Wolves Preview

By: Richard Lord
Date: 09/03/2001

GRIMSBY TOWN welcome the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to Blundell Park this Saturday. The Mariners will be desperately trying to rediscover the home form which saw them lose only once in 9 league games earlier in the season. Potentially the game could make-or-break Town's season.

Saturday's fixture is the fourth meeting between the two sides this season. In the league Wolves won 2-0 during Town's run of four consecutive away matches in November which saw Grimsby fail to record a single point during the month. The two clubs also met in the Worthington Cup, in which the Mariners won the first leg of the second round tie 3-2 at Blundell Park, but went down 2-0 in the second leg at Molineux .

Wolves have had a relatively unsuccessful recent record at Grimsby - the Wanderers have failed to score in their last two visits to Blundell Park. Daryl Clare's goal of the season won the game against Wolves in last year's campaign. The game was to be Town's last win of the season - following the victory against the West Midlands side, Grimsby scored just 5 goals in their remaining 15 league fixtures of the 1990-2000 season.

The Wolves team news is that in-form George Ndah will miss the match through suspension, as the former Swindon striker has picked up 5 yellow cards this season. Other team news from Molineux is that highly-rated midfielder Keith Andrews is fit again after a bout of the flu. The Dublin-born player missed Wolves' 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest last week, but looks likely to feature on Saturday.

Former Coventry striker Cedric Roussel is available to Wolves boss Dave Jones (left), who may opt to keep the Belgian striker on the bench. The former Southampton manager will be looking to stop the away defeats which saw the Wanderers lose 1-0 at Norwich and Sheffield United in their last two games away from home.

Grimsby will welcome back Stacy Coldicott from a one match suspension. The tough-tackling midfielder could replace new signing Menno Willems, with Lennie Lawrence committing himself to rotating the squad in the next few games, with the Mariners scheduled to play eight fixtures in March. Peter Handyside will continue in defence, although the Grimsby manager has to decide whether the Scot will be partnered by skipper Paul Groves, or by Chinese international Zhang Enhua, the latter of whom was rested for the midweek game at Huddersfield.

Strikers Michael Jeffrey and Jonathan Rowan are also back in contention. After Tuesday's performance, Daryl Clare will be hoping to continue up front, and may be partnered by any one of the two returning strikers, or Donovan could be pushed up from midfield.

Kingsley Black has now scored 4 goals in 5 games for the reserves and is pushing for a first team place, although it is likely he will only feature on the bench. Also playing in the reserves were Alan Pouton and Bradley Allen who both continue to make good progress on their way back to full fitness. Danny Butterfield may be replaced on the right of midfield by Pouton - another option which Lawrence has up his sleeve.

Probable Line-ups:

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