Lennie Takes The Point

By: Stephen Bateman
Date: 27/12/2000

Lennie Lawrence admitted that his side were fortunate to win a point during their Boxing Day encounter with Stockport at Blundell Park. Meanwhile, Stockport boss Andy Kilner has described Wayne Burnett's Grimsby equaliser as a 'fluke'.

As he fumbled for positive comments on what was a below-par performance, Lawrence told reporters: "It's a point gained most definitely. They were very effective and stopped us in the first half. They squeezed us up and we couldn't turn them around. "We had a good spell for 25 minutes at the start off the second half, and, if we'd been really fortunate, we might have won then. We are happy to finish with a point and I can't remember a home game where I was waiting for the whistle to go from 80 minutes." The Mariners boss then went on to dismiss his side's detractors, as he looked to pre-empt any criticsm that might follow the 1-1 draw: "It's another game unbeaten and if we'd have got a point at Preston and won here, everybody would be saying how wonderful it was. "For about 20 minutes I thought we were going to win it, then I thought we were going to lose if we weren't careful. But we have managed to salvage something from 25 minutes, and that's what we can take out of the game." Lawrence also went on to admit that his opposite number, Andy Kilner, had been the better tactician on the day as he added: "I've got to give Stockport credit and we would have been extremely fortunate to get to half-time at 0-0. That system has worked very well for us for the last three or four games but didn't against a side that pushed us further up the pitch. "Too many crosses came into the box, and there was too much space down the right hand side, as indeed there was all game." When questioned further on his tactical decisions against the Hatters, Lawrence admitted that there is a "serious possibility" that he will revert to a more traditional two-man attack for Saturday's home tie with Portsmouth. Stockport boss, Kilner, appeared to be the least satisfied of the two managers as he blasted: "We are never going to play as well as that and not win. "They got back into the game with a fluke goal, if you like, and nine times out of 10 that wouldn't have ended up where it went. "We had enough chances in the first half to win more than one game but this isn't an easy place to come and play." Kilner's side will get a chance to exact revenge on the Mariners early in the New Year, as the return fixture will be played at Edgeley Park on 20th January.

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