COWLEY’S IMPS ARE ON THE UP
DANNY COWLEY says a “disappointing point” at arch-rivals Grimsby proves how far Lincoln have progressed in the last 12 months.
The eagerly-anticipated derby ended all square in a typically feisty battle at Blundell Park, with the Imps wasting the better chances late on.
“We’re disappointed overall,” said Cowley. “The biggest mistake is to play like you don’t want to make a mistake and unfortunately we did that in the first half.
“After that we should have won the game. We had the lion’s share of possession, territory and good chances. We don’t want to be nearly men. Some of those chances had to be taken towards the end and they weren’t.
“Blundell Park is a tough place to come, so to come here and be disappointed with a point tells the story as to how far we have come as a club.
“It baffles me how people talk about how good our squad is and how big our budget is. We have the smallest squad in the division with 19 players and they are all doing really well.”
Both sides failed to stamp much authority on a first half that was played in a piercing atmosphere, with the best chance falling to Grimsby old boy Nathan Arnold.
But after being played in by Matt Green, the winger’s effort lacked conviction.
It was more blood and thunder after the break, but the game lacked quality in the final third.
Sam Jones almost burst through for the Mariners but was denied by a fine Sam Habergham tackle, then he almost broke the deadlock on 67 minutes but his shot on the turn crept wide of the far post.
At the other end Matt Green fizzed a 20-yard effort inches wide as the visitors poured forward in the dying minutes. Michael Bostwick went close twice, first with a header and then with a rightfooted strike that was well saved by James McKeown.
Grimsby boss Russell Slade praised his side’s defending but admitted more quality was needed in attack.
“This was only our second clean sheet of the season and I am really happy with that,” he said. “We defended well and looked really solid. “We were the better side in the first half and looked the more likely to open the scoring. Lincoln came into it a bit more after the break but when they did we did well to keep them out. “They’re a good side, there’s no doubt about that, so to keep them from scoring is good. “I just wanted a little bit more from us going forward. There was no lack of effort but our final balls in that last third were disappointing. That is the difference between drawing a tight game and winning a tight game.”