Rotherham v Grimsby

By: The Fishy Team
Date: 08/10/2007

GARY Montgomery could make his Grimsby debut against former club Rotherham in Tuesday's JPT tie at Rotherham. Phil Barnes sustained a slight knock in Saturday's defeat at Peterborough and Montgomery is on stand-by to play against a club where he spent four years.

The Overview

It’s a tough time to be a Miller not unlike ourselves their ground is in desperate need of repair not unlike ourselves they have dropped through the league like a bottomless boat but unlike our selves they did it with the crisis of administration. Most of you will be aware of their plight last season after been docked the now obligatory ten points after going into administration Rotherham clawed their way back out of the relegation places to the wonderment of many before forgetting to finish the season off and plunging back down and finally been relegated to the bottom tier of the football league. Manager Mark Robins is experiencing his first spell as a manager after being appointed in March of this year to replace Alan Knill. Knill had first taken over from the cult figure of Ronnie Moore who had inspired a Buckleyesque climb of the football league before leaving back in 2005 after which Knill took a brief spell in charge followed by former Forest manager Mick Harford with his departure followed Knills full chance of management which failed in March.

The Team

Mark Robins have tried his best to convert a team ready to bounce right back to league one at the first time of asking. It’s so far so good as they tenth in the league and some promising performances under their belt it is defiantly something to build on in the early season period. Rotherham have some very bright and talented players coming through the ranks in Liam King, Stephen Brogan and Chris O’Grady its these youngsters which Robins will put faith in when the two teams face each other on Tuesday evening. Don’t expect an entire squad of first choice regulars to start for either side as both take this opportunity to rest many after a busy period.

Key Player: Chris O’Grady

The former Leicester City striker has an impressive past naming his highlight as scoring a penalty against Internazionale which is something different at this level. Otherwise the 21 year old has started his career brightly with an impressive resume at Leicester, Notts County Rushden and now Rotherham. O’Grady seems to have started the season in the same vein with 3 goals from seven and some impressive displays of maturity. The front man will be given the chance to lead the front line on Tuesday night as Robins rings in the changes through the entire squad for the game against Town.

Team News

Both managers are obliged to play at least six regular players from the season so far in the starting line up, but Town boss Alan Buckley is likely to field a strong side for the trip to Millmoor judging by the previous round when Buckley played virtually his first choice XI in the 4-1 thrashing of Huddersfield. Midfielder James Hunt could return to the squad following a knee injury, while Paul Bolland (shin), and Isaiah Rankin (dead-leg) both proved their fitness at London Road.

Alan Buckley's main opportunity to make a change is up front where Grimsby have four principle strikers, but have mainly started with Rankin up front on his own this season. Buckley could perhaps choose to play Gary Jones in the lone striker role and rest Rankin, or play two strikers in a 4-4-2 formation.

Rotherham boss Mark Robins is likely to rest a couple of first team players and likely candidates for a start are defender Ryan Cresswell who is on-loan from Sheffield United. There could well be a full debut for young striker Tom Cahill, who signed in the summer from Matlock Town. Another forward who could be due for a recall is Chris O'Grady, who was an unnamed sub in the win at home to Mansfield at the weekend, .

Grimsby: (from): Montgomery, Bennett, Fenton, Whittle, Newey, Till, Bolland, Boshell, Toner, Clarke, Rankin, Barnes, Jones, Taylor, North, Hunt, Bore

Rotherham: (from): Warrington, Tonge, Coughlan, Sharps, Hurst, Todd, Bean, Danny Harrison, Brogan, Newsham, Derek Holmes, Cresswell, Cahill Annerson, O'Grady, Duncum

Prediction

Can a heavily overworked Town pull off a win at a place which has been kind to the Mariners in recent years? Of course lets face it after the rugby anything is possible.

Rotherham Utd 1 3 Grimsby Town

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