A Tale of Progress

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 03/05/2025

WE knew what we had to do: just win. It's been an eventful season but also a successful one after last year's relegation escape. We're playing for a place in the play-offs and I for one would not have expected that. Head Coach Artell has recognised our inconsistency and my word he's been right.

Our performances have ranged from woeful to outstanding. I'd single out our wins at Walsall and Doncaster as being the best of the best, while wins at Gillingham, Salford and today's opponents Wimbledon were testimony to our character and determination. Yet there have been doubts, no more so than in our bigger games at home. Today afforded the opportunity to redress that balance. It was up to Mr Artell to bring clarity and the players needed to show composure and demonstrate the skill which we clearly have both individually and collectively. Whatever way you look at it, all Town fans whether here at Blundell Park or not should rightly be full of excitement about today, and it was up to the players to match the expectation. It is, to quite a favourite expression of Mr Artell, as simple as that. With a play-off place in our grasp, we were asking for more. Our expectations were great. Whatever was going to happen, it's been the Dickens of a season.

The team today with the job of extending the season was: Eastwood - Rodgers, Tharme, Warren - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Hume - Rose, Obikwu. A full house crowd of 8,369 and an accompanying panoply of inflatable Harry Haddocks populated Blundell Park. A fresh breeze was in the air on this sunny afternoon. The crowd exercised their lungs and expanded the pent-up energy. The game began with Wimbledon in their customary blue kicking off.

The first action came on 2 minutes when a Rose snap shot went wide after Green won a throw near the corner. Town then won a free kick in the left corner after great battling work by Obikwu and Khouri. Hume's cross escaped everyone as Wimbledon scrambled. Wimbledon won a corner on 8 minutes after a nondescript move. Tharme dealt with it well and Town countered with Rose and Obikwu combining to win a corner, but Hume's cross went over the bar. Town looked up for it. Wimbledon, and goalkeeper Goodman in particular, looked to be playing the clock as if a draw would be enough. A long bouncing ball almost put Green in between Lewis and Goodman almost put Town in. Town continued to press. A long throw from Tharme looked to be headed out by Hutchinson but a goal kick was given. On 17 minutes Town had the best chance yet when a great run from Green led to a cross from the right. Rose got his head on it but flicked it wide. It was a good chance. Wimbledon hadn't done much so far but did win a free kick when Khouri fouled Smith. Town then won a corner fortuitously after a poor back pass by Lewis. Another mistake in the Wimbledon defence was almost pounced on by the alert Obikwu before McEachren had a shot after good work by Svanthorsson. Town were playing well and putting Wimbledon under pressure. McEachren was fouled on 26 minutes as Town moved forward. Town won another free kick in the Wimbledon half on 28 minutes when Khouri was fouled on the left. Hume's cross went straight to Goodman. On 30 minutes Johnson received a yellow card for a poor tackle on Obikwu. Again the dead ball delivery, this time from Svanthorsson, was poor. Obikwu attempted to wriggle through into the box but was penalised for a foul. Harbottle then clattered Khouri which surprisingly didn't result in a free kick. Tharme's throw was dealt with as Town pressed on. After yet another foul, this time on McEachren, a brilliant cross field ball by Green led to an equally brilliant trap by Svanthorsson who looked to be fouled but the referee thought otherwise. A breakout on 39 minutes led to a poor decision from Khouri who screwed his shot wide with Obikwu available in the outside. An optimistic shot by Obikwu put Town in a good position but nothing could be made of it. Wimbledon's intentions were made clear when Browne was booked for time wasting on 41 minutes. Just one minute was added, which allowed enough time for Town to win a corner. Hume's delivery was better but time ran out. It was 0 - 0 at half time. It wasn't enough for Town who had played well and with good intensity but hadn't created enough chances. The two we had involving Rose's header and McEachren's shot needed better finishes. Results elsewhere reinforced Town's need to win the game, which was going to be made harder by the gusty conditions which would be in Wimbledon's favour in the second half.

Role reversal: within 30 seconds of the restart Eastwood was forced into a good low save after a well struck shot from Tilley. Hume finished up in an argument with Tilley. This wasn't the time as Town needed to concentrate. Reeves had a shot which went over before Town started a passing move, culminating in a poor pass from Khouri. On 49 minutes Town won a free kick in midfield. Hutchinson received a yellow card for time-wasting. Green tried to bulldoze his way through but Wimbledon gained possession, winning a corner on 52 minutes after Tharme's sliced clearance. The corner came in from Tilley. Harbottle's header went downwards and up onto the crossbar. With Town's defence slow to response Hutchinson was on hand to blast the ball home from 5 yards out. Town 0, Wimbledon 1. Wimbledon now seemed to have an injection of confidence. There were signs of Town's play being ragged. Town's fans who had been in good voice, started to murmur. McEachren set up a move after battling to beat Tilley but Obikwu couldn't get onto the pass. Neufville shot into the side netting from a tight angle. On 62 minutes a Rose pass saw Obikwu and Harbottle in a gargantuan battle as Obikwu tried in vain to get a toe end on the ball in the Wimbledon box. As Town looked to save the season, Tilley lifted the ball over the top to Browne who was clean through but was unable to get his shot on target. 25 minutes remained. Town were making no inroads as Wimbledon had a grip on the game as Town had had in the first half. Warren made way for McJannet on 68 minutes. Obikwu won a free kick a minute later after another physical battle. But Wimbledon controlled possession as the clock ticked down. Tharme did well to block a dangerous curling cross from ex Mariner Tilley. The ball came out to Reeves whose shot was well saved by Eastwood. The crowd groaned as Tharme passed back to Eastwood, who nearly made a mess of things by firing a clearance at Smith, luckily gathering the rebound. Wimbledon were winning the physical battle, shrugging Town's players away including our biggest threat Obikwu. Svanthorsson sought to get through the defence on 77 minutes but Town's play now was clumsy. Town finally won a corner on 79 minutes after Obikwu laid the ball off to Hume. Wimbledon dealt with it easily and broke out. Town struggled to clear the ball but did so. With 81 minutes gone Vernam and Barrington replaced Khouri and Rodgers in a bid to retrieve the game. Town won a corner seconds later and then another. Town battled. Barrington supplied Obikwu who wrapped his foot round it and brought a great save out of Goodman. The wind blew strongly. Hume stood on the ball and fell over. We have seen Town completely lose their way in this situation but not today. Town were working hard, passing and moving the ball. The team could not be faulted for effort but was up against a well-organised and resilient team in Wimbledon. McJannet waltzed between two players and found Vernam who hesitated - end of move. Wimbledon stood firm, maintaining possession and control, and even winning a corner in the 91st minute. Town got the ball back in the Wimbledon half but again the defence was solid. The game ended: Grimsby Town 0, AFC Wimbledon 1. So ended the season.

From frustrating paralysis to outstanding displays of skill and resilience, we've seen everything from Town's players this season. Linearity has been conspicuous by its absence other than in the most important metric, our rise up the table compared to last season. Personally I'm not sure we would have been ready for League 1 but now we'll never know. Whatever division we were going to be in, we need to sort out the organisation of our leaky defence, make improvements in our dead ball play, improve the physicality, find more support up front for Danny Rose and work on our psychological approach which has been erratic. Today's outcome was disappointing but let's reflect on the good things. Whilst I may not always be a fan of Mr Artell's public relations strategy, I give him total credit for the most important task of developing players and raising levels of performance. As he observed himself, the fact that there were a number of potential Player of the Year candidates instead of just one is telling. Hence taking account of our final position our season has been a success on the pitch and a revelation after the previous season's struggles. We don't know which players we'll keep but the fact remains that even with our weaknesses this has been a good season in which we've made good progress and there are encouraging signs on the pitch for next season.

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