The Cost of Poor Quality

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 04/03/2025

LET'S face it. We should win this one. We're playing a team in Tranmere who haven't won for weeks. While we're undefeated in six games, nothing should ever be taken for granted of course. We have to contend with our opponents having a new manager and a new approach, while a couple of our players sustained knocks in Saturday's draw at Cheltenham.

Mr Artell added fuel to the doubt by telling us that according to some data analysis Tranmere should have gained 14 points in the last 6 games instead of 2. Even so, we had to be favourites tonight and looking to accumulate points with the ultimate goal of making the play-offs.

The starting team on this cool evening was: Wright – Rodgers, Tharme, McJannet – Svanthorsson, McEachren, Thompson, Hume – Luker - Rose, Obikwu. With five games in fourteen days, it appeared that Mr Artell was rotating the line-up without disturbing the basic shape of the team. Tranmere turned out in a striking claret kit with an orange sash.

The crowd of 4,854 at Blundell Park was quiet as Town started on the attack. 9 minutes had gone when Tranmere attacked on the left after an error by Luker. Patrick supplied Hendry who crossed. With Town's defence all at sea, Hawkes looked to bundle the ball over the line. As Tranmere appealed, Jennings tapped the ball back to Finley who drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner. Even if the first one wasn't there was no doubt about this being a goal. Town 0, Tranmere 1. Town's defence seemed to have switched off. A great interception by McEachren gave Luker a clear chance but Luker wastefully screwed his shot wide. Town's play was ragged, with possession being routinely lost. On 19 minutes Tranmere had a chance when Jennings shot low from range, forcing Wright to get down and push the shot away. 20 minutes had gone and apart from the goal nothing had happened. The crowd remained quiet, barring murmurs of dissatisfaction. The pitch was awful and the performance was weary. There hadn't been a semblance of a shot on target. Promotion, what promotion? This was survival as Town struggled. Tranmere won a corner on 24 minutes. Town retrieved the ball and promptly gave it away. McEachren received a yellow card for a crunching tackle on Finley. Seconds later McEachren fouled Finley in similar fashion but while conceding a free-kick fortunately no further action was taken. At last Town did something on 29 minutes. Obikwu turned the defender and passed to Rose who crossed to Svanthorsson. Tranmere keeper McGee showed greater determination and beat Svanthorsson to the ball. Tranmere seemed intent on going down at every opportunity, disrupting any flow to the game and making a poor spectacle even worse. Town had a chance on 33 minutes after winning a free-kick. Hume crossed and in spite of Svanthorsson and Rodgers making attempts on goal, the goalmouth scramble came to nothing. Svanthorsson then won the ball in midfield and although Luker lost control, Town won their first corner. This came to nothing. Svanthorsson started a move after Hume lost the ball but the move fizzled out. On 41 minutes Warren replaced Tharme who was injured. Two minutes later Hume was fouled on the left. Rodgers got a head on the cross but the defence was packed. With all the stoppages, it was surprising that only four minutes were added at the half. Town managed to put together a nice move, culminating in a perfectly weighted pass from Warren to Luker, but Luker's sliced attempt was woeful in spite of the absence of pressure. So the score remained 1 - 0 to Tranmere at halftime. It was a niggly game with Town showing no invention or spark. It had to get better.

Town took their time in appearing for the second half. Whether this meant that Town were now going to play with purpose and clarity was about to be revealed. Barrington replaced Obikwu for the second half. A great run by Hume was cleared but Warren followed up and won a corner. Rodgers found Luker whose cross was overhit. There was no animation in the crowd, which was hardly surprising as there was no animation on the pitch. A poor back pass almost let Dennis in. Town lost possession after working up the pitch. The ball ambled back and forth. Time ticked on. Tranmere weren't contributing any flair but were battling hard to retain their lead by any means. On 57 minutes Khouri replaced Thompson. Soon after Luker played Barrington through but Barrington was unable to beat the final defender. Barrington did better with a shot on 60 minutes after a pass from Svanthorsson. Once again the resultant corner led to nothing. Tranmere weren't contributing much but were obdurate. Town didn't seem to have any answer. As if the game wasn't lacking enough in fluidity, it stopped for an injury to Tranmere's keeper followed by a substitution. On 66 minutes Town attacked. Hume crossed from the left. The ball bounced. Turnbull slipped and the ball struck his hand - penalty. Rose sent McGee the wrong way. The ball landed in the left corner. Town 1, Tranmere. Town had a scare when Warren's clearance rebounded off Svanthorsson back towards Wright in Town's penalty area. Rose had an audacious attempt when trying to volley the ball over his shoulder but the shot sailed into the Pontoon. Town appeared rejuvenated after the penalty. 20 minutes remained. Tranmere won a corner. Rodgers cleared. Tranmere pressed. Good work from Davison led to a chance for Hawkes who failed to control his shot. Town won a free-kick in Tranmere's half. Norman was booked for time-wasting. Khouri floated a cross towards Rose who couldn't quite get on the end of it. Town were defending solidly against sporadic Tranmere attacks but the quality when playing the ball out was poor. On 78 minutes Khouri was fouled but Hume sent his cross straight to McGee. Good skill by Luker and Barrington saw Hume in possession but Hume dismally sent the ball out of play. On 81 minutes Green replaced Luker. The clock ticked down. Yet another cross sailed out of play. There was no discernible quality on show from either side. As the game approached the 90th minute there was another stoppage for an injury to a Tranmere player. Seven minutes of added time were announced. On the basis of what had gone, this meant seven minutes of tedious agony. There was plenty of struggle but no sustained possession. McJannet found Rose who slipped the ball through to Khouri. In best tradition, Khouri passed the ball to no-one and it dribbled out for a goal kick. Even Rose's touch deserted him as Town tried in vain to break through. Town won a corner on 97 minutes. The ball was headed clear for another corner but there was no time for any more. So it ended: Grimsby Town 1, Tranmere Rovers 1.

Some years ago at my work, there was an initiative to identify and tackle the cost of poor quality. There was poor quality in abundance here, with neither side able to keep possession or pass the ball accurately for any period of time. Town tried but looked tired against battling Tranmere who didn't have much to offer. As a spectacle it was poor. This was a scrap in the mud of Blundell Park. While not mitigating the lack of basic skill and composure, the pitch was awful and didn't lend itself to any form of fluid play. The cost of all this was the loss of two points for Town. We didn't do enough to secure a winner, and wasted the few opportunities we had. We were also quite lucky to win the penalty. Hume's zipped cross was good but the defender slipped with the result being that the ball bounced uncontrollably onto his arm. At least we got a point. Given our position, we need to be winning games at this stage in order to make progress. We'll now just have to beat Walsall, Notts County and Salford in the next 10 days to stake our claim for a play-off place.

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