After a strange Saturday, with traffic problems for many Mariners, but nevertheless remarkably over a THOUSAND away fans at Cambridge (more than the total attendances at Nuneaton, Southport or Gateshead,) and of course the invaluable and hilarious late late late goal (see it here; http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/freeview-lennys-goal-1362377.aspx), there's time for a quick FIFA plug - http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialGTFC?feature=watch - before we move back to the question of Town's league form in today's blog.
The weekend's results included a home win for last weekend's visitors Southport. Now they are one of 6 teams looking a bit stranded towards the foot of the table. Obviously Hyde are well adrift, but the other 5, Dartford, Tamworth, Aldershot, Southport and Chester seem embroiled in a battle to avoid the 3 remaining non-Hyde relegation spots. (Assuming Braintree pick up a point here and there from there 6 - SIX! - games in hand). So what you say, we are at the top end of the table, roughly 20 points clear?
Well, the point is that both Southport and Aldershot have managed as many home wins this season as we have. Southport and the Mariners have 7 wins from 15 home league games. (Aldershot are on 8 from 14).
The flip side of this is that the Mariners have decent away form 7 wins from 12, which is only matched by runaway leaders Luton (7 wins from 15), but they are unbeaten at home after 15 attempts, and we've lost at home to Cambridge (LJL missed penalty), Nuneaton (back in August) and Macclesfield (over the festive period).
We don't actually play at home in the league again this month, so this article is a tad premature you could argue, BUT in March we are currently scheduled to play 4 home games, and the same again in April.
If we can match our 7 wins of 15 with 7 from 8 in the remaining home games, then great, play-offs here we come, But more realistically, like Southport, teams will be physical and hard to break down. It is rare that teams come to BP and outplay us completely, arguably Macclesfield did. Most of the top sides have already visited BP, but if we mirror our home form so far, more draws and defeats combined than wins, then we will have to rely on the above mentioned away form.
Food for thought.
I'll leave how we approach the home games for another blog; attack from the first minute; different formations, tactics, personnel? Or perhaps email us at [email protected], and we'll throw your thoughts into the mix in a future blog.