Grimsby 43 Neyland 5
Welsh touring side Neyland had convincingly thrashed Cleethorpes the day before, but due to a combination of injuries sustained during the course of that match and the general attrition of a tour diet, the visitors were only able to field 10 fit players. However, Grimsby were able to bolster their numbers to the required level and allow the game to go ahead.
Grimsby were able to test out various players ahead of the league programme, with debuts being awarded to Marc Burke, Kevin Dufton and Nathan Price-Salleh. This season the Blues will be facing much better drilled opponents and need to be able to play at pace and with increased power. This pre-season friendly was the ideal opportunity to test out some of the tactics the side have adopted throughout the closed season training sessions.
Neyland kicked off, and Grimsby immediately went on the offensive. The ball was moved smoothly and quickly through several pairs of hands, making good progress until a last pass went astray to give the visitors a scrum.
It soon became obvious that Grimsby were exceedingly ring-rusty, with many promising attacks failing due to poor passing. However good lines of support eventually saw Martin able to crash over in the left corner for the try. Daly was unable to convert, but the first score had been recorded.
The next try was a well-worked affair, with both forwards and back interlinking to force Neyland onto the back foot. As Dufton and Daly both made incisive runs, openside Davies was on hand to receive the last pass to touch down over the line. Daly again missed the tricky conversion.
With the simple mistakes being cut down, the Blues were starting to put more and more attacks together. The next try came from last seasons top try scorer, Stringer the Winger, who blasted down the right wing, rounded his opposite man and touched down. Daly was able to convert and the match official blew for half time shortly afterwards.
A slight reshuffle saw Lowery come on for Saunders, who had played his first rugby since dislocating his shoulder in Grimsby's classic match against Solihull back in January.
Grimsby were determined to increase the pace of the game, and the first try of the half came from a penalty just outside the oppositions 22. A quick ball was called for out wide, and as the visitors desperately scrambled across the pitch, a clever inside ball back to Knight allowed the scrum half to stroll over unopposed and touch down under the posts. Daly easily converted the simple kick.
The next score came from Captain Marvellous Darren Edwards. Cutting in on the angle to slice through the defence, the svelte hooker was unstoppable, and powered his way over for a nice try. Daly was able to convert.
The next try was to come from debutant Dufton, with the backs linking well and drawing in the defence, a quick pass saw Dufton streak in against the flow to touch down under the posts. Daly once more kicked the conversion.
Neyland were not to be underestimated though, and they soon struck back with a jinking run from the tall left-winger, who managed to score a lovely individual try. The conversion attempt was missed.
The final score of the day was to come from the home side. The Blue forwards once more worked into the opposition half, before a scrum was awarded about 30 metres out. The Grimsby 8 picked up at the base, passed onto Knight, who drew his man and then fed Stringer to streak in at the corner. Daly converted the difficult kick and the match was over.
This was a fair start to the season, but Grimsby know that they need to cut out the handling errors and poor decision making if they are to have a chance in the rapidly approaching league programme.