Grimsby Town's unbeaten away run brought to an end by Swindon Town
Grimsby Town’s seven-game unbeaten away run was brought to an end by Swindon Town, who ran out 3-1 victors on Saturday.
Former Mariners boss Ian Holloway claimed the win on what was his 1000th game in management, with Town pegged back early in the game and not showing the levels of intensity or organisation seen during this impressive away run.
Ollie Clarke put the hosts ahead after just three minutes before Kabongo Tshimanga netted a brace in the second half to put the game out of sight for David Artell’s side. Captain Danny Rose pulled one back from the penalty spot with twenty minutes to go, but it ended up just being a consolation goal.
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In gusty conditions Swindon were ahead after three minutes when a clearance got held up in the air, Tshimanga raced onto a header from Harry Smith, and the ball broke for captain Clarke to slot in.
Smith should have doubled the lead seconds later but rattled the post and then fired the rebound over. Before the break, Tshimanga gobbled up a poor defensive header, which landed at his feet so he could thunder home.
The Peterborough loanee began the second half in menacing form, rattling the upright in the opening seconds. After a handball in the away box, Will Wright badly missed from the spot, making it six botched penalties in the last seven for the Robins.
A Town break saw Clarke expertly feed Tshimanga, who blasted into the roof of the net to make it 3-0. It was a deserved lead for the hosts, given the golden opportunities they had squandered aside from the goals, with Town looking like a shell of the team that had won six of their last seven away matches.
The Mariners got one back from Danny Rose‘s penalty after a foul on former Swindon midfielder George McEachran. Town tried to claw their way back into the contest late on after pulling one back, and they might have had a chance if substitute Cameron Gardner’s point-blank shot had not been saved by Daniel Barden.
Swindon held on for a crucial victory in the end, with the proper response from the Mariners coming too late in the contest to affect the result. Back-to-back defeats before Christmas have seen Town drop out of the play-off places, with Notts County climbing above them into seventh on goal difference.
Grimsby are at home on Boxing Day as they welcome Harrogate Town, a team they have never beaten in their six league meetings since their first over four years ago. They will have to overcome demons to get back to winning ways at Blundell Park, a place they have had their fair share of struggles so far this term.
