Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby Town – The match report
Saturday 21st November 2020
@PrentonPark
English Football League Two
With the attacking quality Tranmere have, it was obvious that sometime soon they would beat a side in their division whilst scoring many goals. However, few would have expected this to come on Saturday afternoon. That is exactly what happened, with a 5-0 victory over Ian Holloway’s Grimsby Town. Rovers are now only three points away from the play offs, with many games left to play.
The ‘whites’ went into this game having won four of their past four, two being in different cup competitions against teams of a higher division. Their last time out saw a thrilling 4-3 win away to Port Vale, with a wonderful comeback having been 3-2 down in the 92nd minute. Thus, confidence was high and the team was starting to play in a beautifully attacking style.
It was to the fans’ excitement when the team sheets were released as there was a great number of players in the starting eleven that could cause problems to the visitors defence. The bench was strong also, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see any of the listed bench players to have been included in the starting eleven. However, looking at the reaction of the Grimsby faithful to their teams eleven they expected the game to be closely contested. In the end, looking at the scoreline, this was far from the case.
Rovers showed their intent from the off, they would put the ‘Mariners’ defence to the sword. This was seen with a great early chance being created by the man who would continue to cause many problems. Young forward Corey Blackett-Taylor would perfectly cross the ball to Vaughan, the striker unable to keep his shot on target from 12 yards out.
There would soon be another beautiful cross, this time from full-back Callum Macdonald. Striker James Vaughan would rise highest to meet the ball, powerfully heading his attempt into the corner of James Mckeown’s net. Rovers had opened the scoreline, this was to be the start of a very successful afternoon.
Vaughan would soon link up with Blackett-Taylor again. The pair continued to cause many problems with their attacking intent. The striker drove forward before slipping it through to the pacey forward who would fire his attempt wide of the target. This was another impressive bit of play.
In my opinion, central midfielder Jay Spearing should be man of the match. He linked up the defence with the attack extremely well and in this situation, he threw his body in the way of a shot from distance to force a corner. Fortunately, Luke Waterfall’s header would fire over the back post harmlessly.
This came before Rovers put three past their visitors in quick succession, six minutes to be precise. This meant an away victory would soon be out of the Cleethorpes side’s reach.
Peter Clarke would fire a header past the Grimsby goalkeeper from a corner, the corner was taken brilliantly by forward veteran Liam Feeney. This was Clarke’s third goal of the season, he is now Tranmere’s second top goal scorer.
Shortly afterwards, winger Blackett-Taylor would use his pace and his skill to take the ball from the halfway line to the goal area. He would beat many members of the Grimsby defence in this run before being fouled before he could get a shot off. This foul came in the goal area, meaning his efforts would result in a penalty.
Striker James Vaughan would score the third of the afternoon for Tranmere from the penalty spot, keeping his composure to fire the ball into the middle of the net.
Vaughan is the quickest Rovers player to reach ten league goals since 1997. He had reached ten league goals in eighteen encounters, exactly what Andy Cook had managed to do after being signed in the summer of 2016.
The woes of the ‘Mariners’ would get worse when attacking midfielder Otis Khan would beat a few men and fire past their keeper into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
There was little much action of the first half left to be played. Davies comfortably claimed a cross at his front post before the whistle blew to conclude a half to forget for Holloways ‘Mariners’.
Again Ian Dawes and Andy Parkinson’s ‘whites’ showed their intent from the off. Liam Feeney would beat the Grimsby Town defence with a quick step over before going to cross but the end product was only a goal kick.
Grimsby’s young striker Owen Windsor would try his best to clinch a goal back in the favour of the visitors, using his pace and skill to get in behind the Rovers defence. However, his attempt would be sliced wide past the Tranmere goalkeeper.
A Grimsby forward that I haven’t mentioned as of yet but he made his quality known yesterday is Owura Edwards. It was evident in his performance that he is a fast skillful young forward and certainly one to watch across his career in the football league. In this situation he crossed the ball into the box. Again Tranmere’s defence showed no openings, Peter Clarke smashing it clear of the Tranmere goalline. A great piece of no nonsense defending from the veteran centre half.
Ian Dawes used his substitutions for the first time this afternoon, making a double change for Rovers. Midfielder Paul Lewis and forward Kaiyne Woolery would replace the skillful wingers Corey Blackett-Taylor and Liam Feeney. The pair had caused many problems for the visiting defence with their performances.
Centre-half Manny Monthe would soon do well to get in the way of a shot from inside the box, as the ‘Mariners’ continued to try their best to pull one goal back. The defender would soon be booked for hauling back forward Edwards as he broke clear down the right.
The frustrated former premier league gaffer Ian Holloway was soon booked for his supposed aggression on the touchline. He must’ve used out of favour words towards the officials to receive this punishment. His side would make nothing of the free kick that Manny Monthe had gave away.
Rovers again used their chance of making five subsitions with another double change. The recently signed midfielder Danny Lloyd and striker Morgan Ferrier would replace the brace-scoring James Vaughan and another goalscorer in Otis Khan.
Rovers would soon conclude the afternoon with a great bit of play between the changes that Ian Dawes had made earlier. Forward Morgan Ferrier would hold the ball up brilliantly, keeping it from a few Grimsby defenders, before spreading it to midfielder Paul Lewis who rifled the ball into the far corner.
FULL TIME: Tranmere 5 Grimsby Town 0
Match stats (taken from BBC Sport):
Possession – 57%/43%
Shots – 9/9
Shots on target – 6/1
Corners – 2/5
Fouls – 13/21
Thank you for reading,
Stay safe,
Ethan Hoijord
Ace report that thank you
Thank you for reading