Are You Ready For The Shark Invasion?!
by John Mead.
The biggest away following of the season is expected at Boreham Wood this coming Saturday as The Mariners make their first ever trip to Meadow Park.
Town have a massive fan base and travel in huge numbers, along with their army of inflatable sharks!
For a side that competed in Division One before and after the Second World War and only dropped out of the League after 117 years in 2010, it will be a massive game for our little club, who gained promotion to the Conference South for the first time in out history that very same season.
Grimsby Town are “ big fish” in English Football and their record in Non League suggests it is just a matter of time before they regain their spot in the top four Divisions.
They have reached the Play Offs in their last three campaigns, twice appearing at Wembley in the same period. Last season The Mariners suffered the heartache of missing out on promotion to Bristol Rovers on penalties in the Play Off Final at the National Stadium. They reached the play off semi finals the two seasons prior to that and added another Wembley appearance in the F A Trophy Final in 2012-13, when they lost to Wrexham on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
This campaign after an opening day draw to Kidderminster Harriers, two resounding 4-1 wins at Blundell Park against Barrow and Bromley made it business as usual for the side from Cleethorpes.
However a run of two draws and two defeats has left Town just two points above ourselves in the fledgling table.
In their last “away” trip The Mariners picked up a commendable 1-1 draw with Lincoln City in the Lincolnshire derby in front of nearly 1800 travelling Mariners, a good result considering they played more than half of the game with ten men.
Grimsby Town are a settled side, with keeper James McKeown, defender Shaun Pearson and midfielder Craig Disley having played over 500 games for the side managed by Paul Hurst, who himself is embarking upon his fifth season in charge.
There is League experience in bundles throughout the side with the exception of exciting striker Omar Bogle who joined Town at the start of this season after finishing the Conference North as top scorer with 29 goals with Solihull Moors. He has taken to life in The National League with aplomb, with four goals to date.
Another striker with four goals so far is Padraig Amond, whom after a successful career in his native Ireland went on to play for Pacos De Ferreira in the Primeira Liga in Portugal, before gaining League experience at both Accrington Stanley and Morecambe.
With the game all ticket, Wood Fans are urged to buy their tickets in advance. The club need your support as the local side look to forge another upset after their win at Tranmere Rovers.
Boreham Wood v Grimsby Town.
Vanarama National League.
Saturday 5th September, kick off 3pm.
