Grimsby Town (Reserves) 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (U23s)

Grimsby Town (Reserves) 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (U23s)

Central League

Tuesday 18th February 2020

Doncaster Rovers’ Under 23s delivered a composed team performance as they held Grimsby Town’s more experienced second-string to a 1-1 draw at a chilly Blundell Park.

Loanee Jason Lokilo opened the scoring with a curling free-kick in just the second minute of the game, before the Mariners earned a share of the spoils thanks to a close-range equaliser not long after the hour mark.

In some ways, it was the proverbial game of two halves; Rovers on top and the better side during the first 45 minutes, whilst the hosts improved and caused more problems after the re-start - quite possibly due to a half-time ‘dressing down’ (to be polite) from manager Ian Holloway, who was watching on from the stands.

Grimsby named a strong and experienced xi for the mid-afternoon encounter, including three-time promotion winner Matt Green and many other players on the periphery of their first team squad. By contrast, Rovers’ line-up was much younger with the exception of centre-back Alex Baptiste who featured for 90 minutes as he continues his comeback from injury. Three youth team players - Elliott Walker, Will McGowan and Jack Watson all started, with several more amongst the options on the substitutes bench.

The odds seemed to favour the hosts but Rovers were having none of it. 

Within only a few seconds of the visitors getting proceedings underway they won a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of their opponents’ box. Danny Amos was amongst those to eye up the possibilities from the set-piece, but it was ultimately left for Lokilo and his left-foot strike was sublime as he curled it over a four-man wall and into the net - giving the home ‘keeper no chance whatsoever.

Remarkably, Rovers then squandered a chance to double their lead just two minutes later. This time, Max Watters’ right-wing cross towards the back-post area found a stretching Watson, but the frontman was unable to get accuracy on his shot and it trickled agonisingly wide.

The early minutes continued to be filled with positives for Under 23s boss Gary McSheffrey as his players worked hard, looked composed, enjoyed more possession, and had the hosts firmly on the back foot.

Nevertheless, Grimsby should have got back on level terms from their first chance of the game on 13 minutes. There was some slack marking at a corner with a player in a black and white shirt allowed to get a free header. Thankfully, the effort was straight at ‘keeper Louis Jones - anywhere else and it might well have been more costly!

Aside from that set-piece lapse, in open play the youngsters were the ones continuing to pose the most problems. Lokilo always required close attention because of his neat and nifty movement, Amos advanced into dangerous positions and was often involved in link-up play, Myron Gibbons’ pace was a threat and skipper AJ Greaves looked as battling, tenacious and determined as ever - putting in the sort of performance which suggests he’s getting closer to a first team appearance.

On 20 minutes, Doncaster went close once more as Gibbons took the ball out of defence with a long-busting 80-yard run and though he was dispossessed on the edge of the Mariners’ area, the ball fell kindly for Greaves who flashed a low shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

The hosts’ performance was causing more concern than enjoyment for the majority of the 250-strong crowd. Though they were pressing well at times, they weren’t doing much else. Instead, Rovers looked calm when put under pressure - best demonstrated when both McGowan and Branden Horton did well to keep possession under pressure, deep inside their own half, before Greaves played an excellent ball out wide.

Around the half-hour mark, Doncaster forced a series of mini-openings. Firstly, the home ‘keeper had to be quick off his line to get his hands on Amos’ low ball into the danger zone, then Lokilo had a shot saved. Soon afterwards, an absolutely exquisite turn-and-release by Watson put Watters in the clear though a covering defender was able to get a timely block on his subsequent shot.

Grimsby still weren’t doing much up at the other end. One free-kick which they won, when Lokilo was penalised, saw a player lash a shot harmlessly over the upright and in open play they remained foiled by a Rovers side who seemed to want it a whole lot more.

The hosts did go close to finding an equaliser approaching half-time as another mix-up saw Jones not quite deal with a ball into the box. Under pressure, Baptiste’s hurried clearance hit an opponent square in the face on the edge of the box and it ricocheted out to a team-mate whose low 20-yard deive was gathered.

Before the interval, Greaves was cautioned following a clumsy challenge in the centre circle. Though the referee allowed play to continue, Baptiste then conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box - with the subsequent set-piece attempt easily blocked by the defensive wall.

Watching from the comfort and warmth of an executive box on the other side of the pitch, Holloway can’t have been pleased with what he saw from his players during the first 45 minutes. He certainly looked stony-faced (and understandably so) as he made his way across the pitch and down the tunnel at half-time - probably thinking about just how much he’d hammer his players for their lacklustre showing up to this point!

Whatever he said obviously had a desired effect as his team improved; showing desire and willingness, whereas previously they hadn’t really done so.

Jones did well to palm over a stinging shot from the edge of the area as the Mariners signaled their intentions within two minutes of the re-start, and the Rovers ‘keeper then kept out a more tame effort a few minutes later.

With the hour-mark fast-approaching, the team in black and white were starting to see more of the ball and a counter-attack from them culminated when a low strike caught a deflection and whistled wide of Jones’ right-hand post.

Incredibly, Rovers then survived an even bigger scare on the hour mark. Another set-piece into the danger zone caused utter chaos and a thunderous, acrobatic five-yard shot rattled the crossbar before it bounced down and was cleared away in the nick of time. Somehow, it remained 1-0 to Doncaster.

Jones kept out a more routine attempt shortly afterwards, but by now it was clear the tide had turned and Town were on the front foot with all the momentum. Rovers weren’t doing badly; it was simply that Grimsby’s experience was starting to show.

The youngsters’ resilience couldn’t last forever and, midway through the half, the leveller which the hosts desperately craved finally arrived. McGowan did well to regain possession, having initially conceded it, before he looked to have been fouled in the middle. The referee thought otherwise and let play continue and the ball was quickly moved out to the right flank before a cross was delivered towards the edge of the six-yard box where a stabbed finish made it 1-1. It was disappointing but not surprising as the equaliser had definitely been coming.

With a quarter of the game remaining, Grimsby now appeared the more likely to snatch a win - especially as they mustered up another half-chance with a shot which, again, went wide via a slight deflection off a defender.

Nevertheless, whenever Rovers had possession, they looked calm, cool, composed and not flustered by what they were up against - a trait that was evident throughout proceedings.

With 15 minutes left, Gibbons could have become the match-winner as he took responsibility with a box-to-box, lung-busting run during a counter-attack. However, despite a three-on-two scenario in the Reds’ favour, a poor touch meant a defender was able to make an interception - in hindsight, a better option might have been to play in Lokilo, who was advancing unmarked through the middle.

Only a minute later, Lokilo himself took up another good position and received an intelligent pass from Greaves, though a heavy touch denied the loanee a chance to get a shot away.

Baptiste blocked a shot at the other end as Town threatened a winner, yet arguably the mist gilt-edged chance of the closing stages saw a home player flash a header wide after a cross into the area from the left flank.

Ultimately, there was to be no further goals as the remaining minutes were played out with plenty of endeavour but no clear-cut openings.

It was an encouraging, spirited and good collective showing from the lads and they should be pleased with their efforts. As with every game, there is room for improvement and things that can be learned from it - for example, individual decision-making at times could have been better. Overall though, the signs are encouraging.

Next up for the lads (in the Central League) is a trip to Scunthorpe United on Tuesday 3rd March. Before that, the Premier League Cup group stage concludes with a home clash against Exeter City next Monday (24th February).

Team: Louis Jones, Elliott Walker (Ben Blythe), Alex Baptiste, Branden Horton, Danny Amos, AJ Greaves, Will McGowan, Max Watters (Liam Ravenhill), Jason Lokilo, Jack Watson (Junior Smith), Myron Gibbons (Lirak Hasani). Unused Sub: Kian Johnson.