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Stan elected to keep the same sixteen as had played against Leicester in midweek. Somewhat surprisingly, this meant Marlon was retained as keeper. After this display where he was asked few questions, we are none the wiser as to whether he has overcome his recent wobbles.
Up front, the strike partnership, (using the term loosely), of Ian Moore and Blake offered no threat whatsoever, the half time substitution of Blake hardly a surprise to anyone taking any note of proceedings. Grimsby, bolstered by a midweek win at flailing Rotherham, deployed a 4-5-1 formation, though at times this became more 7-2-1, not because Clarets were making inroads to their box, far from it, more that Grimsby just expected it.
In a very quiet Turf Moor, bathed in sunshine, the players began as though in end of season, nowt to play for mode, their shouts on the pitch echoing around the silent stadium. In what was a dull, tedious game from beginning to eventual end, it was all the eighteens before there was any action. Clarets eighteen Weller, shooting eighteen yards wide on eighteen minutes from the eighteen yard line.
Grimsby's main threat, Mansaram, pulled his shot wide on twenty minutes, Little returning the compliment moments later. Mansaram was left to thump the ground in frustration, after a mix-up between Davis and Diallo gave the lanky striker a half chance that he fluffed on twenty five minutes.
Little was booked on the half hour mark, his frustration at ref Stretton, depositing another entry in his needless cautions collection. He was next in the action when flicking a header over the bar from that rarest of manoeuvres, a corner.
Davis' attempted blockbuster ten minutes from the break was blocked by Coldicott, who suffered a fractured tibia in his efforts, the stretcher bearers moving faster than any of the outfield players on view.
Five minutes from the break and Davis' attempted hook from the edge of the area to clear was abysmal, he missed the ball, allowing Campbell in and he found the gap between Marlon's legs when picking his spot from fifteen yards. Oh how the two hundred visitors celebrated, the noise was deafening, even the pigeons flew out of the stand.
As the Clarets boo boys practised their favourite chant, off trudged the players for another of Stan's motivational maths lessons - apparently, we can still reach the playoffs.
Shuffling the pack, Alan Moore replaced the inept Blake with Clarets playing Ian Moore as lone front man. Clarets began the half more brightly taking seven minutes to equalise. Little's deep corner was headed down by Davis, repairing some of his earlier damage and Alan Moore's diving header from four yards was all that was required to breach the worst defence in the Division.
Mansaram beat Diallo down the right and his square pass deserved a better finish than Row P from Campbell, the scooped shot when unmarked, typifying the poor quality on view. Ten minutes in and once again Ian Moore went to ground very easily, rather than shooting when cutting into the area - stop it.
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Going for glory this time with his foot, saw Alan Moore take a divot instead of the ball and with only one good hamstring surviving his twelve minute of play, the stretcher bearers were once again in action, Papaflopoulos getting a run out in the sunshine as a replacement.
On the hour mark, Diminishing Skillsos had a chance, West's neat ball over the defender putting the nippy one in, but after turning his man and staying on his feet, his shot was scuffed, then Ian Moore saw his shot blocked. Goal mouth action, now there's a novelty.
Twenty minutes from time, a switch of the playmakers saw Grant replace Cook as Grimsby went into full time-wasting mode. Despite being flattened, Gallimore's challenge on Little, ten minutes from time was deemed legal by blind pew and his colleagues in a rare attack, whilst down the other end, an increasingly isolated Mansaram drew a trademark tackle from Diallo as a rare breakaway unfolded.
Untroubled by either noise or action, three pigeons were able to take an afternoon walk around the Grimsby area, summing up the inactivity in the surrounding territory. A fossil claiming to be Steve Livingstone entered proceedings as five minutes of tedium time were added, allowing Gallimore time for a booking, his timewasting from a throw-in pathetic to say the least.
There was though a chance in tedium time, Groves' shot going straight at Marlon before the boo boys were at it again and like the three pigeons we could all now leave the stadium and put this one firmly out of our minds.
Att:- 13,445 (84% of which actually turned up expecting a game)
Star Gazer
Robbie Blake. Forty five minutes of half hearted attempts to win, control or work with the ball. This was a pathetically poor display by the most technically gifted player at the club, but summed up the current mood of the team.
Glass Half Empty
Given the last six performances, the end of the season cannot now come soon enough for players and fans alike. One point required for safety from the remaining nine games; season 2002-03 RIP.
Star Geezer
Driss Diallo. The only one who didn't make a mistake all afternoon.
Glass Half Full
This was the final game of Gareth Taylor's suspension. At least now the hopeful punts up front will have some point.