Blood, Guts and Missed Penalties

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 07/02/2026

A COUPLE of months ago I saw a menu from an executive package at a Sunderland home game. What may be standard fare to your average Mackem had me reaching for the dictionary as the menu featured such delights as rhuboshi and lemon verbena posset. No haslet buns here. Far from the glitz of Sunderland at the opposite end of the scale is Newport, Gwen

The only rhuboshi here has the offering on the pitch, although there has been some improvement since the appointment of Christian Fuchs as manager. Their last two games have resulted in heavy defeats however. New signings have come in but really with our recent form and squad depth Town should be looking at a victory today in South Wales. But as we all know it doesn't work like that.

According to our hype-fuelled GTFC official site, "fixtures between the Mariners and Newport County have rarely lacked excitement". Well I'm not sure about that and in fact the much-acclaimed data does not suggest this but I do remember a 4 - 2 victory at Blundell Park in our 1971/2 promotion season, and the excitement of seeing Newport centre half Steve Aizlewood lobbing his keeper from 6 yards at the Pontoon end for an own goal. Our centre half Graham Rathbone, Newport native and my all-time Mariners hero, scored for Town that day. Over 8,000 attended that game. Today's attendance at Rodney Parade was 3,988 including 388 Town fans. Crowds are lower here generally but judging by the shirts around the city, there was more interest in this afternoon's Wales - England rugby match.

Town were in their Crystal Palace kit today - not my favourite, I must say. The weather had given cause for concern after constant rain throughout the week but although it was a damp day, the game was on. The pitch looked ok. Town's starting XI today was: Smith - Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Staunton - Turi - Kabia, Green, Khouri, Vernam - Cook. No Verbena-Posset then. We must have missed out on him but we do have Sellars-Fleming on the bench and gnarly old Cook, who no doubt has brought a new dimension to our play and provided opportunities for our rookie top scorer Kabia.

Town looked confident in the early stages. Green couldn't keep his balance after an early Cook knockdown but it was Town who were showing the greater intent. After an injury stoppage, Staunton found Warren who passed to Green on the right. Cook's header from the cross skimmed the crossbar. After a Jordan Wright error, fortunately these days for Newport, led to a corner and a well-directed shot from Vernam. Rodgers had a good chance when teed up by Vernam but screwed the shot wide after appearing surprised that Vernam hadn't taken it on himself. 15 minutes had gone and it was all Town. The game stopped after Opoku clashed heads with Turi. Another nice move led to a Town corner and a Turi volley which was blocked. Vernam won another corner on 25 minutes after a dangerous Vernam cross. Newport scramble sit away. The rain returned but Town continued to play positively. Newport were onlookers. Much of Town's play revolved around Turi and Vernam who was winning balls and supplying crosses. A nice run from Kabia earned Town a corner. Three corners followed. Khouri had a shot blocked before Green's glancing header hit the post. With 39 minutes gone, Warren found Staunton on the left. On came the cross to Cook who shielded the ball but couldn't squeeze the ball in, winning a corner instead. Cook was then unable to slot a ball through to Vernam who would have had a clear chance. A brilliant ball from Turi up the right found Green who sent in a low cross. Khouri's touch was terrible. He would have done better to hit it first time. Four minutes were added. Garner had the rarest of things, a shot for Newport, but the shot was wide and went out for a throw. Cook was booked for a foul, leading to one last chance which Town dealt with easily. 0 - 0 at halftime with Town showing vastly superior quality and dominating play. Newport were so bad that they'd have done better to include their mascot Spytty the Dog in the team. But how often have we seen teams change shape and the course of the game after the half? Patience was needed.

Town had a scare on 50 minutes when Smith completely missed a Davis corner but Rodgers was on hand to head clear. Opoku then had a good chance but his shot poor and straight at Smith. Rodgers then produced an excellent cross at the other end. Wright did well to withstand the onrushing Cook and concede a corner. With 59 minutes gone Newport attacked. Garner twisted and under pressure from Turi fell over dramatically - penalty. Opuku stepped up, hit a low shot to Smith's right. Smith made the save. Town cleared the subsequent corner. Town attacked and won a free kick on the left. Staunton's cross found Cook's head. The header was powerful but landed on top of the net. Opoku then broke clear and managed to miss in spite of pushing McJannet over on the way. Newport were now more up for it, winning a corner on 65 minutes. Town broke out but Green was fouled. The game was more open now. McEachren replaced Turi. Newport broke and Opoku showed his pace. Smith angled himself well and made the save. Garner followed up to win a corner. Sprangler's attempt was well wide. Town came back with a good move before it was Newport's turn. Brennan's shot from range dipped but Smith had it covered. 73 minutes had passed. Town attacked. Staunton crossed. Cook laid the ball off to Kabia who was tripped - penalty to Town. Vernam's delivery low to Wright's left was as bad as Opoku's earlier. Wright saved it easily. Staunton put in a couple of dangerous crosses but the Newport defence stood firm. On 78 minutes a mishit Wright clearance found Kabia deep in Newport's half, but Kabia couldn't get his feet sorted out. Town made a triple substitution on 81 minutes: Walker, Sellars-Fleming and Burns on for Khouri, Vernam and Kabia Town were then guilty of a midfield lapse. Newport attacked but the move was clumsy and Opoku couldn't make contact. Green fought and won a freekick on the right. Staunton sent it into the middle but McJannet couldn't control it. Warren then put his body on the line to stop Nyokuhwa snd win a free kick. Walker got his foot on the cross but it went wide. Newport won a free kick on the edge of Town's box after a foul by Walker. Former Mariner Glennon struck his shot straight into the wall. 8 minutes were added. Town were losing their intensity. Newport had put more into the second half. With a combination of tiring players and subs who didn't get into the game, Town had lost momentum and were now running the risk of surrendering a game which should have been dead snd buried the first 45 minutes. Newport won a corner on 97 minutes. Warren smashed the ball clear. Time was up. The final score was: Newport County 0, Grimsby Town 0.

There was no fancy fare here but this game had plenty of blood and guts, and some good play from Town. The final score was disappointing after such a good performance in the first half. It isn't going to help our play-off aspirations. With better finishing from the home side we could easily have gone away with a loss. Both penalty misses were shocking, effectively cancelling each other out. What I can't fault Town for is endeavour. Green epitomised the level of effort, using his every last breath to chase balls deep into second half stoppage time. Cook's dominance, Vernam's skill, Turi's creativity and Staunton's energy and crosses tell me were in a good place but I'd be surprised if Mr Artell doesn't comment on our lack of ruthlessness once again, and our lack of playing discipline as the game went on. We should have secured the game in the first half, but in spite of our efforts we failed to do so.

Add To Facebook

This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!

Related Stories

• Going Places
• Arsenal Defender Signs for Town
• The Invincibles
• More Stories

This Season and previous Seasons