Town Start With a Draw

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 29/11/2023

GRIMSBY gave away a 1-0 lead and ended up getting a draw at MK Dons tonight, which sounds familiar to many games this season. However David Artell's first game in charge saw the Mariners create far more good chances, and they could have easily won this game.

On the other hand, they could easily have lost and the home side missed a glorious chance through Mo Eisa to win the game with virtually the last kick of the game.

David Artell made four changes from the side that drew with Sutton on Saturday. Rodgers, Clifton, Khan and Rose replaced Waterfall, Holohan, Andrews and Wilson.

Grimsby got off to a good start, playing some nice football in the opening 15 minutes, but without creating anything clear-cut. The Mariners took the lead though when a Town break picked out Rose in space and he pulled the ball back to Pyke who fired the ball across the keeper into the bottom corner of the net. It was no more than the away side deserved.

MK Dons finally created their first decent chance on 25 minutes when Tomlinson fired a shot across the goal and wide. Glennon then limped off with an injury, and with no left back on the bench Clifton had to drop back and Hunt came off the bench into midfield.

Grimsby could have gone 2-0 when a brilliant slide by Rose saw him beat a defender, rose with the ball, and his shot was deflected into the side netting.

Hunt then had two chances in the closing moments of the first half. First, from a Gnahoua pass, saw Hunt's effort saved and then a second effort was parried by the keeper

Grimsby had dominated the first half but only had one goal without reply to their name.

Eisa came on for Pyke early in the second half, with his brother Mo on the home side, for some added human interest edge to the game. MK Dons soon had their best chance of the game when Dean hit a Tomlinson cross well wide.

Brilliant play by Alex Hunt saw Gnahoua hit the post, but within a minute it was level when Payne drilled in a Gilbey cross.

Town immediately made a double sub bringing on Wilson and Ainley for Khan and Gnahoua.

MK Dons could have taken the lead when Tomlinson tested Cartwright with a shot which the keeper pushed away and was cleared for a corner.

Both sides traded chances in the closing stages. Ainley should have done better from a brilliant Mullarkey cross but smashed the ball into the side netting. Then in virtually the last kick of the game, a run by Harvie saw him surge through the Town defence and pick out Mo Isa who scuffed a shot wide, to the relief of his brother.

Overall Town looked much better going forward with one of his best performances since joining the club from Mullarkey, and Hunt looked somewhere back to his best when he came off the bench. The defensive frailties were still there at times but sometimes attack is the best form of defence.

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