No Tangerine Dream

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 08/08/2026

THERE is a view that today's Carabao Cup tie is just a pre-season prelude to the real business of the league season, but we have to remember that last year's equivalent fixture against Shrewsbury led us to the memorable glory of beating Manchester United. Today's opponents at Blundell Park were the Seasiders of Blackpool from League 1.

Player turnover has been minimal, leading to some nervousness about the depth of our squad, or lack of it. Some of that is down to the fact that so many players were retained, which suggests unprecedented stability between campaigns, but with Kabia, McEachren, Khouri and Burns going out, injuries to Tharme, Staunton and new signing Andrews, offset by the arrival of Morgan, Doyle and Pruti, the securing of Andy Cook, loanee keeper Cartwright and the emergence of number of promising youth players, the doubt still remains that the squad looks thin and inexperienced with a long season ahead. Much hinges, I suspect, on both fitness levels and the impact that Morgan and Doyle are going to have, along with the development of Turi, who for me as a player has been over-cautious compared to the departed McEachren. We would see. The starting line-up today was: Pym - Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Sweeney - Turi - Amaluzor, Green, Walker, Vernam - Cook. It transpired that Town's loaner keeper Cartwright was now injured. As always at the start of a season, our League 1 opponents Blackpool, who we haven't played for a few years, were very much an unknown quantity. One thing which was familiar was their pleasing tangerine kit on this sunny day in Cleethorpes. 4,817 spectators were here to witness the event, including 510 visiting fans.

Two minutes of struggle to control the ball signalled the start of the season. An archetypal McJannet long ball was noted and duly received by a Blackpool defender. Blackpool played the ball upfield. Hamilton got behind the defence and passed the ball back into the box. Sweeney stuck his foot out and found Ennis who adeptly positioned himself and directed the ball low to Pym's right. Town 0, Blackpool 1. Town won a corner on 7 minutes, following up with another one. The ball came out to Walker who curled a low shot. It was going in but Peacock-Farrell got a hand to it. Walker then forced another save out of the Blackpool keeper. Town were having a good spell but Blackpool attacked again on 15 minutes, when Coulson forced a good save from Pym following a back flick by Ennis. The corner came across from the right at the Osmond end. Niskanen found himself unmarked and directed a header into the right corner of the net. Luckily for Town a Blackpool player intervened and offside was given. On 19 minutes Green burst up the right, crossing to the onrushing Vernam. But Vernam missed the ball completely to the despair of the Pontoon crowd behind the goal. Town won a free kick on the right after 21 minutes. The delivery was poor as it had been all game so far. Blackpool countered and passed the ball around on 23 minutes. And the game stopped …. for a hydration break. This is Cleethorpes. “What. pray tell, is that”, enquired the crowd, or words to that effect. Maybe the tide would now turn. Two minutes later there was a longer stoppage for an apparently serious injury to Niskanen following a fall. On 33 minutes Amaluzor had a shot which Peacock-Farrell parried, but there was no one to follow it up. Blackpool attacked immediately and Kouassi found Hamilton who made a mess of his finish, Rodgers pushing the ball out. For the second time a Blackpool corner found an unmarked player at the back post. This time it was Ennis who was unable to capitalise. Town won another corner on 39 minutes but delivery once again was abject. Town won a free kick on 41 minutes. This time it was played short but Walker's drifting cross resulted in a foul on a Blackpool defender. 7 minutes were added to the half. Town won their eighth corner. This was the best. Green met Vernam's cross with his head, but his flicked attempt fell wide of the post. Blackpool then won a corner following good work by Coulson. The cross was cleared. Town ended the half on the offensive. A foul by Ennis on Turi earned Town a free kick. Amaluzor put in a cross. Kacurri proved a nuisance snd laid the ball off to Rodgers whose low shot was brilliantly saved by Peacock- Farrell. The half ended: Town 0, Blackpool. Town had had plenty of the play, and good shots from Walker and Rodgers, but had nothing to show for it. Blackpool looked to have greater quality going forward and defended resolutely but Town were very much in the game. An area of concern which had to be addressed was our inability to pick up loose players at corners.

Within a minute of the restart, Vernam took advantage of some loose play by Anderson and won a corner, which Blackpool dealt with easily. A good interception by Amaluzor from Brown started another attack. Bowler then showed his quality for Blackpool by cutting inside and firing a shot off the crossbar. Good work by Turi and then Sweeney set up a sweeping attack but Sweeney's cross ball to Amaluzor was dismal.On 54 minutes Kacurri beat Kouassi to the ball across to Vernam who was fouled by Williams. Town almost made a mess of the free kick but Amakauzor took advantage of defensive indecision, allowing McJannet a shot which was saved. With 57 minutes gone Blackpool attacked. Pym saved an Ennis attempt with his foot after Ennis tried to squeeze the ball into the bottom corner. Pym retrieved the ball, and in a moment of disastrous complacency, passed to Sweeney on the edge of the box. As Sweeney faced the goal, Bowler was behind and saw the opportunity, nipping in and slotting the ball past Pym. Town 0, Blackpool 2. With 60 minutes gone, Amaluzor was replaced by Morgan who immediately made an impression with a good interception. Town now looked more lively. McJannet rise and met a Vernam corner with his head but the header went wide..The hydration break came and went. Blackpool were in control, with Town looking deflated. Blackpool almost increased their lead on 71 minutes when another pinpoint Bowler corner found the head of Anderson. The header looped towards the far post. Pym, under pressure, managed to clear the ball before winning a free kick. On 74 minutes Doyle and Andrews replaced Green and Walker. Morgan showed his worth for Town on 78 minutes, winning two battles but then spoiling his good work with a poor cross-field pass. Blackpool then took Town's defence apart with a flowing move involving Ennis and Bowler, before Brown despatched a curled shot over the bar. A crunching tackle by Ashworth on Turi earned Town a free kick on the right. Vernam's cross was headed away. McJannet was almost guilty of a shocking pass to Sweeney but the situation was retrieved as Blackpool threatened to break. A rare poor clearance by Peacock-Farrell led to a Town attack. Sweeney crossed for Cook who fell over under pressure from Casey. 6 minutes were added to the half. Morgan twisted and forced Casey to concede a corner. The ball came back to Doyle whose shot from range caused Peacock-Farrell problems but there was no one to follow it up. Moments later Turi won a scrap in the Blackpool half, running forward and laying off to Rodgers who from outside the box slid a low curling shot past Peacock-Farrell's despairing left hand. Town 1, Blackpool 3. Three minutes remained. Town had a chance. Catchpole replaced Turi on 94 minutes. Blackpool broke on the right. The impressive Bowler wriggled clear before working a one-two with Honeyman. Bowler's crossed but was pushed out by Pym directly into the path of Kouassi who stabbed the ball home. There was no time left. The final score was: Grimsby Town 1, Blackpool 3.

This wasn't all negative from Town's perspective. Town, however, were unable to match the League 1 side's control and quality. We need to tighten up and improve our understanding between players - worrying as these players were together last year. It's early days but clearly there's plenty of work to be done.

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