Grimsby 5 Sheffield & Hallam County FA 2




cropped_web.jpg Superb result grafted out of hard work on the back of some
exceptional skills.

With 57 seconds on the stopped clock Grimsby had taken a 1-0
lead thanks to a Daniel Hornigold thunder bolt shot.
 If the keeper saw it he did nothing to stop
it; bizarrely he ended on the floor with a suspected dislocated shoulder bone.

The rest of the half was 50/50; Grimsby was not at their
best, having seen an initial result from distance to many players thought they
would try their luck, time again it was ball wasted.
  Sheffield wasted chances after some excellent
build up play, which illustrated why they went into the game second in the
table; Grimsby tested the substitute keeper who kept them in the game with some
great saves.

The half time rant was that we had got to half time without
playing anywhere close to peak form, the team had room to lift its game, the
team needed to retain the ball longer, cut out the long shot and work closer to
Sheffield goal.

The second half started nip and tuck, both teams testing the
other when in possession; the first turning point came when a Sheffield player
was sent off for 2 yellow cards.
  Sheffield
had 2 minutes to play a player short, power play, or an opportunity that can’t
be missed, Grimsby had to inflict a goal from this situation.
  With seconds of the 2 minutes left Mathew
Payne delivered the goods; 2-1 to Grimsby.

The game again settled to its previous tight game, when out
of the blue, with all our inexperienced players on the pitch 3-1, 4-1 and the
clock showing 6 minutes left.
  For the
first time in a game Grimsby had the bench to take of all 4 for a well earned
rest and replace with 4 water and rested substitutes.

Futsal can kick you in the teeth, a 2 goal lead can be wiped
in seconds if a team switches off; Sheffield did score
 to make it 4-2, but that was wiped out with a
Lee Wilkinson goal from a gem of a pass from Grimsby youngest player Josh
Parry.
  A scooped pass took out the
keeper and a defender, leaving ‘Wilko’ with a tap in, a tap in created
because he bust a gut to get in the position in the first place.

Credit to Josh who was responsible for 3 assists on the last
3 goals.

Leigh Graves has  been
a class keeper in every game this season, against Sheffield he was at the peak
of his form; an added bonus is his improvement in distribution which is giving
his team mates better quality ball to start moves from.

Sam Brookes made his debut and was comfortable an assured on
the ball and will be major team asset in future games.

Grimsby’s hit squad of Hornigold, Frary, and Payne all added
to their goal tally, all 3 being in the top 15 scorers of the FA National
League.

Kirk Russell, Luke McClellan, Matt Horner all played a major
role in a great team performance, with goals coming from so many positions the
team is in a position to improve to new levels.