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Up the Mariners!
Up the Mariners!

Preview: Grimsby v Swindon

By: Kevin Dolan
Date: 16/03/2007

GRIMSBY Town can enter the top half of the table for the first time since the opening week of the season as Swindon Town visit Blundell Park.

Home > 2006-2007 Season > Previews > Swindon (h)


The Opposition

Overview
Swindon were relegated from the old Division One in 1999/2000 and remained a stable League 1 team until last season when they were relegated to League 2. A poor start to last season had seen Andy King sacked as manager, leaving Iffy Onoura to take on the role as caretaker manager. After beginning to pull The Robins away from the foot of the table, Onoura was given the post until the end of the season and in February they sat in 16th place. However, another poor run towards the end of the season, which saw them win just 2 of their last 13 games, dragged them back into the relegation zone and they were relegated with one game to spare.

Dennis Wise was appointed as manager by the Wiltshire side last summer with his ex-Chelsea colleague Gus Poyet appointed as his number two, but both were attracted to the vacant Leeds position after an impressive start at The County Ground. Paul Sturrock (left) was then appointed in November and the ex-Plymouth, Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday manager has revived the promotion push.

The Team
Swindon currently lie in 3rd place in League 2, separated from the play offs by goal difference only. The Robins started the season superbly, winning their first six games to top League 2. The club then hit a rough patch after Wise’s departure before Sturrock steered the club in to 2nd place in December and they have remained there or thereabouts since. Scoring goals has been the problem for most of the season and their home form has been pulling them through a sticky patch in recent weeks; they have recorded two wins in seven and only one goal and one point in their last three away games.

Top scorers are Christian Roberts (left) and ex-Sheffield Wednesday Lee Peacock with 11 and 9 goals respectively, although neither has scored since January. Defender Jerel Ifil signed from Watford in the summer of 2004 and has proved himself as a mainstay of The Robins defence over the last couple of seasons, amassing nearly 100 appearances. Alongside him is well travelled full back Jamie Vincent, who has played for Portsmouth and Derby. Goalkeeper Peter Brezovan broke his arm in the reverse meeting between the clubs and has not played since.

Key Player
Full back Jack Smith (left) signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2005. A Watford trainee, Smith has become a regular, starting 38 games last season and 34 games so far this. He is also now the club's regular penalty taker and has scored two penalties in the last three games.

Recent Form

TownSwindon
WHereford(a)1-0
WBury(h)2-0
LMacclesfield(a)1-2
WWrexham(h)2-1
WMansfield(a)2-1
Currently 15th in League Two.
WAccrington(h)2-0
LStockport(a)0-3
WChester(h)1-0
LBarnet(a)0-1
DDarlington(h)1-1
Currently 3rd in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownSwindon
Peter Bore8
Ciaran Toner7
Roberts11
Peacock9

Team News

TownSwindon

  • James Hunt has extended his loan spell for a further month.

  • Gary Croft has recovered from an injury and will be available for selection.

  • Danny Boshell picked up an injury in training on Thursday and will face a late fitness test.

  • Alan Buckley again has the dilemma between 4-4-2 and 4-5-1. The availability of Boshell may well influence this decision.
  • Jerel Ifil serves the second of a two-match ban.
  • Probable Teams

    TownSwindon
    1Phil Barnes
    2John McDermott
    6Justin Whittle
    5Nick Fenton
    3Tom Newey
    18Peter Bore
    25James Hunt
    8Paul Bolland
    10Ciaran Toner
    19Gary Jones
    22Danny North
    29Phil Smith
    2Jack Smith
    15Andrew Nicholas
    3Jamie Vincent
    29Ashley Westwood
    12Ricky Shakes
    19Michael Pook
    34Michael Timlin
    8Aaron Brown
    9Christian Roberts
    10Lee Peacock

    Subs

    TownSwindon
    13Robert Murray
    20Gary Croft
    24Simon Grand
    16Danny Boshell
    17Peter Till
    Noubissie, Weston, Sturrock, Zaaboub, Jutkiewicz
    16Patrick Noubissie
    23Curtis Weston
    22Blair Sturrock
    4Sofiane Zaaboub
    21Lucas Jutkiewicz

    Head to Head

    The Mariners have a good record at home against The Robins and were unbeaten in 11 meetings at Blundell Park until 2003.

    P 41 W 13 D 9 L 19 F 49 A 65

    Swindon Head-to-Head (74th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The Mariners last visit to York Street came at the beginning of last season as The Pilgrims halted Town’s record breaking away run with an injury time equaliser.

    16-Sep-2003
    Grimsby1 - 2Swindon
    Boulding 23 Gurney 53
    Mooney 65

    Swindon Team: Evans, Heywood, Ifil, Viveash, Miglioranzi, Hewlett, Milner, Gurney, Duke, Mooney, Parkin
    Subs (not used): Griemink, Smith, Stevenson, Herring, Reeves

    Grimsby Team: Davison, McDermott, Crane, Ford, Barnard, Cas, Bolder (Crowe, 89), Hockless (Soames, 73), Campbell, Rowan (Nimmo, 39), Boulding Subs (not used): Edwards, Young

    Attendance: 3,535   Report

    Bookings: Heywood, Milner (Swindon)

    Prediction

    Town 2-1 Swindon

    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Blundell Park (left).

    Admission Prices

    Click on the link for ticket prices to Blundell Park.

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