Grimsby Town 1 Carlisle United 2: For an hour this was looking deceptively like that rarest beast of all: the comfortable, stress-free Carlisle United victory. Ha. There was more chance of locating a hen’s tooth on the streets of Cleethorpes.
Instead, the usual torment returned. But the Blues dug deep. They scrapped, fought, sweated, 11 maroon-shirted men (plus substitutes) holding firm on this damp but thankfully not submerged stadium this time.
Over 90 varied minutes of absorbing League Two football, Carlisle needed all the necessary traits. They took confident control, showed opportunism when required, drew Grimsby’s sting and moved into a two-goal lead with just a little swagger.
Then, it was a case of something different: the “dark work”, as Zigor Aranalde put it after a 2-1 win at this place 16 years ago. United had to run. They had to toil. They had to figure out how to disrupt a sudden change in the tide.
Grimsby, from two goals adrift, smuggled one back and continued to throw themselves frantically at United. The way Paul Simpson’s team repelled it is probably their defining trait right now.
The spirit and discipline needed to get results like this is showing itself more clearly by the game. Before talking individuals, it’s right to recognise that this looks like a team – one that is hurdling a ludicrous glut of injuries to put itself on the edge of the play-off places.
Played ten, lost one, position eighth: those are very solid numbers considering United’s starting point when Simpson took charge, and bearing in mind they can barely get out of bed without someone twisting a muscle or shredding a ligament (Sonny Hilton the latest).
This progress – and we can without doubt call it that – is not possible without a commitment to the common cause. Simpson leads it, and this display was dotted with performances that underline it: Jack Stretton, refreshingly sharp on the left; Paul Huntington, a major general in defence; Kristian Dennis, who could sniff out a half-chance in an empty room.
And Owen Moxon. What an evening this was for the lad from Denton Holme: a boy who must have grown up fantasising of the very moment he put his laces through the ball and scored for the Blues.
This was one for the album: Stretton’s seventh-minute run and set-up, and Moxon’s smooth strike which was too good for Max Crocombe’s low dive.
Released by United at 16, re-signed by them at 24, this was Moxon’s highest step yet after working his way back via Queen of the South and Annan Athletic. Watch further confidence attach itself to this fascinating Cumbrian midfielder now.
The early goal ensured this would be a contest never to lack urgency. Maximum concentration was needed. Huntington’s experience came to the fore in several of his contests with Ryan Taylor, while Jordan Gibson, who put in a serious defensive shift, denied Danny Amos as Grimsby tried to bite back.
Grimsby worked the ball busily in the middle third but a period of possession was bookended by more United chances: Jack Armer having an effort blocked, Stretton unable to beat Crocombe after bustling through on the break.
The tactical side of things saw Simpson send Jon Mellish into midfield to try to unsettle Grimsby’s ball-players, Otis Khan and Alex Hunt, at a time Jordan Maguire-Drew’s availability as a right-sided outlet was not matched by the quality of his crossing.
Grimsby’s control of ball and space was genuine but at arm’s length. Carlisle’s appetite made it so – and then earned them a second. Michee Efete’s backpass was, well, effete…and Dennis accepted the present by rounding Crocombe and calmly rolling it into the net.
After the break, they remained in their industrious shape and, by the hour mark, a wayward Khan shot and innocuous Luke Waterfall header is all Grimsby had to show for their comeback bid.
Paul Hurst’s twist, the introduction of Danilo Orsi and Lewis Richardson, then provoked belated improvement. Richardson was a particular pest to United and then a corner was half-cleared to Khan, who sent it back into the six-yard box where Efete was somehow free to nudge it home.
Tension embraced United like an old friend. A heavy squall followed, producing yellow cards for Callum Guy and Armer, a deflected shot by the lively Richardson, and Simpson’s conclusion that Jayden Harris’ midfield physicality was required for a tense last 20.
It did not transform the direction of travel as such, but it certainly put some gristle into the mix. It helped restrict Grimsby to deliveries which Huntington swallowed like a row of oysters. Tomas Holy did not have to extend his big frame, everyone else worked, worked and worked, and though six added minutes seemed like a couple of dozen more, the shattered feeling at full-time must have felt very rewarding indeed.
This gritty new team have impressively built a platform. Let us now pray they have enough fit men to go and stand on it.
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