Seymours
BSBP
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 10th NovemberNov 2012
Blundell Park | Att: 3418

Grimsby
Grimsby Town
5 - 1

Woking
Woking

Another long haul for Cards

Brian Caffarey
4:45pm, Thu 8th Nov 2012
Grimsby Town v Woking
3pm on Saturday 10 November 2012

The Cards make another long trip on Saturday when they travel to Grimsby for the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. The Mariners, whose squad includes former Woking favourite Aswad Thomas, lie in fourth place in the table and will present another formidable challenge to Garry Hill’s side as they seek to keep the points tally moving upwards.

WOKING

It’s common for managers to comment on how tough a particular league is but few will disagree with Garry Hill’s verdict on the Blue Square Premier. Not only do the Cards have to cope with being part-time and having a small squad but they also have to make so many long journeys to away matches, with the great majority of opponents based in the North or the Midlands. Woking fans will also agree with Garry on what a jump in quality there is between the Blue Square South and the Blue Square Premier – and, indeed, how much the Premier has changed in the three years we’ve been absent.

Tuesday evening’s hugely entertaining 2-2 draw against Kidderminster Harriers underlined all these points but also epitomised Woking’s play this season: bright, often skilful, with plenty of goals scored but also too many conceded. Woking have now scored more goals (33) than anyone else except leaders Newport County but have also conceded more than any other side except Cambridge United, who have also let in 35.

Whether Woking’s style of play makes it inevitable that they will concede plenty of goals is debatable. There certainly seem to be lapses – from set pieces in particular – which ought to be preventable without sacrificing the attacking momentum.

Dean Sinclair, coming on as a half-time substitute for Jack Parkinson, made a good impression on Tuesday evening and may have done enough to make the starting line-up. Garry will need to decide whether to start with Adam Doyle or Mike Cestor in the left-back slot.

GRIMSBY TOWN

The Mariners had a reasonably solid start to the season but really hit their stride in September, with an unbeaten run which included excellent home wins over Mansfield (4-1), Forest Green Rovers (1-0), Luton (4-1) and Gateshead (3-0). But home form collapsed in October, with three successive defeats to Dartford, Kidderminster (in the FA Cup) and Macclesfield. So far in November Grimsby have won away 1-0 at Tamworth and lost 3-2 at Hyde United.

There are a few familiar names, in addition to Aswad Thomas, in the Mariners’ squad. Strikers include former Stevenage Borough foe Anthony Elding, former Burton star Greg Pearson, the highly-rated Liam Hearn and current in-form top scorer Ross Hannah. A summer signing at the back was AFC Wimbledon’s Sam Hatton.

GETTING THERE

Blundell Park
Cleethorpes
Lincolnshire
DN35 7PY

Official website: www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk

By coach
The Cards Trust’s coach leaves Kingfield at 9.00am. The cost is £21 for members and £28 for non-members. Ring the Club Shop or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk to book your place.

By car
Follow the signs for Grimsby on the M180. Continue on this road when it becomes the A180. This road runs right past the ground. The ground is adjacent to the McDonalds Drive-thru.

By train
Nearest station: Cleethorpes. The 10.48 from KX arrives at Doncaster at 12.18 for a connection at 12.37 to Cleethorpes, getting in at 13.50. There are trains back from Cleethorpes at 17.26 and 18.26.

The station is just over 1 mile away from the stadium. Walking would take about 20 minutes. Public transport is available.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £18
Over 65s & Under 18s: £12
Under 14s: £8

Away fans sit in the Osmond Stand in the south side of the ground. Entry to this stand is in Constitutional Avenue, turnstiles 7-10.

NEXT GAME

The Cards are at home to Alfreton Town on Saturday 17 November. Please put the date in your diary and come down to support the team.

Come on, you Cards!

P.S. Don’t forget ‘Elvis and friends’ on Friday 9 November in the Cardinals’ Bar!




Grim scoreline belies brave performance

David Taylor
4:31pm, Sun 11th Nov 2012
Grimsby Town 5 Woking 1
Blue Square Bet Premier
10th November 2012


Despite taking a second minute lead, creating chances and never giving up, the Cards were overwhelmed by a promotion-contending Mariners' team with clinical finishing, and by having to play most of the second half with ten men.

Garry Hill made one change from the two-all home draw with Kidderminster, with Dean Sinclair coming in for Jack Parkinson. And as in that game, Woking took an early lead. After just two minutes, a fast, free-flowing move ended with former Mariner Dean Sinclair netting from a hard low cross from Gavin McCallum.

The Cards dominated the opening period with confident passing moves against a Grimsby side that didn’t seem to know what had hit them, with an increasingly frustrated home crowd turning on their team.

The equaliser came after 10 minutes when in Grimsby’s first dangerous attack Ross Hannah was fouled by Mike Cestor just outside the Cards’ area, 20 yards from goal. Sam Hatton’s free-kick went straight through the wall and past Aaron Howe, who was beaten diving to his left after seeing the ball late.

This galvanised the home team, who then had several back-to-back chances well defended by Joe McNerney, Mark Ricketts and Aaron Howe. Grimsby were now playing as a well-organised unit, channeling play through captain Craig Disley, who scored their second after 17 minutes, in a move that was worthy of any level of football. Andy Cook‘s long forward pass beat both the offside trap and the Woking defence, and Disley shot past Howe, in a one-on-one, with an unstoppable shot.

Woking carried on playing fast, passing football in the next period of the game, which saw both sides pressing, with the always hard working Kevin Betsy (pictured) having a shot that missed to the left side of goal after 20 minutes, and an excellent cross a few minutes later.

The Mariners' third came on 33 minutes. A free-kick from James McKeown was brilliantly saved by Howe, only for Ross Hannah to beat the Woking defence to the ball, to score from point-blank range.

And still the Cards continued to play. In the 12 minutes before half-time shots by Gavin McCallum and Bradley Budd were blocked, and even though they were trailing by two goals at half-time, Woking were still not out of this game.

Half-time: Grimsby Town 3 Woking 1

The big - and in some ways decisive - blow to the Cards' chances of salvaging something from this game came five minutes into the second half, when already-booked Lee Sawyer went in with a reckless tackle on ex-Card Aswad Thomas, although it is questionable whether any contact was made. The second booking, and sending off, stretched the hard-working Cards even more, as Grimsby played a wider game.

However, Woking enjoyed some of their best play and pressure with ten men. Ricketts, McCallum and Betsy were at the heart of excellent moves in midfield and attack.

Grimsby’s 4th came in the 75th minute, with a sublimely taken free-kick by Sam Hutton from just outside the box, to the top right corner of Howe’s net.

With the home crowd now singing “we only sing when we’re fishing", Woking refused to lie down. Bradley Bubb hit the post, and substitutes Jack Parkinson, Adam Doyle and Loick Pires joined the game and played in the same spirit.

The 5th and final goal came on the stroke of full-time from Andy Cook at close range.

What mixed feelings at the end – gutted to have lost by so many goals, and yet so proud of a Woking team that never gave up, and who were rewarded by loud applause from the 57 away fans who made the long journey.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Mark Ricketts (Jack Parkinson 80), Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson (Adam Doyle 80), Bradley Bubb (Loick Pires 80), Kevin Betsy, Lee Sawyer, Dean Sinclair, Gavin McCallum
Unused subs: Brett Williams, Sam Beasant

Cautions: Mike Cestor 10, Lee Sawyer 16, Bradley Bubb 78, Jack Parkinson 89

Sent Off: Lee Sawyer 51

Grimsby Town: James McKeown, Sam Hatton, Aswad Thomas, Shaun Pearson, Joe Colbeck (Derek Niven 17), Craig Disley, Andy Cook, Andi Thanoj, Nathan Pond, Ross Hannah (Dayle Southwell 69), Marcus Marshall

Unused subs: Ian Miller, Frankie Artus, Greg Pearson

Cautions: Shaun Pearson 52

Ref: Seb Stockbridge

Attendance: 3,418

MOTM: Kevin Betsy - His hard work and never give-up attitude helped keep the ten part-time men playing right to the end.
Grimsby Town LINEUP
13James McKeown
2Sam Hatton
3Aswad Thomas
5Shaun Pearson
7Joe Colbeck ('17)
8Craig Disley
21Andi Thanoj
22Nathan Pond
26Marcus Marshall
12Andy Cook
25Ross Hannah ('69)
BENCH
6Ian Miller
4Derek Niven ('17)
11Frankie Artus
18Greg Pearson
20Dayle Southwell ('69)
WOKING LINEUP
1Aaron Howe
2Adam Newton
3Mike Cestor
5Joe McNerney
16Brett Johnson ('80)
4Mark Ricketts ('80)
17Dean Sinclair
15Lee Sawyer
11Kevin Betsy
9Bradley Bubb ('80)
19Gavin McCallum
BENCH
18Sam Beasant
6Adam Doyle ('80)
8Jack Parkinson ('80)
7Loick Pires ('80)
14Brett Williams

Grimsby Town 5 - 1 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

Dean Sinclair Interview

David Holmes
10:11pm, Sat 10th Nov 2012
Dean Sinclair spoke to David Holmes after the game at Grimsby.

Dean Sinclair:







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