Official Match Thread Grimsby Town v Southend United

[The Big Dady]

The Official Match Thread brought to you by ShrimperZone.com

So here we are the eleventh away game of the 2020/21 season and Mark Molesley’s eleventh away game since he was appointed Manager of the Mighty Shrimpers.

Our 11th away match is against Grimsby Town



It is now time for ALL of us to get behind Mark and the team whether you are at Blundell Park in spirit, listening on the radio, or listening/watching on ifollow.

Mark Molesley’s Southend United League Two Away Team against Grimsby Town



Blundell Park is ready for action at 3.00pm Saturday 16th January 2021, after sleet showers in the morning, it looks like we will have a overcast afternoon with light cloud, and a moderate breeze, it will feel ruddy cold with temperature only just above freezing.



The weather forecast for this afternoon at the Blundell Park



Current League away record after 10 away games

Won 1
Drawn 3
Lost 6
Goals scored 5
Goals conceded 17

League Positions Last Season

22nd (2019/20) League One Southend United (Relegated)
15th (2019/20) League Two Grimsby Town

League Positions Current Season

23rd (2020/21) League Two Grimsby Town
24th (2020/21) League Two Southend United

Recent League Positions Change



Previous Five Meetings

Southend United 3-1 Grimsby Town (L2 15/12/20 Att. 2,000)
Grimsby Town 1-1 Southend United (L2 07/05/05 Att. 6,253)
Southend United 1-1 Grimsby Town (L2 26/11/04 Att. 5,192)
Southend United 0-1 Grimsby Town (D2 07/03/98 Att. 4,829)
Grimsby Town 5-1 Southend United (D2 01/11/97 Att. 4,501)

Head to Head record

Southend United Wins: 18
Draws: 13
Grimsby Town Wins: 24

Form Guide

Grimsby Town L L D L L
Southend United W D W L W


Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Managers Pre-match Views​

Grimsby Town

Grimsby Town’s Manager Paul Hurst talks to GrimsbyLive ahead of the game against Southend United

Southend United revival can give Grimsby Town hope of getting out of danger, says Paul Hurst.

The Grimsby Town manager believes there's plenty of time for his side as they prepare for a crucial game at Blundell Park

Southend United have won four of their last six games in League Two​

Paul Hurst believes Southend United’s recent upturn in form can give Grimsby Town confidence that they can get themselves out of trouble this season.

League Two’s bottom two face each other at Blundell Park this afternoon, knowing a win for either could be vital in their hopes of staying up this season.

Things are tight at the foot of the table – the Mariners sit in the relegation zone due to goal difference, while the Shrimpers are just a point further back, having picked up four wins in their last six outings.

And while Town’s recent form is in stark contrast, Hurst hopes today’s visitors can prove to his side they can turn things around – starting today.

Grimsby Town have picked up just five points from their last 11 games​

“It’s far too early to write anyone off,” Hurst told the Telegraph.

“At the minute, they’re certainly in good form, and will be very optimistic of improving that further and getting out of the relegation places.

“Probably four weeks ago, so many people will have thought they were gone, and it would just be one more to join them.

“They’ve shown that fighting spirit, brought a couple of players in, and they’ve made a difference.

That’s what I’m hoping to do in this window – that’s clearly proving difficult, but that’s the aim, and I’m also trying to get more out of the players that are here already.

“If we can do that, there are enough games left to pick up the points that we need.”


Full text can be found here:-
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Southend United

Mark Molesley speaks to ifollow ahead of this afternoon’s game against Grimsby Town

Mark Molesley Southend United’s Manager


Mark Molesley Southend United’s Manager talks to ifollow ahead of the game​

Link to ifollow interview:-
Link

Mark Molesley talks to the Chris Phillips at the ECHO before travelling to the game with Grimsby Town

Big game - Southend United head to Grimsby Town this weekend​

Southend United manager Mark Molesley feels the Shrimpers are back in the fight for survival ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash at Grimsby Town.

The bottom of the table Blues are now just one point from safety having won four of their last six games.

But Molesley is taking nothing for granted against Grimsby who sit just one point and one place above Southend.

“We’re still sitting bottom of League Two and we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us,” said Molesley.

“All we’ve done is get ourselves back in the fight but we have to keep on showing the same mentality and determination.

"This League is very unforgiving and not for one minute can you think you’ve cracked it.”

And Molesley also feels the Mariners, who lost 3-1 at Roots Hall in December, will prove to be tough to beat for a second time.

“It wasn’t too long ago we played them but they have a new manager now in Paul Hurst and that makes it tricky to guess what they’re going to be like,” said Molesley.

“We’re well aware of what the games mean and how important they all are but we have to keep focusing on ourselves and what will give us the best chance to get that win.

“A new manager will have his own ideas and will want to implement changes so we will have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.

"Every game is a very tough challenge and Grimsby are another good side with an experienced manager."

Full text can be found here:-
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The Big Preview

Grimsby Town vs Southend United

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Overview

Blues face another huge six-pointer in their battle at the foot of the League Two table as Mark Molesley’s Southend side take on Grimsby Town tomorrow afternoon at Blundell Park.

The Mariners sit directly above Blues in the relegation zone which makes this weekend’s clash and the three points on offer to both sides that little bit more important.

Just a month ago Southend battled to a 3-1 win against Grimsby in the reverse fixture and they’ll be hoping to pick up another vital victory again this weekend in Lincolnshire.

Form

Southend travel to Grimsby in high spirits after grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 win against Barrow last weekend, despite having 10 men for most of the second-half.

The win atoned for Blues’ prior outing, a 2-0 defeat against Leyton Orient, and maintained their recent upturn in fortunes with Molesley’s side picking up four wins and a draw from their last six.

Grimsby have had a difficult run of things of late with the Mariners currently without a win in their last five matches. Their last outing saw them lose 3-0 to Port Vale.

Last League Meeting

Tuesday 15th December 2020

Southend United 3-1 Grimsby Town

K Taylor 1’, Clifford 57’, Halford 75; Jackson Jr 45’, Waterfall sent off 90’

One month to the day since these two sides last met as Southend secured a 3-1 win against the Mariners in front of 2,000 Blues fans at Roots Hall.

Kyle Taylor scored after 24 seconds to give Southend the perfect start before Ira Jackson Jnr equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Goals from Tom Clifford and new-signing Greg Halford put daylight between the sides with the visitors ending the evening with 10 men after Luke Waterfall saw red.

From The Boss

“Our main focus, when we go to bed every night and every morning we get up, is how can we improve what we’re working with at the moment.

“If one or two were to present themselves that we felt would further enhance the group we’d certainly look at that, but until that happens it’s just fully focussed on preparing for Grimsby.

“With so many games coming up not everyone is going to be able to play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday. It’s important we keep that momentum going.

“We’re well aware of what the games mean and how important they are. What we’ve got to do is keep focussing on ourselves, our process and what will give us the best chance to get that win.

“We all want to win, but we’ve got to know how we’re going to do that and really focus on that.

“That’s what the boys have done. They’ve always kept their focus.

“Win or lose, we still approach things, analyse things and look to improve regardless of the result. I really feel if we stick to our processes that gives us the best chance to win the game.

"You cast your mind back it wasn't too long ago [we last played them]. With a new manager it makes it tricky to guess what they're going to be like. He will have his own ideas and will want to implement some sort of change.

"We've got to be right on our toes and be ready for anything they throw at us. We might have to be quite adaptive on the day depending on how they go about things."

Blues Team News

On-loan Bournemouth man Kyle Taylor is back in training after recovering from COVID-19 with Mark Molesley saying he will be monitoring the midfielder closely ahead of Saturday.

Tom Clifford has also returned to training having been missing since Christmas with an ankle problem, while Michael Klass too returned to the squad after a period out.

Saturday has come too soon for Brandon Goodship and Terrell Egbri, although Reeco Hackett-Fairchild is expected to feature after suffering a tight hamstring late on against Barrow.

Greg Halford though will be absent from the trip to Blundell Park as he serves his one-game suspension after his red card against Barrow last weekend.

Grimsby Dangerman

Teenage defender Mattie Pollock has been a towering presence at the back for the Mariners this season and is certainly going to be a big threat from set-pieces tomorrow afternoon.

With four goals, Pollock is Grimsby’s leading goal scorer and he’s shown himself to have a striker-like instinct when the ball falls to him in the box with some superb poachers finishes.

The son of former Man City midfielder Jamie Pollock has scored against Carlisle and Morecambe, and also grabbed the winner in Grimsby’s last victory against neighbours Scunthorpe.

Ref Watch

Ben Toner will be officiating this weekend’s clash at Blundell Park, being assisted by Paul Evans and Billy Smallwood, while Wayne Grunnill stands in as the fourth official.

The Lancashire ref has taken charge of 17 games so far this season, showing 52 yellow cards and two reds, with his last outing being Mansfield’s huge 4-0 win against Port Vale a fortnight ago.

Toner has taken charge of Blues once already this season – the Emirates FA Cup defeat to Boreham Wood – and it’ll be his first Grimsby game since August 2019 when the Mariners drew with Bradford.

iFollow Blues

With fans again unable to attend matches in person, Blues fans can watch tomorrow’s clash with Grimsby by picking up a Match Pass for iFollow Blues for £10.

Overseas supporters can pick up a pass for just £7 with the pass allowing you to catch the game on your laptop, computer, tablet or mobile device.

For more information on how you can get your Match Pass for iFollow Blues and ensure you miss none of the action at Blundell Park, click here.

Please note, due to current BBC guidelines relating to travel to and from a Tier 4 area, the BBC Essex commentary team will not be able to provide match commentary for the game. Instead, you will have a choice of listening to ambient stadium noise or you can switch to Grimsby’s commentary via the settings cog.

Full text can be found here:-
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Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Grimsby Town's team

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[Tangled up in Blue]

Pitch looks dry enough on iFollow.

 

[Cricko]

I like the look of that line-up very much.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

4-5-1 with ANG and RHF as inverted forwards. Is that what they're called?

 

[RHB]

I'll settle for that starting 11. It might be a bit too wet and muddy for Macca to start and Kyle Taylor has had a few games rest.

 

[The Big Dady]

Well Done Mark Oxley on reaching 150 Blues appearances today.

​

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

4-5-1 with ANG and RHF as inverted forwards. Is that what they're called?

Inverted wingers apparently.

 

[Barry.C]

I like that, quite an attacking set up, so going for it , and 6 youngsters on the bench sitting at the feet of the mighty Mac'Lets hope the mud doesnt overwhelm our silky skills

 

[Clarky176]

Good team, 4-5-1/4-3-3

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Inverted wingers apparently.

Or one footed wingers in old speak!!

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

Inverted wingers apparently.

That's the one!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

That's the one!

Nick Alliker's invention (as far as I know)!

 

[Tommy2holes]

Decent line up and lots of pace. We should be able to exploit that and hit on the break.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Okay line up, just a bit lacking in tacklers centre midfield maybe?

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Beers at the ready....almost 15.00....bring it on ....

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

Nick Alliker's invention (as far as I know)!

I only heard about it last week myself.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Olyakina, ANG and RHF behind Akinola, with Dieng and Demi sitting a bit I would guess.

Quite a fluid line up.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Okay line up, just a bit lacking in tacklers centre midfield maybe?

Demetriou and dieng can both put a foot in.