A Lesson in Self-Destruction

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 15/11/2025

PERHAPS Head Coach Artell has led me to have greater expectations than I should have, but I cannot help feeling a slight sense of frustration about our league campaign so far. Obviously, 6th place is goo,d and there have been some excellent performances at times.

But in amongst the praise, I have heard Mr Artell note as a cover for our more disappointing results that players didn't follow instructions or displayed a lack of ruthlessness. I think this is where my frustration comes from: we seem to lose our way too often. It's a psychological thing and not confined to Grimsby Town, I should add. I saw exactly the same on the tv on Tuesday when Notts County, after a stellar first half display, lost their fluidity and almost let the game slip at Cheltenham. Last week's draw at Barrow was a similar case in point, where we failed to capitalise on our two-goal lead. Maybe it's the Grimsby in me, but I have visions of us plunging down the table as we keep on making the same mistakes without getting the results, however great or otherwise, the performance described by Mr Artell. The good news is that although Walsall and Swindon head the division, no team is running away with it. Our first game with Swindon comes up next week, but today we host Chesterfield who made the play-offs last season and are in contention this year, sitting in 10th place but only one point behind us in the table.

Town's starting XI today was: Pym - Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Staunton - McEachren - Green, Walker, Vernam - Kabia, Rose. It's inevitable that there are pluses and minuses. Pym seems to be vulnerable to long shots, Khouri, today making way for Walker, is the new Holohan in the “much effort, howling misses” department, McJannet seems to have temporarily lost confidence, Svanthorsson hasn't looked fit or up for the battle yet, and the jury is out on the hard-working Kabia. On the plus side Turi, unavailable today as he performs heroics for the Faroe Islands, has looked assured and is an able potential replacement for McEachren who has had less impact this year. The return of Rose is additionally more than welcome while in Walker and Eccleston we have two excellent players. It also proves that we potentially have strength in depth, but this means nothing if heads go down, the players' heads are full of data-driven fog and we lack the ruthlessness that Mr Artell and the rest of us see on occasions.

The other test today was going to be the pitch after all the rain we've had. It was a relief to get through the pitch inspection. Now we would see if the pitch would stand up as it wasn't able to last season, since when it has received attention. 7,407 hardy spectators were here braving the weather.Town, heading towards the Pontoon end, kicked off on this cold, windy and wet afternoon. Chesterfield wore their customary blue kit. After 3 minutes McEachren conceded a corner, which was dealt with easily. Two minutes later an excellent intervention by McJannet led to a Town attack and a curled shot from Vernam which went wide. Both sides showed intent in the early stages but hadn't showed control in these conditions. Warren had a decent attempt on 9 minutes after Green did well to keep the ball in play. Walker then battled to beat Tanton to the ball in the Chesterfield box after good build-up play by Kabia and Rose. Town won a free kick on 12 minutes after McFadzean pushed Kabia. The referee at this point spotted a hole in the pitch and play was stopped temporarily. Staunton delivered on the restart but Kabia couldn't gain control. Rodgers then conceded a corner with an inaccurate header. Chesterfield took it quickly, catching Town out. Naylor went close with a header. Town had the best chance so far on 19 minutes when Warren won the ball on the right. Kabia ran on to Rodgers's cross and struck the ball well, bringing out a good save from Chesterfield keeper Hemming. Roses's persistence on 22 minutes won a succession of corners. After the third was cleared Pym found Vernam on the left. Vernam and Green were on different wavelengths so the chance went. Chesterfield had a good chance themselves on 26 minutes when Rodgers at the back post struggled to clear an excellent cross from Markanday. Tanton was provided moments later with a cross. McJannet's weak clearance fell to Darcy whose shot was inches wide. As Chesterfield pressed, Warren received a yellow card for a foul on Berry. Dunkley was then booked for stiff-arming Rose who looked to attack after a Naylor error. Town attacked. Good work by Green and Rodgers led to a Walker shot and a corner. Vernam's corner evaded everyone. Town pressed forward again on 34 minutes. Good work by Rose and Walker was unable to lead to an opening. After pressuring Chesterfield into conceding a throw, Town attacked again. Determined work by McJannet led to a superb cross from Green. Kabia met it with his head but it bounced down and over. Kabia then did well to spot an opportunity after a long range shot from McEachren was spilled but Hemming retrieved the situation. Three minutes were added to the half after the earlier stoppage to mend the hole in the pitch. There was no further action and at half time it remained 0 - 0. It had been an entertaining half and the pitch had stood up well, barring the hole incident. Both side had chances but Town had more, and were working the ball well. Chesterfield looked a capable side, and it remained to be seen whether they would benefit from having the wind behind them in the second half. The rain swept in, and that wind continued to blow. Men walked round with pitch forks.

Great running from Kabia earned Town an early corner. Vernam sent over his cross. Walker's shot was blocked but at the second attempt Walker delivered a stinger which Hemming did well to get down and save. Vernam then had a good shot saved after good work by Rodgers and Green. Town started the second half well, and won a corner on 49 minutes thanks to Walker. On 52 minutes Vernam played the ball back to McJannet's who inexplicably left it with Bonis homing in. Pym raced out but brought Bonus down on the edge of the box. It was an indisputable red card for Pym. Casper came in in goal for 10-man Town, replacing Vernam. Kabia was then booked for delaying proceedings as Town attempted to marshal themselves. Fleck's free kick was high. Town responded aggressively with the impressive Kabia battling hard and winning a corner. Staunton's corner was pinpoint but McJannet failed to control his header from a good position. Town were battling hard. With 60 minutes gone Chesterfield applied pressure. A shot in the box from Darcy was blocked. On 65 minutes Amaluzor replaced Kabia. Chesterfield had another dominant spell with Darcy having a shot blocked and then forcing a good save from Casper before winning a corner. Town were on the ropes. On 70 minutes Markanday wriggled through the defence on the rig and crossed. Rodgers stuck his left foot out and glided it into the net with Casper helpless. Town 0, Chesterfield 1. Town were the architects of their own downfall here. Chesterfield stormed forward again on 73 minutes. Casper spilled a shot from Fleck but Bonis was offside. On 75 minutes, Oduor, Khouri and Gilsenan came for McEachren, Walker and Rose. Inevitably, Town's play lost fluidity but there was no shortage of endeavour. Gilsenan almost broke through with good work on 81 minutes before play stopped for a foul. Chesterfield looked dangerous when they attacked, and Markanday should have done better after dancing through the defence and finding himself clear from 15 yards out. The game became scrappy. Chesterfield weren't complaining. 8 minutes were added after all the adjustments following the sending-off incident, but Town were ragged and didn't look like scoring. As Rodgers passed the ball out of play, not for the first time, it was as if the balloon had burst and the energy had gone. With 97 minutes gone, it all looked as lost as Town battled near their corner flag. But Town got the ball upfield and won a corner. Casper went up. But there was no fairytale ending as Town committed a foul. It was game over: Grimsby Town 0, Chesterfield 1.

Town made the best of the weather conditions, and worked hard, but ultimately beat themself with poor decision-making by McJannet and his miscommunication with Pym, and the added concession of an own goal. Both Town and Chesterfield had good spells of play, and our performance was fine until the final period when it all became desperate, but the game was, without doubt, turned on its head with the sending-off. At that moment, Town pressed the self-destruct button.

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