By Match report: Town secure hard-fought victory over Rochdale
Grimsby Town recorded a narrow home win over strugglers Rochdale in League Two this afternoon.
A George Lloyd goal in the second half was enough to secure all three points in a 1-0 victory for the Mariners at Blundell Park.
Paul Hurst decided to make two changes from the side that played out a 1-1 draw with Newport County in midweek, with Kieran Green and Otis Khan returning to the starting lineup.
The Mariners came into the game looking to pick up three points on their way to reaching the 50-point mark, while Rochdale – rooted to the bottom of the table – were in desperate need of a victory in their bid to avoid relegation from the Football League.
Town tried to impose themselves early on by moving the ball quickly and trying to retain possession, but they failed to break through the visitors’ backline and didn’t create any opportunities in the opening 15 minutes.
It was actually Rochdale that had the first chance of the game when a dangerous free-kick found Ethan Ebanks-Landell free inside the box and he headed just over the bar.
It wasn’t until past the midway point of the half that the Mariners had their first shot after Michee Efete worked some space inside the area, but he snatched at the opportunity and skewed his effort wide of the post.
Dale had the best chance of the game after half an hour, as Abraham Odoh played in a dangerous low ball across the box and Jimmy Keohane’s goalbound effort was blocked on the line by Efete before it was eventually fired over by Ethan Brierley.
The visitors went close again a minute later when a neat ball in behind the Town defence found Devante Rodney, who rounded Max Crocombe and slid a low shot towards goal that looked to be going just wide, but Niall Maher cleared it behind for a corner.
From the resulting set piece, a deep ball was played into the back post, where it was met by Keohane and he was once again denied on the line by a covering defender.
The hosts had a half-chance in injury time, as Anthony Glennon’s first-time ball into the box found George Lloyd, but he couldn’t quite arch his neck enough to divert his header on target and it went over the bar.
Hurst made a change to his frontline during the break, with Ryan Taylor coming on for John McAtee, in what was likely an attempt to add more physicality up top and to try and make the ball stick more in the final third.
Rochdale had an excellent chance to take the lead through Rodney on 54 minutes, as a through ball in behind the defence set the striker away again, but his low strike was well saved by Crocombe down to his right.
After creating very little throughout much of the game, it was a long ball over the top that led to Town finding the opener on 68 minutes. Harry Clifton – fresh off the bench – sent a ball in behind the Dale defence and Lloyd showed good anticipation to meet it and get on the wrong side of the defender, before looping the ball over Richard O’Donnell and into the net with the hosts’ first shot on target.
A long throw into the box from Maher a few minutes later led to Efete flicking on for Luke Waterfall, but the Mariners couldn’t quite get the required touch inside the six-yard box.
Town – playing with much more fluency after going ahead – were inches away again from grabbing a second when Khan let fly from about 30 yards out, with the ball just going narrowly wide of the post.
They had another good opportunity to extend the lead on 82 minutes through Khan again after he rose highest to get on the end of Josh Emmanuel’s excellent ball into the box, but it was cleared off the line by a covering defender.
The Mariners saw out the remaining minutes well to secure a clean sheet and all three points that means they remain 16th in the League Two table.
