Sloppy Town outfought in home defeat
GRIMSBY Town’s winning run came to an end on their return to Blundell Park as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Harrogate.
Jack Muldoon’s double either side of James Tilley’s equaliser saw the visitors claim a deserved victory, with the Mariners sloppy after their week on the road.
Making their return to Blundell Park, Ian Holloway once again rung the changes as five players came into the side following Saturday’s win at Leyton Orient.
Among them was Luke Spokes, who made his first league start after featuring in the EFL Trophy against the same opponents, while James Morton, James Tilley, Montel Gibson and Owura Edwards returned.
Meanwhile, new signing Virgil Gomis was named on the bench, alongside Kyle Bennett for the first time since joining on loan from Bristol Rovers.
James McKeown was called into action early on as the visitors made a bright start, with Aaron Martin beating the offside trap before pulling back to Calvin Miller, who forced the Town skipper to parry before his defenders helped him out. The hosts suffered an early blow when Edwards slipped on the wet surface, with Holloway taking no chances as he took the Bristol City loanee off after just seven minutes, giving Bennett his debut in the process.
Harrogate really should have gone in front when George Thomson was presented with an open goal from just a matter of yards out after a deflected shot fell kindly into his path, but he somehow managed to volley his effort over the bar – although Town’s defenders might have just done enough to put him off.
The visitors eventually got their lead though, courtesy of a mistake from Town’s skipper as McKeown looked to prevent the ball going out for a corner, but in the process sent the ball directly into the path of Muldoon, who gleefully accepted the gift to put his side in front.
The response from the Mariners was immediate though, with Tilley equalising after mere moments as he received the ball from Bennett before cutting inside and driving the ball home from the edge of the box to wipe out Harrogate’s lead.
The visitors though continued to threaten, thanks in part to some sloppy work from their hosts, summed up by the goal which saw Harrogate retake the lead.
Having won a free-kick inside their opponents’ half, Town then found themselves having to race back as the visitors broke quickly, with McKeown making a decent save from the initial shot before Muldoon tapped the ball home on the rebound to grab his second of the game.
Looking for a way back into the game after the break, it was Harrogate who should have instead extended their lead, with a momentary lapse from Mattie Pollock presenting Martin with a golden opportunity, but he could only send his effort wide.
Town’s frustration in trying to get back into the game was playing straight into the hands of their opponents, who were making every effort to try and get referee Seb Stockbridge to dig his red card out of his pocket,
However, to his credit, he remained levelheaded.
That frustration would continue as, bar an effort from debutant Gomis and a dangerous cross from Luke Hendrie, the Mariners were unable to really create anything as their winning run came to an end.