Let's talk about the Grimsby Town game

[selby]

  A local derby of sorts because we have played each other so many times, always a no quarter asked game and two sets of supporters who crave a win against an old enemy.
  Many of the games in the past have ended with great  winning scores for both teams and this upcoming game promises to be a keenly fought affair.
  Looking at the league table we just shade it at the moment one point and one goal in the goal difference allowing us to be just above them in the table.
  Their recent league form has however seen them gain nine points in their last three games against Bromley, Carlisle and last evening a great  1-0 win at top of the table Gillingham, while our form can be described as hit and miss over our last three games.
  We returned to winning ways last night being dogged and back to basics doing the hard yards as against pretty football.
  We used our substitutes well and looked more adventurous going forward the last quarter of an hour with our wide men being more capable of beating a defender when on attack while those they had replaced had done the hard graft, so it worked out well.
  We will certainly have to do the basics right at Grimsby who according to reports defended resolutely against top of the table Gillingham with their Keeper dominant.
  So selection of our team will not be easy as we look again for a little successful run of results to stay in touch with the top sides in the division, and we search for some better team form and consistency.
  We dug deep last night and saw a different side to our game to what we produced against  Chesterfield, more players looked comfortable in their rolls in the side and worked hard to a man, with all the subs carrying on the good work and carrying on the effort of those who they replaced, in a nut shell a team effort.
  No team that we have played under Artel have been easy pickings, usually set up to be hard to beat and usually attack in numbers when the chance comes, and their team is sprinkled with players experienced at this level and have been around the block so a difficult game against a team in form, a noisy home crowd, and at a place like Scunthorpe when the ball seems to be coming across our goal from wide positions early  in games past
and giving us all the trouble we want.
   Hopefully our travelling fans will have something to cheer, we have had good wins there in the past, and the weather improves.
   So what do you think? we need a win to keep up with others, team selection will be hard and crucial although getting a draw would still be a good result against a form side, what do you think? an early kick off, and not a long journey, are you going? Lots of interest in this game, some needle between the games in the past, so lots to discuss, please have your say.

[Grimsby boy]

Win, lose or draw we will give you a much better game than that one last season , we have built a much better team and playing good football .

No doubt Clifton will score though that's a given .

[Reg of the Rovers]

Always one of my favourite away days. Clifton was good last night and needs to play against his old team. Close and Yeboah not to get on the coach, they're both a shambles for this team at the moment. Olowu was excellent last night, so was Jay so happy with the centre half cover if Tom is gone a while. Bailey looked better as a deep CDM. I'd still try and get Billy and Joe on the pitch at the same time, although Billy was excellent last night and run his blood to water so if we're only playing one of them it'd have to be him.

As Grimsby Boy says it'll be a tougher test, they had a good result last night, I don't think we'll get another 5-1, but it's been a happy hunting ground for us recently so another Rovers win would be good!

[Chris Black come back]

Their home league record this season is quite interesting. Four home league games, won three and lost one. The games they won were by a single goal and the game they lost by a single goal.

[selby]

  !951 Wolfie you make Steve and I feel fantastic. Typical towards the end of Rationing.

[Draytonian III]

Their manager David Artell is now comparing them to AC Milan from the late 80’s, early 90’s because they’ve won 3 in a row !! It’s on the BBC site, best if Rovers do a Bolton and not turn up until later in the season

[donnyguy]

Got a keeper on 7 day emergency loan from Barnsley. Played last night and kept a clean sheet. Keepers called Jackson Smith.

[Draytonian III]

I think he played for Walsall the last game of the 22/3 when we went there

[donnyguy]

Yes was on loan there last season

[Grimsby boy]

He's decent going off last night . We will need a stand in keeper for a while one's shoulders wrecked and the other got a bad injury on the post last weekend to his knee and is out 6 months .

Not sure how the emergency loan works , maybe you have to renew it every week or something .

Walsall seemed to rate him but he binned them off for Barnsley so fans  still not too happy I think he's 3rd choice at Barnsley .

[Nudga]

Can't wait for this, my first time at BP, always seemed to have something else on when we've played there before. 

[Prez]

Id start the same team as last night, with the exception of Sbarra and Yeboah. Bring in Mols and Gibson.

[Juddy]

Where is that Emmanuel chap not been in the squad recently ?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Id start the same team as last night, with the exception of Sbarra and Yeboah. Bring in Mols and Gibson.

Yes, bring Mols back in for Yeboah but I'm not sure whether we should put Gibson straight back in. Our work ethic last night was much better and less one dimensional.

[roversdude]

Can see Sterry missing this, seemed to hurt his arm early last night, noticed he never took a throw in and was shaking hands using his left at the end - obviously he managed to do 90minutes but things often hurt more afterwards

[Chris Black come back]

Would go for:

TSL

Sterry
Olowu
McGrath
Senior

Bailey
Kelly
Clifton

Gibson
Ironside
Molyneux

[ncRover]

Would go for:

TSL

Sterry
Olowu
McGrath
Senior

Bailey
Kelly
Clifton

Gibson
Ironside
Molyneux

Gibson and Ironside in the front 3 together just doesn’t work. It means 2/3 of the front 3 want it to feet. This is why Joe and Haks got the best out of each other last season.

[Fal]

Would go for:

TSL

Sterry
Olowu
McGrath
Senior

Bailey
Kelly
Clifton

Gibson
Ironside
Molyneux

Wouldn't drop Sharp personally.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Sharp has got to start, he's working his socks of for the team and you know he only needs a sniff of a chance. A local derby is perfect for Billy, get the crowd whipped up - he'll score on Saturday.

[Dagenham Rover]

Well I see Ed the Duck is confirmed as the Ref 

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Well I see Ed the Duck is confirmed as the Ref 

Ffs!

[pib]

Thought Sharp was good on Tuesday. He should start if he's 100% for me.

[NickDRFC]

Thought Sharp was good on Tuesday. He should start if he's 100% for me.

Absolutely. Ironside was fantastic last year but Sharp has earned the shirt so far (assuming we still go with one up front).

[RoversInSpain]

Well I see Ed the Duck is confirmed as the Ref 

Ffs!
Chuffin brilliant ref, compared to Mr Bell comedy act

[RoversInSpain]

Kyle Hurst, has been the biggest conundrum this season.
I would be tempted to put an arm round him and tell he’s got 90 minutes v Grimsby and to have a right go, with total faith in him and to relax a bit.

[moses]

Anyone been in The Rutland Arms pre match?
It says they welcome Away fans but wasn’t sure if that was in a Slaughtered Lamb welcome.

[Grimsby boy]

It's about a 20 minute walk from the ground mate . But fine , if you are going there you might just aswell go to spoons in clee though it's a shorter walk , there is a decent cheapo pub next to spoons which might let away fans in you would have to see ; failing that there is the market place .


For anyone getting the train the bar at the Clee station is decent , but normally opens at 12 so not sure on that .

Normally I would say go to Docks beers or Message in a bottle they are decent craft beer pubs . But not sure that they will be open at 11 am or whatever it will be .

[Donnywolf]

Anyone been in The Rutland Arms pre match?
It says they welcome Away fans but wasn’t sure if that was in a Slaughtered Lamb welcome.

I went in last Season to see the ex Landlord of the Little Signal Box ( by Boating Lake )

He said it would be fine and it was great and split 50 50 Grimsby and Rovers fans with lots of people outside as well

Give it a go

[BadgerGTFC]

It's about a 20 minute walk from the ground mate . But fine , if you are going there you might just aswell go to spoons in clee though it's a shorter walk , there is a decent cheapo pub next to spoons which might let away fans in you would have to see ; failing that there is the market place .


For anyone getting the train the bar at the Clee station is decent , but normally opens at 12 so not sure on that .

Normally I would say go to Docks beers or Message in a bottle they are decent craft beer pubs . But not sure that they will be open at 11 am or whatever it will be .

The Rutland is closer to 10 mins walk to the ground; ‘spoons is more like 20 I’d say. The former is, err…”rustic” on the outside to say the least (photo below for reference), but it’s actually surprisingly alright on the inside and perfectly safe for away fans.

If you’re coming on the train then Wetherspoon is probably the better bet logistically, but the Rutland is as good as anywhere remotely close to the ground.

Looking forward to tomorrow, I have to say. Genuinely thought we were gone when Donny gave us that absolute shoeing back in Feb, so it’s refreshing to be going into this one in our best EFL form in at least 5 years (a low bar, though that is).

Going to be weird seeing our Harry in a Rovers shirt; will be an even weirder experience for him I’d imagine. He should get a great reception.

Safe travels down the ‘180!

[Pancho Regan]

By 'eck Badger, that looks a posh pub!

Like you, I thought you were doomed at one point last season but fortunately you rallied in your last few games and Sutton and Forest Green were terrible.

Should be a good game on Saturday with Clifton nailed on to score!