Grimsby 19 Glossop 20
A game played in perfect weather conditions saw Grimsby yet again lose a league game by a single point. This was a game that could have easily been won but for Glossop's great cover tackling, a few missed tackles from Grimsby and a glaring error from the referee.
Grimsby kicked off with the wind at their backs and went on the attack from the start. Several rucks and trundling runs from the forwards saw them in the away teams 22. Glossop came over the top to give the first of many penalties in their own 22. The post's were indicated and Daz Daly stepped up and slotted it straight down the middle to give Grimsby an early 3-0 lead. From the kick off Grimsby again attacked the visitors and but for good defence would have stretched their lead. Glossop number ten cleared his lines and saw the ball reach Grimsby 22 after a good chase Grimsby were penalised for holding on. Glossop took a quick penalty and their inside centre somehow managed to break two tackles to score just left of the post, the conversion was missed 3-5 to the visitors. The home side went on the attack from the restart and several good breaks from forwards and backs saw them yet again only prevented from scoring when the visitors gave yet another penalty away in the 22. Grimsby opted for the kick and Daz Daly duly kicked it, or so the two touch judges (one of which was a Glossop player), 30 players, both coaches and every spectator at the game thought he had kicked it anyway!!! The only problem was the referee for some reason said it had gone wide of the right hand post, and disallowed it! Truly Bizarre!!!! From the 22 restart Grimsby caught cleanly and yet again camped out in the away teams danger area. Finally a maul 5 metres out and 5 metres from the right touch saw the away team run out of cover and Tom Montague saw the chance to sneak down the blind side. The conversion was missed to make the score 8-5 to Grimsby . Glossop kicked off and Grimsby caught the ball and were penalised for holding on just outside their 22. Yet again a quick penalty was taken and yet again several tackles were missed leaving Pharoah at full back with 4 men to tackle, Glossop used the overlap and yet again scored a soft try. The conversion was missed but everyone held their breath to await the referee's decision. He didn't give it making the score 8-10 for the away team. One of the good things that came from this game was Grimsby never gave up and soon won the ball back through Stormin Norman who was a constant thorn in Glossop's side. Pharoah went close, Newman went closer still before the ball was shipped through the backs for Andy Thomas to open his legs and show his class and score wide of the right hand post. As he scored though he was tackled high and the offending player was lucky not to be more harshly dealt with than just a telling off. The conversion was 13-10 to Grimsby . As with the previous Grimsby scores Glossop responded quickly. The Glossop tries were carbon copies with Grimsby giving a penalty away then a quick tap, missed tackles and a soft score under the post which was converted to make the score 13-17. Before half time Grimsby had time to edge closer when Glossop gave away yet another penalty in their 22 to make the score 16-17 at the break.
The second half was to be a very close and nervy affair with Grimsby having the edge for the first twenty and Glossop the second. The main talking point was when Mike Newman was clean through with one man to beat and was taken out around his head, although the offending player was yellow carded it was a professional (and synical) foul and merited a penalty try. Grimsby put constant pressure on the Glossop try line and were unlucky to only convert one penalty putting them 19-16 in the lead. Dave Waudby had to leave the field and was replaced by the ever youthful Dymond. The game ebbed and flowed from try line to try line with neither team seeming to be able to break the other down. Till finally Glossop were awarded a penalty with 10 minutes to go they opted for the kick and were successful edging in front 19-20. Grimsby threw everything into the last ten minutes but just couldn't make the many breaks count, the best of which was made by Greg Robson who showed good skills and pace for a hooker but the support wasn't close enough for the final killer pass.
When the referee blew the final whistle there was no real celebration from Glossop as they realised they had been very lucky to gain all 3 points. Grimsby forwards were much the stronger Thornton, Wilkinson and Robson in the front row had cleaned up against their opposition. Newman and Davis were like salmon in the line out. All the backs ran good angles all day and were unlucky on so many occasions to be stopped short by penalty offences. Special mention must go to Ian Macdonald who played with an injured shoulder for 80 minutes, the man the legend!! This game typified Grimsby 's season in that a lack of a finishing touch, silly handling errors and consistent penalties meant Grimsby lost 7 games by 10 points or less which could have kept them from relegation.