Sport

Grimsby Town’s wait for a victory in 2024 goes on after they fell to a 3-1 defeat at home to league leaders Stockport County. All the visitors’ goals came in the opening 30 minutes of the encounter, and despite a resurgence of sorts in the second half kicked off by an Abo Eisa goal, the Mariners were unable to take anything from the game. Town came out from kick-off with a good intensity and purpose about their play, but the visitors were gifted an early lead when Harvey Cartwright looked to play a simple straight pass to Curtis Thompson only to find Antoni Sarcevic instead. READ MORE: The Stockport midfield slotted past the Hull City loanee who was stranded out of his goal after giving the ball away – a real dampener for Town after a bright start against the league leaders. It only got worse for the Mariners minutes later, as they were caught out of shape by a quick free-kick played over the top from deep in the Stockport half, with Connor Lemonheigh-Evans squaring the ball to Isaac Olaofe to knock the ball in from close range. Grimsby had the ball in the back of the net soon after Stockport’s second, with Denver Hume doing really well to get to the byline and cut the ball across to Gavan Holohan at the near post to finish, but the Irishman was marginally offside. After the clean sheet away at Accrington Stanley last weekend, many would have hoped that Town were on their way to sorting things out defensively, but they were all at sea in the opening half-an-hour against Stockport. They conceded a third in the 28th minute, the scorer of the first Sarcevic doing well to maintain the visitor’s attacking as he knocked the bouncing ball back into the area from the right. Lewis Cass was there unmarked to head into the bottom left corner, with Town unable to reset quickly enough to defend the cross. With a three-goal cushion, the away side were able to play at their own pace from that point, as Grimsby were not proving a huge threat in an attacking sense for the most part. It was another poor half of football at Blundell Park for Town, who knew already by the interval that they would have to wait longer yet to earn their first win of the calendar year. Artell made a triple change at the break in response to the poor first period, and Town did pull one back fewer than ten minutes into the second half as substitute Charles Vernam’s effort was palmed right into the path of Eisa who slotted into a half-empty net. Vernam was a live wire off the bench for Grimsby, much like he was in the last home game against Tranmere, but despite grabbing a goal early in the half, the hosts were not able to sustain that pressure to completely undo the damage done in the first 45. The end result made it four defeats from their last five at home for Artell’s side with 18 goals conceded in those five, which makes for tough reading despite the small improvements the team have shown on the road. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

What better way to shrug off the winter blues and get out with the family, then a visit to the horse racing? We are giving readers the opportunity to claim a free pair of tickets to any one of ten listed race meetings up and down the country, including Market Rasen Racecourse! We have teamed up with Racing TV to secure 20,000 tickets to giveaway to readers. What’s more you, can claim two free tickets to your chosen event – plus kids go free, so it’s a great opportunity for a fun filled family day-out. There is something for everyone, with racing from as far south as Exeter to as far north as Musselburgh, and everywhere in between. Whether you are already an avid racing fan or new to the sport, you’re sure to have a brilliant day out. The participating race meetings for this offer are: Sandown Park – Thursday 15th February, gates open 11:15am Musselburgh – Sunday 18th February, gates open 12:00 noon Market Rasen – Tuesday 20th February, gates open 12:25pm Leicester – Tuesday 27th February, gates open 12:05pm Wincanton – Thursday 7th March, gates open 12:00 noon Exeter – Friday 8th March, gates open 12:20pm Kempton Park – Saturday 16th March, gates open 11:30am Huntingdon – Sunday 17th March, gates open 11:30am Warwick – Thursday 4th April, gates open 11:40am Wetherby– Friday 5th April, gates open 10:30am Click here to claim your free tickets (subject to availability, first come first serve basis) Free Racing Tickets with Racing TV Racing TV is Britain and Ireland’s premier horse racing TV channel. It not only offers unrivalled live coverage from 35 British racecourses and 26 Irish racecourses it also provides its members with over 100 free racedays throughout the year. For more information visit racingtv.com Click here to claim your free tickets (subject to availability, first come first serve basis) Terms and Conditions: 1. Offer is open until all tickets are redeemed or until midnight 5 days prior to each listed race; whichever occurs first. 1000 pairs of tickets are available for each of the 10 racecourses., totalling 20,000 tickets. Closing date for Warwick is on Thursday 28th March, due to bank holidays 2. This is a syndicated offer across the Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Daily Record and Reach online regional platforms aswell as the 25 regional newspapers: Birmingham Mail, Bristol Post, Burton Mail, Cambridge News, Coventry Telegraph, Daily Post, Derby Telegraph, Grimsby Telegraph, Huddersfield Examiner, Hull Daily Mail, Leicester Mercury, Liverpool Echo, Manchester Evening News, Newcastle Chronicle, Nottingham Post, Plymouth Herald, South Wales Echo, South Wales Evening Post, Stoke Sentinel, Teesside Gazette, The Journal, Western Mail, Western Daily Press, Western Morning News, Paisley Daily Express . 3. Tickets are limited for each event, subject to availability and offered on a first come first served basis. If you enter for more than one event and you’ve already been successful with your first application, you will not be eligible for subsequent events 4. Limited to one pair of tickets per customer for one event only. 5. To enter the promotion you will need to (i) choose your preferred racing event; (ii) fill in your full name and email address, (iii) click enter and then you will be sent an instant email with ticket information in the event you are successful receiving tickets to attend the meeting. If you are not successful (if all tickets have been taken), you will be informed that you have not been successful. 6. Redemption must be made for the event you choose via the link provided above. A valid email address is required to redeem these tickets. 7. Proof of identity will be required at the racecourse alongside the e-ticket provided. Only those named on the e-ticket, with matching proof of identity will be permitted entrance to the event and the event operators reserve all rights to refuse entry. Tickets not for resale and have no cash value. 8. There is the option to subscribe to newsletters, this is not mandatory and your information will not be used for marketing purposes. 9. The offer is as stated and does not include travel, expenses or parking and you must make your own travel arrangements. Your data privacy is very important to us. The data you provide upon requesting tickets (full name and email) your full name will only be shared with the relevant racecourse & Racecourse Media Group in order to generate your details on the system for the raceday. Standard Reach privacy policy applies. For more information Click Here. 10. Horseracing is subject to weather. So please check the relevant racecourse website or social channels for updates before travelling. Should the fixture be abandoned tickets won’t be valid for an alternative date. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Danny Rose came within a whisker of winning all three points when Grimsby Town travelled to promotion-chasing Accrington Stanley. The Mariners skipper rose to head towards the net in the second minute of added time, only for Radek Vitek, Stanley’s on-loan Manchester United stopper, to save superbly. Earlier, Town keeper Harvey Cartwright had performed his own heroics to tip over a Ben Woods effort in the second minute, before pushing away a low-angled drive from Jack Nolan on the half-hour mark. Town struggled to make clear-cut chances early on, with Radek keeping out Arthur Gnahoua’s long-range effort, their only shot on target in the first half. But after the break, the Mariners dominated as they sniffed an upset. READ MORE: Former Stanley defender Harvey Rodgers headed wide from a corner, while substitute Kieran Green could not find the target following another corner. Green headed a Denver Hume corner just over the crossbar in the 82nd minute before Rose came so close to earning Town a first win of 2024. Speaking after the match, David Artell said he believed his Grimsby Town side are moving in the right direction. “It’s another clean sheet on the road. That’s two on the spin and we were much better than last week (a 2-1 home loss to Tranmere) which was unacceptable,” the boss said. “We have come here to try to play football, but we have not what we got we deserved, as we deserved to win, but what let us down was our decision-making in the final third. We couldn’t drive home the control we had. “They had a shot in the second minute, but I can’t remember anything else after that. We have been in the ascendancy, been in control, but haven’t made the crucial decisions in the final third which our play warranted. “It was an unbelievable save from Danny’s header at the end, but we looked solid and there is plenty to build on. It was a good away performance. We are just missing a goal or two, but I am sure they will come.” Reporting by PA Sport. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Grimsby Town have bolstered their options at left-back with the signing of Denver Hume from Portsmouth on a permanent deal until the end of the season. Hume signed from Sunderland in January 2022 for £200,000 under the reign of Danny Cowley, however the move never worked out. He totalled 31 appearances, including two Bristol Street Motors Trophy outings this summer, while Pompey have been keen to offload him since April last year. He made 84 appearances for the Black Cats after coming through their academy and now arrives with Town hoping to get back to playing regularly, with the club paying an undisclosed fee to bring him to Blundell Park ahead of his contract expiring at Portsmouth. READ MORE: Hume initially turned down a switch to Grimsby at the end of the last transfer window with previous boss Paul Hurst wanting to sign him, but the avenue opened up again for the 25-year-old with discussions progressing on Wednesday night to get to confirmation on Thursday afternoon. Grimsby boss David Artell was impressed by Hume in his previous encounters with the player and with the recommendation of others wanted to bring him to Town to help him rediscover his best form. He said: “We are delighted to get Denver over the line, he is an extremely talented boy. You don’t get bought by a club like Portsmouth if you’re not a good player! “I’ve come across him before when he was at Sunderland and Portsmouth and in those games he was outstanding. He’s a player that can go both inside and outside the pitch, up and down. “He’s a good character, I spoke to John Harley at Portsmouth and one of the players there as well about him and they both gave him glowing recommendations, so I know he’s a good kid. “We want him to come in, hit the ground running, be solid defensively, get up the pitch like we know he can and affect the game. So I’m excited to be working with Denver and hopefully, he can help us win some games.’’ Town could potentially let Danny Amos leave the club to make way for Hume, with the latter to compete with Anthony Glennon for the left-back spot in Artell’s team. York City are one of the clubs said to be interested in Amos, whose contract with Town expires in the summer. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Grimsby Town announced their first deadline day signing as midfielder Curtis Thompson – joining on a free transfer from Cheltenham Town and signing an 18-month deal with the Mariners. The 30-year-old made 22 appearances for the Robins this term after joining from Wycombe Wanderers last summer. Thompson made over 150 appearances for Wycombe, primarily in League One, helping the team gain promotion to the Championship in 2020. The Football League veteran has also made over 100 appearances for Notts County after coming through Leicester City’s academy, and his introduction will add some much-needed experience to the Grimsby group to try and bring some more stability for David Artell. READ MORE: Adding to the central midfield area was a priority for the Mariners after losing Kamil Conteh to Bristol Rovers, and they have got someone in who can fulfil a similar role at least in the short term, but has the versatility to play a few different roles within the midfield. Speaking about Thompson for the first time, Artell highlighted the player’s defensive qualities as a big reason for the signing, while also noting his “undervalued” ability on the ball. He said: “We are delighted to get someone of the calibre of Curtis in the building. He should add solidity to transitions, make us harder to beat, and also start the moves off. “I believe he’s been undervalued in possession at clubs he’s been at, whereas I think he can be a driving force for us. He’s an excellent acquisition and I’m looking forward to working with him. It’s an 18-month deal, his pedigree speaks for itself. “I’m looking forward to helping him get better. He’s a good bloke, good character and we are all hoping that will help us win games.’’ Artell wants Town to become a possession-focused team, and it is clear he believes Thompson can be a part of helping that continued transition while also improving things in the short term. Where he will fit in the midfield pecking order at the club remains to be seen, with Artell trialling different variations of a 4-2-3-1 shape in recent weeks, with Thompson expected to take a deep-lying role within midfield based on the Grimsby’s head coach’s description of him. It is expected to be a busy day of incomings at the club, with a move for Portsmouth left-back Denver Hume said to be close to completion as one of a couple of over deals Town are looking to get over the line before the 11pm deadline. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

David Artell has roasted his Grimsby Town players for their “worst performance by a distance” during his reign. The Mariners were beated 2-1 by Nigel Adkins’ Tranmere Rovers at Blundell Park. Afterwards, Artell said he was unhappy with almost every element of his side’s performance. “Everything [wasn’t good enough],” he said. “Their lad [Apter] walked into our box and scored. That was reflective of our performance.” READ MORE: He added: “I said to the players that was our worst performance by a distance. Why? On the ball we were just whacking it everywhere and up in the air. It was like kids’ football, and we got bullied off the ball by a Tranmere side who are surviving on that and that’s credit to Nigel and his players. “You have got to stand up to that and we didn’t, not many if any of them did. We were bullied and I couldn’t figure out how we were trying to score.” Bright spot: Doug Tharme scores during the League Two match between Grimsby Town FC and Tranmere Rovers FC at Blundell Park. (Image: Jon Corken) One positive point was a goal for Doug Tharme on his debut for Town. He equalised from a set-piece in the 39th minute – just moments after Tranmere had taken the lead through Rob Apter. The visitors were back in front in the 55th minute, however, when Toby Mullarkey turned into his own net from Apter’s low delivery. Former Scunthorpe boss Adkins gave the Mariners credit for their fightback, but was pleased with his players’ resilience: “Their goal was a sucker punch and one of our players left his man,” he said. “Games are about fine little margins, but we responded and won the game. “We have to give them some credit as they fought back, but we weathered that and showed a little bit of resilience to get the result.” He added: “We played some lovely football.” Reporting by PA Sport Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Grimsby Town fell to their fourth defeat in six games as Tranmere Rovers battled to a 2-1 victory at Blundell Park. A Toby Mullarkey own goal gave the visitors the three points after Connor Jennings and Doug Tharme on debut had netted in the first period. All three of Town’s matches to start 2024 have been at home, from which they have taken just one point to add to the frustrations for David Artell early in his tenure. After netting the stoppage time equaliser against Notts County, Harry Wood was handed his first Mariners start, as well as Tharme, who replaced Niall Maher at centre-back alongside his old Accrington teammate Harvey Rodgers. READ MORE; It was not a chance-filled opening 15 minutes to the game, with both sides taking some time to get settled on the ball. Still, the visitors had the first clear opening of the game when Kieran Green was dispossessed in his half, allowing Tranmere to break quickly down the left with Anthony Glennon out of position – Connor Jennings grazing the crossbar with his close-range effort. There were appeals for handball from the Town players in the 20th minute after a mini scramble in the centre of the Tranmere box for the ball, but it was hard to see what unfolded, and the referee waved away any penalty claims. Grimsby were unable to create a meaningful chance in the first 35 minutes – aside from a hopeful volley from range by Wood – and it was with ten minutes left in the half that the visitors went ahead. Glennon lost the physical battle to win possession of the looping ball, muscled off it by Apter, who had all the space and time to break into the box and slot a low shot past Harvey Cartwright. Having gone most of the half without creating a single chance, Town were able to get level just minutes after going behind with a cross from Glennon from the left falling at the feet of debutant Tharme to poke the ball home. It was a first half of few chances, with neither side truly grabbing control of the game which was reflected in the scoreline at the break. Artell would have hoped for a livelier start to the second half than he saw in the first, but instead, he saw his side go behind once more – Mullarkey turning into his own net trying to intercept a low cross along the six-yard box. The same issues with chance creation persisted for Town, who looked free-flowing in attack two weeks ago against Notts, but could not pull together anything of note from open play for large periods of this game. Town managed to work the ball down the right channel well through Mullarkey, who looked to redeem himself for the own goal by setting up the equaliser, flashing a ball across the goal from the byline, but there were no takers in Town colours. As the game entered the final ten minutes, Town recognised the urgency of the situation and started to show greater intensity and penetration in their forward play. Danny Rose, who had not seen much action all game up top, had a great effort saved well by Luke McGee, pushing over his own bar after the Grimsby striker volleyed goalwards. Rose went close again in the 88th minute, heading into the side netting at the back post, and getting on the end of Charles Vernam’s looping cross from the left, but Town could not muster the quality to get back into the contest. Starting line-up: Cartwright; Mullarkey, Rodgers, Tharme (Maher 61’), Glennon; Green (Holohan 87’), Clifton, Wood (Vernam 66’); Eisa (Obikwu 87’), Rose Unused subs: Eastwood, Wilson, Braithwaite Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Kamil Conteh’s long-speculated move to Bristol Rovers has now been completed with the League One outfit prizing him away from Grimsby Town after just six months at Blundell Park. The 21-year-old has signed a three-year deal with the Gas, just half a season on from singing the same length of contract with the Mariners, with Rovers seeing enough in his 28 appearances for Town this term to take the plunge. The reported fee for the deal is £300k, which could just be the initial fee to meet his release clause, not including potential future instalments and performance-related add-ons that may have been put in to sweeten the deal for Grimsby, but there is no official confirmation. Town were reluctant to see Conteh leave this month, and they held out for as long as they could to get the best deal possible, with a 20% sell-on clause also said to be included in the deal. Conteh completed his medical on Friday morning with the announcement following in the afternoon, with Rovers managing to get the deal through after interest from elsewhere forced Town to delay an agreement as they listened to other proposals. Town went in and paid an undisclosed fee for the player who was still under contract at Championship club Middlesbrough and committed him to a three-year contract last summer. It was a loan spell in the National League with Gateshead last term that raised the profile of the former Watford academy player, making 33 league appearances and helping the club reach the FA Trophy final. The young midfielder had settled in well at Grimsby despite how the season has unfolded, playing a big role in the team under the man who brought him into the club – Paul Hurst – and now with David Artell, both of whom have seen his potential along with many others. Defensively speaking, he is one of the best young players at this level, leading League Two rankings for total completed tackles, and with more interceptions per 90 than anyone else in the Mariners squad this term. Conteh’s departure leaves a gap in Town’s armour that needs to be filled with under a week now left to find a replacement of some kind, with the space that has been cleared up by recent departures at least opening up more avenues for incomings from a financial standpoint. The 21-year-old said about the move: “I’m delighted to be here, and am looking forward to cracking on and getting playing. In terms of the size of the club, where they are in the table, and the manager’s plans for me, I just really wanted to be a part of it.” Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

David Artell wants to make sure he has a balance at Grimsby Town come the end of the January transfer window, trying to improve the squad while also being mindful of other factors. There is a key point to be made during every transfer window – clubs at Grimsby’s level have to consider the ins and outs very carefully before they make moves and that includes how deals will affect the balance of the squad and the club’s finances. Town have brought in three new players so far this window and are expecting some departures soon to balance things out, and Artell feels a “responsibility” as the man in charge to make sure every player understands their position within his future plans. READ MORE: Kamil Conteh set for move from Grimsby Town as Bristol Rovers meet release clause He said: “I’ve spoken to a few of our players who have had offers [from other clubs] and asked them if they want to pursue those opportunities. I don’t want a particularly big or bloated squad, and finances come into that. “We’ve got to make sure things are balanced correctly, and I feel I’ve got a moral duty as head coach to make sure that is the case and do the right thing by the players we have and those we perhaps want to bring in. “There are some that maybe have to leave, and I don’t want a big queue of players outside my door come May and tell them then that they’re not getting a new contract when I could tell them now. “It’s part of my role and responsibilities, to be honest with the players to help their own futures but also help the squad harmony. If I know what I think of them now, then I should tell them, because that is what I wanted when I was a player.” At the very least, the club are committed to Artell as the man to lead the team forward and with that comes the backing he will receive to make the right moves to improve the team. The Grimsby boss has felt the support of the owners in approaching his role in the way he feels most comfortable doing and in such a way that will benefit the team best, including with transfers. He added: “The owners have been fantastic in their support and I’m not just talking financially but as a whole. I think that is reflected in the whole culture of the football club, it is one big family and it’s quite clear that is the case. “The recruitment is a big part of that – there is full autonomy in my role [over transfers], which you don’t always get as a head coach or a manager. They’ve let me, Joe [Hutchinson, head of recruitment] and the rest of the staff get on with what we need to do. “We’re trying to improve but we can’t upset the apple cart because we don’t have the time to work with the players in terms of a pre-season to properly integrate them in, so we’ve got to be mindful of that.” Things are becoming clearer for the club with each day and week that passes and there is an understanding that the short-term needs of the squad need to be served to set up the long-term aims properly. That includes moulding the squad appropriately in this window to make sure all the players are clear on their roles so the club can start to plan for beyond this season as soon as possible. Mariners chair Jason Stockwood explained: “You have to serve the short term in football to have permission to think further ahead. We’re hyper-aware of how that all works, as is David, but that is the nature of the game and we knew that when we first came into the club. “You try to build a picture and have a sense of who would fit in our squad, but there are multiple parties in those conversations and things can change radically in a short space of time. We are at least getting a clear sense of the type of team David wants to build and how he wants to play.” Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

Six months on from joining Grimsby Town, Kamil Conteh is set for a move away, with Bristol Rovers meeting the release clause in his Mariners contract, according to reports. Bristol Live say that negotiations between the two clubs are in the final stages while personal terms aren’t expected to be an issue. The Sierra Leone international has impressed in his 28 Town appearances so far despite the team’s overall struggles and shown why there was plenty of interest in him at Town’s level once it was clear he was not going to stay in Middlesbrough. READ MORE: Callum Ainley’s message to Grimsby Town fans after cancer diagnosis It was a loan spell in the National League with Gateshead last term that raised the profile of the former Watford academy player, making 33 league appearances and helping the club reach the FA Trophy final. Town went in and paid an undisclosed fee for the player who was still under contract at Middlesbrough and committed him to a three-year contract this summer. With two-and-a-half years left on that contract, Grimsby were reluctant to see the midfielder so soon, but the release clause installed into his contract has reportedly been met. Grimsby boss David Artell’s open-ended response to questions about interest in Conteh suggested that there was basis to the initial rumours, and now it appears that progress has been made in negotiations since last week “When things happen, they’ll happen, that is if they do happen,” said Artell. “If Kam [Conteh] keeps performing as he has done, then he’s going to have admirers elsewhere there is no doubt about that. “[On whether he rules out a Janaury move] That’s a hypothetical question based on who, when and how much they’re offering. It also has to be right for Kam and his agent, so there are too many variables for me to say yes or no.” It is undoubtedly a blow to lose such a talented player, especially on the defensive end, where Grimsby have struggled this term, despite Conteh leading the league for total completed tackles, and ranking highly for interceptions per 90. If the move is completed, it will likely provide a big boost to the transfer coffers at Town, but it will not be easy to replace of player of Conteh’s quality in the January market, as the club work hard on securing more incomings of their own to add to the three secured already this month. Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/