A Memorable Mudbath

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 11/02/2026

SATURDAY'S draw at Newport was disappointing but we did have the chance to make amends tonight at home to in-form Accrington Stanley. Our Head Coach David Artell has spoken a number of times about the rigours of playing three times in a week.

He is right that Town are better prepared than last season with less injuries and more strength in depth to enable some rotation without damaging the team's performance.

Last year's equivalent fixture resulted in Town winning 5 - 2, which rightly nailed down a place in the GTFC official site's “Five Memorable Meetings”. This seems to have become a regular feature. Laudable and interesting as it is, just as the Newport “Five Memorable Meetings” on Saturday, it constrains itself by having to find five such meetings in recent history. So as a result this time we have in second place a 0 - 1 home loss in the Papa John's Trophy from 2022. Who remembers this? Only 703 spectators attended, plus I suppose anyone who might have watched it on Mariners TV if it was on there. Even the summary admits to chances being limited. I don't live in North East Lincolnshire these days so cannot definitely confirm whether the pubs are or are not still buzzing with the talking points from this fixture, but I very much doubt it. I can't remember anyone ever mentioning it before. I'm not sure why it has to be five recent meetings, but someone at the GTFC site clearly has a different idea from me of what's memorable.

Town's team was: Smith - Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton - McEachren - Burns, Green, Walker, Sellars-Fleming - Cook. The line-up was evidence of rotation with further matches against Wolves, Walsall and Bristol Rovers between now and a week on Saturday. Maldini Kacurri, Albanian international and recent signing from Arsenal, made his debut tonight. There was some doubt as to whether anyone would play tonight after the persistent rain. The officials bounced and rolled some balls and confirmed it was playable. Even so Blundell Park resembled a mudbath. 4,604 spectators were here tonight.

Town kicked off, facing the Pontoon end. Accrington wore blue. Green opened up the Accies defence within a minute, finding Rodgers who crossed to Sellars-Fleming but Sellars-Fleming's stab went wide. The ball was cleared after two decent corners. The Green-Rodgers combination worked again on 6 minutes but Sellars-Fleming at the back post found the ball stuck in the mud between his feet. On 9 minutes Sellars-Fleming was provider, sending in a great cross, which Grant whipped away from the lurking Green. A lovely cut inside by Burns led to a cross on 14 minutes but it was too long. Town were on top and won a corner on 15 minutes. Staunton crossed, Kacurri sent it forward and a defender put it out for a corner. From the corner Cook shot. Sellars-Fleming deflected the ball on from close range but Accies keeper Wright got in the way. Town came close again in 18 minutes after a scramble with Green, Burns and Walker all involved. Sellars-Fleming should have scored on 21 minutes after being sent by Green who battled to win possession in midfield. Walker then burst through the middle, passing to Burns who wasted the latest chance by passing it to the goalkeeper. Town continued to put Accrington's defence under pressure. A Burns shot went wide on 23 minutes after good pressure from Cook. With 26 minutes gone only, Town had had 13 shots. On 28 minutes Sellars-Fleming was fouled on the left by Love. Instead of crossing to the centre, Staunton passed to McEachren who unimpressively fired his shot wide. Accrington had a chance on 31 minutes after Whalley dispossessed McJannet and sent the ball forward but Smith had Heath covered. Walker battled to earn a corner for Town on 33 minutes. From the corner McJannet turned and fired in a good shot which deflected off a defender's back. Woods then pulled Rodgers over on the right. Green got a head on Staunton's cross but the ball dropped wide. Staunton then had to concede a corner to keep Whalley at bay. Grant had a good low shot which Smith parried but there was no Accrington player to follow it up. Right on half-time Smith made a save from another long range effort from Grant. Accrington finished the half on top after Town's extended period of domination. 0 - 0 at half time. Mr Artell has told us many times that we should have been 2 up at half time. Here was another opportunity to say it. But we never are 2 up when he says it. Whether we could plough on, literally, and break down Accrington remained to be seen. Ominously Accrington started to look dangerous at the end of the half, and Town would be defending the Pontoon mud pit which had caused the Accrington defence so many problems in the first half.

Town attacked a minute into the second half but Burns's low cross was too close to Wright. Moments later Rodgers found Walker who cut left and fired a good shot which just cleared the bar. Walker went close again after a deft lob from Green but Love blocked the shot. From the corner Cook hit an accurate shot which the unsighted Wright did well to save with his feet. Slippery old pro Whalley earned a free kick and a yellow card for McJannet on the right edge of Town's box. Whalley teed up Grant whose well struck shot was well saved by Smith. With 56 minutes gone, Green broke free but wildly sliced his shot into the Osmond stand. On 57 minutes, Green picked out Sellars-Fleming on the left. Sellars-Fleming controlled the ball and moved inside, finding space, and blasted a low shot from 25 yards out. The shot was bullet straight, deflecting off the inside of the post into the net. Town 1, Accrington 0. Town almost doubled the lead a minute later when Sellars-Fleming confidently burst up the left, crossing for the advancing Cook whose flick just went wide. With 65 minutes gone, Accrington were starting to apply pressure. Town responded with a double substitution: Vernam and Khouri on for Sellars-Fleming and Walker. Accrington won a corner on 71 minutes after a link-up between Madden and Woods. Town withstood the threat. The game was stopped on 73 minutes for attention to an injury to McEachren., Oduor came on in his place. The game had by now lost some of its intensity, no doubt in large part due to the heavy and tiring conditions. This was to Town's advantage. Accrington continued their quest to work the ball upfield. Khouri saved the day in 78 minutes, nipping in to stop Abimbola. Town were keeping their shape well, and alert to Accrington's attempts to get round them. On 83 minutes Kabia and Amaluzor replaced Cook and Burns as Town sought to maintain their energy level. On 85 minutes Matthews went piling in on Oduor in the Accrington half. The referee gave Matthews a red card, giving Accrington more work to do and Town a numerical advantage. Green's flicked header from Staunton's subsequent free kick went wide. Love then fouled Khouri in his enthusiasm to win the ball. Oduor went close with a cross after Staunton played the ball out wide to use up time. 6 minutes were added. Accrington looked tired but launched an attack. The ball fell to Whalley who fired in a worldie into the top left corner from 25 yards. But it was a disallowed worldie as the referee had just awarded a free kick to Town after Brown elbowed Khouri in the face. Brown received a yellow card either for the foul or for the subsequent unpleasantries directed at the referee for the free kick. It was a battle to the end. McJannet cleared up after a Vernam error. Oduor scrapped. The end came. Final score: Grimsby Town 1, Accrington Stanley 0. The better team won.

I don't know how this game compared to the famous 0 - 1 Papa John's Trophy defeat but it can be remembered for its pitch conditions. It wasn't a mudbath by 1970s standards, but the claggy ground without doubt played a part. It should also be remembered for the performance of the players. Sellars-Fleming struggled in the early stages but grew in confidence and scored a magnificent goal. Debutant Maccuri was composed and majestic. It's hard to believe he's only 20 years old. And warhorse Green was impressive too. It was a hard-working team performance from Town and it was notable that we didn't allow Accrington to play. The result is extremely useful and puts us firmly back in contention for a play-off spot. So all in all this was a successful evening and a memorable occasion here on the muddy field of Blundell Park.

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