AFC Telford 0 Grimsby 0 - Match analysis

It?wasn't a game to lift you out of your seat, nor was it a game when you were tearing your hair out with despair.

It was a quietly satisfying point against a team with one of the biggest budgets in the division.

The defensive display and a second consecutive clean sheet will give Sinton great heart going into the close-season, especially against a strike pairing who have ammassed 38 goals between them this season in Liam Hearn and Anthony Elding.

• See more pictures from Telford's draw with Grimsby

The Bucks defended heroically in Tuesday's vital victory over Tamworth, but at times in that game it was very much back against the wall stuff.

There wasn't nearly as much of that today, as the Bucks went about their defensive work with more assurance and just as much gusto.

The selection of Carl Rodgers at the expense of Jay Smith, as a midfield anchor may have contributed to that, but his distribution was still poor at times and his place in the team is still a divisive topic among Bucks fans.

His central midfield partner was Tuesday's hero Phil Trainer, obviously full of confidence, who thumped a shot from 30 yards out that tested James McKeown.

That came just a couple of minutes after Frankie Artus should have put the visitors in front when he headed Grimsby captain Craig Disley's cross over the bar from six yards.

http://youtu.be/nfnIlmUgH9o

It was Telford who had the better of the chances in the first half though, and it looked for all world as if they had taken the lead when Jon Brown's freekick deflected off the head of Liam Hearn.

McKeown was totally wrong-footed in the Mariners goal, but the keeper adjusted his body shape wonderfully and got down low to make the save as the sides went in level at the break.

The rain began falling in the second half and that made it even more difficult for passes to find their target as the play began to break down.

Neither side created much and both managers made a couple of changes just after the midway point in the second half in an attempt to find that elusive goal.

Sinton threw on Kyle Perry and Nathan Rooney, while Peter Winn and Anthony Church took to the field for Grimsby.

Both sides had a half-chance each, but neither managed to create a clear-cut opportunity. Trainer went close with a header from Ryan Brooke's cross and Shaun Pearson forced a really good save from Ryan Young.

The AFC Telford keeper also made a couple of good saves from Louis Soares and Elding to preserve the clean sheet.

Another point for the Bucks, and some more encouragement that the building blocks are there to push on next year.

As Andy Sinton said at the end: "Onwards and upwards."

Stuart Hodge

See also:

• Andy Sinton calls for AFC Telford improvement

• Hero Phil Trainer hopes to net new AFC Telford contract