Match Preview: Grimsby Town

20 April 2023

Tranmere Rovers look to return to winning ways as Grimsby Town visit Prenton Park this Saturday afternoon.

Standing in Tranmere’s way though are Grimsby Town – a side who are unbeaten in three games.

Town, who got to the FA Cup Quarter Finals last month, look to finish as high up in the table as possible, sitting 12th, just a point above Tranmere, with a game in hand.

Ian Dawes’ Rovers come into the game after a 2-2 draw in mid-week at Rochdale – where two late goals kept Dale in Sky Bet League Two, at least for another few days.

One To Watch: Harry Clifton

Harry Clifton, born in Grimsby, is a midfielder for Grimsby Town – the top scorer for the club in the 2022/23 season.

Town’s number 15 has made 161 appearances so far for the Mariners – scoring 15 goals since his first professional contract back in 2015.

Clifton has made 6 appearances for Wales U21s – before making his first professional appearance for Grimsby, which was in 2017.

Clifton signed a new 2-year deal with Saturday’s visitors in June 2022, lasting until summer 2024.

The midfielder has scored 9 goals and had 4 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions this season – leading the line as Grimsby’s top scorer.

The Manager: Paul Hurst

Hurst began his footballing career as a player for Rotherham United – where he signed his first professional contract in 1993, aged 19 – featuring as a left back.

Hurst went on to make 438 appearances for the Millers, scoring 13 goals from the defence – solidifying himself as a legend at the New York Stadium.

He went out on loan to Burton Albion, who were in the conference at the time, to regain fitness after a lengthy injury. Despite being offered a trial at Mansfield Town following being released from Rotherham in 2008, he turned it down to pursue a career in management.

Hurst started his management career at Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit, Ilkeston Town, in January 2009 as joint manager with former Rotherham team mate, Rob Scott – leading the team to promotion to the Conference North in 2009 in their first season.

Scott and Hurst made the move to Boston United in the summer of 2009 – also gaining promotion and completing the treble in the 2009-10 season – NPL Challenge Cup, League Play-Off Final and the Lincolnshire Senior Shield.

The pair moved to Grimsby Town in 2011, before Rob Scott parted ways with Town – leading Paul Hurst to take the team alone. Hurst led the team to promotion from the National League in the play-off final at Wembley, with a 3-1 win over Forest Green Rovers.

Stints at Shrewsbury Town came in 2016, after Micky Mellon departed to become manager of Tranmere Rovers – and short spells at Ipswich Town and Scunthorpe United – all of which ended relatively unsuccessfully.

Hurst returned to Blundell Park in 2020, but despite his best efforts, Town were relegated again to the National League. In the first attempt, they bounced back up to League Two, with the Mariners beating Notts County this summer in the play-off final at the London Stadium. Hurst signed a new contract in September to keep him at Grimsby for the foreseeable future.

Hurst has managed 698 career matches – winning 325 and drawing 177 – meaning his win percentage is 46.6%.

Match Coverage:

How to watch Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby Town?

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UK based supporters aren't permitted to watch the game live but can, however, listen to full match commentary.

How can I listen to live commentary of Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby Town?

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First time visitors

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Grimsby Town

22 April 2023

A Josh Hawkes penalty and a Rhys Hughes free kick gave Tranmere a 2-0 win against Grimsby Town in Rovers’ penultimate home game of the season.

Rovers named an unchanged side from Tuesday evening’s 2-2 draw at Rochdale.

Tranmere were on the front foot from the off, working the ball forward early on but early efforts failed to materialise.

Grimsby carved the first chance of the game when Josh Emmanuel sent a ball across goal for former Tranmere winger Otis Khan to latch onto, but his effort was clipped wide.

Rovers responded by going straight up the other end, Regan Hendry being tumbled over in the penalty box after he was played in by Kane Hemmings, but the referee waved away any penalty appeals.

Tranmere continued to work the visitors’ left-hand side and a smart turn from Jay Turner-Cooke set Josh Dacres-Cogley free down Rovers’ right, before a Hendry corner was palmed away by Max Crocombe in the Grimsby goal.

A Rhys Hughes free kick on 20 minutes saw Rovers’ best chance of the game to that point, with no Tranmere boot quite able to latch onto an inviting ball across goal from the Welshman.

Turner-Cooke continued to look to create opportunities for his side, threading a through ball into the box as the game approached the half-hour mark, but it was just too heavy for Hemmings.

Mateusz Hewelt was called into action at the other end on 30 minutes and produced a great save to keep the scores level.

Two minutes later Rovers won a penalty when Harvey Saunders was felled in the box after a ball round the corner from Hemmings. Josh Hawkes dropped the ‘Aldo shuffle’ before converting from 12 yards to put Tranmere into the lead.

With an advantage in the game, Tranmere forged further chances and almost doubled their lead when Ethan Bristow squared the ball for Saunders, but the forward’s header was off target and Rovers took a one-goal lead into the break.

Early in the second half, Saunders smartly won a free kick on the edge of the box for Rovers, which Rhys Hughes stepped up to and curled it past Crocombe to double Tranmere’s lead.

The momentum was with the home side after that goal, Hawkes seeing an effort from the edge of the box tipped over the bar just moments later.

As the second half progressed, Grimsby did retain a foothold in the game, Gavan Holohan seeing an effort rise over the bar before Hewelt was forced into a couple of saves from an away corner.

Rovers rode the pressure and looked to hit on the counter when Hemmings strode forward, battling with a Grimsby defender before Saunders arrived and was seemingly tripped just inside the box, but the referee again waved away appeals.

Hewelt sprang into action once again as the game approached its final 20 minutes, getting down low quickly to stop a Town header.

Rovers’ midfield trio of Hendry, Hawkes and Lee O’Connor combined for a slick move to set up Saunders with a chance on the edge of the box in response, but the final effort was deflected wide.

Hawkes was close to a third with ten minutes to go, after Josh Dacres-Cogley beat a couple of men down the right and squared the ball to the midfielder whose strike was turned around the post.

Jake Burton entered the fray and created a chance for Saunders, but the ball didn’t quite sit up right for the Rooster.

Rovers held on for a deserved two-goal victory in their penultimate home game of the season.

Tranmere Rovers: Hewelt, Dacres-Cogley, Davies, Turnbull, Bristow, Hendry, Hughes (Burton, 74), Hawkes, Turner-Cooke (O’Connor, 62), Hemmings © (Hoti, 87), Saunders.

Subs: Hoti, O’Connor, Taylor, Mumbongo, Burton.

Grimsby Town: Crocombe, Emmanuel (Efete, 83), Waterfall, Maher, Amos (Khouri, 83), Green, Holohan, Khan, Clifton, Orsi, Taylor.

Subs: Efete, Lloyd, McAtee, Hunt, Morris, Smith, Khouri.