They Think It's All Over

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 01/04/2012

GRIMSBY's lingering hopes of promotion came to a disappointing end at home to Kidderminster yesterday. Deservedly leading 1-0 at half time, Town were outplayed in the second half and eventually lost to an injury time winner. It means that Town's promotion hopes are now vanishingly small

The result was particularly disappointing as their main rivals Southport lost at home to lowly Hayes. The main beneficiaries were Town's victor's Kidderminster, who could still sneak into the top 5.

Grimsby started brightly but the visitors looked to have gone a goal ahead when they bundled the ball into the net. It looked a harsh decision as McKeown had saved the ball but deflected it into the path of a Kidderminster player on the far post, who bundled it in from close range.

Town rode their luck, and continued to have the majority of chances and possession. Around the half hour mark Elding made a great run and crossed to Hearn who should have scored from point blank range. He didn't quite get enough power on his header though and the 'keeper managed to dig the ball out from under him and keep the score at 0-0.

Townsend won a free kick in the 38th minute, despite being on the floor and having two Kidderminster players trying to get the ball off him. The defender was also given a yellow card. The free kick, half way between the corner flag and the edge of the penalty area, led to Town's opener. Artus struck the spot kick and it went straight to Wright who headed it in off the far post.

Town were good value for their half time lead, but it was a different story in the second half. It opened with a mass goalmouth scramble in front of the away end. Town somehow survived the huge scare but it seemed to set the scene for the second half which the visitors dominated.

It wasn't long before Kidderminster scored a deserved equaliser. The visitors won a free kick which was initially cleared when it struck the wall, but was soon played back into the ruck of players stood in the goal mouth, and Malbon got his head to the ball to level the game.

Kidderminster continued to have most of the possession and Town had to content themselves mainly with attacks on the break. Hearn had a good chance late on but shot wide, then McKeown, who had an otherwise shaky game, made two great saves in the closing stages to earn Town what looked like a point.

It was not to be however and the visitors scored midway through 5 minutes of injury time. Rowe picked up the ball midway in Town's half and the Grimsby defence parted like the red sea as he skipped past three challenges and slotted the ball past McKeown in front of about 100 delighted away fans.

Grimsby has not really looked like winning it once the equaliser went in, and looked like the midtable side they probably are. Although the season is not totally over Town's only hope is to pick up maximum points from the 5 remaining games and hope that others slip up.

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