
He was soon out of the side again when Willie was fit but it was the year after that a change of position brought about a change of fortune for Colin. It is believed to have been Jimmy Adamson’s idea but he was moved from the front to the back and within no time at all had won a place in the first team.
The lack of aggression he had always shown as a forward was somehow put away and he became as aggressive a central defender as their was in the First Division.
He partnered Colin Waldron in a fierce defence and after being booed by the Liverpool crowd after a couple of hard challenges Jimmy Adamson warned that the more you boo him the better he plays.
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He was more a less a regular in the first team for a couple of years before he moved back north to Rochdale and then had a spell at Darlington before he signed for Grimsby, then in Division Four, in 1976.
He played just nine games for them before moving to Workington where he ended his league career. He was a member of the team that ended Workington’s league career and as they lost their Football League place to Wimbledon in 1977 he retired.
League results in the last 20 years
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
a | |||||
1982/83 | 2 | h | 1-1 | 7,136 | Donovan(pen) |
a | 2-3 | 5,448 | Laws(pen) Moore(og) | ||
1988/89 | 4 | h | 1-0 | 7,367 | Oghani |
a | 0-1 | 4,856 | |||
1989/90 | 4 | h | 1-1 | 5,647 | Jakub |
a | 2-4 | 5,973 | Francis(2) | ||
1994/95 | 1 | h | 0-2 | 10,511 | |
a | 2-2 | 7,084 | Davis Parkinson | ||
1997/98 | 2 | h | 2-1 | 8,256 | Little Payton |
a | 1-4 | 4,829 | Weller | ||
2000/01 | 1 | h | 1-1 | 15,413 | Cooke |
a | 0-1 | 6,044 | |||
2001/02 | 1 | h | 1-0 | 18,535 | Taylor |
a | 1-3 | 9.275 | Briscoe | ||
2002/03 | 1 | a | 5-6 | 5,620 | Taylor(2) I Moore Blake(2 1pen) |
Click HERE to see all our past results against Grimsby going back to 1897.
Last Time in the League
Burnley 1 (Taylor 3) Grimsby Town 0 – Nationwide League Division 1, Friday 23rd November 2001
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There was plenty of entertainment off the field too and the three home stands were completely full after the club reduced prices to £5 in all areas for the match that was going out live to those 30 or 40 people who had signed up and were able to receive ITV Sport.
What a pity this channel had to belong to ITV Digital, it was without doubt the best coverage the First Division has ever received. Mind you they were supposed to be paying for it.
Those three stands were full of scarf wearing Clarets who were backing Clarets Mad’s ‘Bring your scarf to the Turf’ campaign and they were certainly out as we had some special pre-match guests, some of the players who had worn the famous Claret & Blue shirt in European competition in the 60s.
Everything was there for a superb performance and although that early goal, a Gareth Taylor header from a Paul Cook cross, was the only goal we did play some pretty good stuff. The oft maligned midfield were the stars and Tony Grant in particular who had an outstanding game.
By half time Grimsby could have been out of sight but Taylor put another couple of headers wide and Little and Ian Moore both missed opportunities.
The second half was more subdued as the Clarets allowed Grimsby far too much of the ball but to be honest they never threatened to get back into the game and were very much second best.
Victory meant we went into the weekend five points clear at the top of the league and amazingly were 8,10 and 14 points clear of the three teams West Brom, Man City and Birmingham who are now playing their football in the Premiership.
The teams were,
Burnley: Nik Michopoulos, Dean West, Ian Cox, Arthur Gnohere, Graham Branch, Glen Little, Paul Weller (Kevin Ball 73), Tony Grant, Paul Cook (Alan Moore 76), Ian Moore, Gareth Taylor (Andy Payton 86). Subs not used: Luigu Cennamo, Lenny Johnrose.
Grimsby Town: Danny Coyne, Marlon Broomes, Alan Neilson, Alan Pouton, Paul Groves, Danny Butterfield, Menno Willems (Wayne Burnett 76), Bradley Allen (Phil Jevons 68), Jonathan Rowen (Paul Raven 82), Ben Chapman, Michael Boulding. Subs not used: David Smith, Steve Croudson.
Referee: Mr. George Cain (Bootle).