Disappointing loss Robins are denied top spot by Grimsby
gloslivesport@reachplc.com
MICHAEL Duff’s 100th game in charge of Cheltenham Town ended in disappointment as the Robins were beaten 3-1 at home by Grimsby Town to miss out on the chance to go top of the League Two table.
Grimsby led through Owura Edwards’ well-struck opener after Will Boyle conceded possession in the 23rd minute.
Andy Williams levelled five minutes later after good work from George Lloyd and Liam Sercombe but James Tilley’s shot was spilled into the net by goalkeeper Josh Griffiths six minutes before half-time to restore the Mariners’ lead.
Substitute Owen Windsor added the third deep into stoppage time after another defensive aberration, firing past his West Brom colleague Griffiths.
Cheltenham should have had a penalty with the score at 0-0 when Luke Waterfall appeared to handle the ball on to the post.
Duff ’s side suffered their second home defeat of the campaign - the same number as the whole of last season - but he did not feel they deserved to lose.
“I am not happy with the decision in the first half when there was a clear handball on the line,” he said.
“It’s a penalty and he probably has to be sent off.
“I am not one for stats as the most important one is 3-1, but we totally dominated the second half.
“There are lots of things you can do about the first goal, but ultimately the lad has smashed it in the top corner from 20 yards so you have to give him a bit of credit.
“Josh then made a mistake and there is not a lot you can do about that. There were things I wasn’t happy with about the performance, but I didn’t think we deserved to get beaten, personally.
“Word is out we are not a bad team. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but we were a bit hurried in our play, got involved in a basketball match, which is what they wanted.
“They picked a big, big five, sat two in front of them and tried to hit us on the counter all the time.
“We needed to be more measured in our approach and when we did, we cut them open at times.
“In the second half when they really banked in, we didn’t have enough guile.
“It’s 46 games and coming thick and fast and you aren’t going to hit the same levels of performance every week.
“The disappointing thing is I’d like to have got a draw. I am not sure we did enough to win it, but I am not sure we deserved to lose it either.
“We had all the ball and got into good areas.
“We probably didn’t create enough good chances, but it’s rare you dominate half a game of football like that.
“It’s difficult when teams bank in and you do 45-minute training sessions and when they put that many men behind the ball, you have to find a different way, which we didn’t’ do.
“We got into good areas, but the final ball let us down.”
Duff is hoping to add one more player to his squad before Friday’s transfer window - but said it is a ‘complicated’ deal.
“There is one we are waiting on,” he said.
“Whether it gets done or not, I don’t know. There are so many different moving parts.
“Out, I am not sure yet, but I am not expecting anyone to leave.
“If I told you what the deal was depending on I’d be here all night.
“It’s probably the most complicated deal I have been involved in and we are still not sure we’ll get it done.”
He was without midfielders Tom Sang and Finn Azaz, with Sang not expected to be fit to face Southend on Saturday.
“Finn wasn’t quite right from the weekend, which is why we took him off at half-time. He didn’t quite look right,” said Duff.
“Tom Sang rolled his ankle during the game and it blew up quite big.
“He did it in the first five minutes so he’s done well to get through.
“Sangy will miss Saturday, but Finn we are hopeful.
Duff was keen to defend Griffiths after his error, and has backed him to respond well to the setback.
“He’s kept six clean sheets in seven games,” said Duff.
“I’d like the lads to have got him out of a hole, because people will be focusing on that now.
“If we’d been better and got a couple of goals everyone would have forgotten about it.
“It’s part of a goalkeeper’s learning. The England goalkeeper has made three or four mistakes this season.
“Josh is a good player, which is why we’ve brought him in and he’s proved that.
“His all-round game has been good so far this season - has that been the most pleasing thing along with the saves he’s made?
The position he plays in, when you make a mistake - you’ve done it as a defender - part of his learning.
“It’s why he’s here and West Brom would rather him do that here, than for them - that’s why he’s on loan.
“There is no way his confidence should drain and our confidence won’t because we see him in training and he keeps getting better and better.
“He had no chance with the other two goals and he didn’t have a save apart from that. He had one save last week, he didn’t have a save the week before.
“Sometimes things don’t go your way and it’s rare a team have three shots and score three goals.”