Disappointing result especially with Southport winning and Alfreton's late, late equaliser against Barnet. But it was by no means our worst performance and I felt we looked a lot more dangerous going forward than we have previously. We just need to cut out conceding such soft goals.

A massive Easter coming up now and we need at least one win.  

Today's ref is the same one I questioned after a game a few years back for the same thing. That grinning fool didn't give it for a variety of reasons. Bottled it, doesnt like us, scared of the big club. Take your pick. Totally inept performance and I can't believe he is reffing conference national matches. 

He is almost as laughable as the official attendance today.  

...and as for the 4th official being all "matey" with the Grimsby directors...I can see why some argue that Welling are not wanted in this league. Yet to the outsider all may have seemed fine because no Welling players were booked!

I was right by the lino for the pen. He was waving like a nutter but failed to put the flag across his chest. He just didnt like to make the big decision like most linos. Then it was left to the nutjob in the middle. He had to either give a penalty, free kick to them by the edge of the box or a goal kick. He then placed the ball by the penalty spot!?!?!?

1-0 down. Still in the game. Linesman gives a, what seems, a stonewall penalty. But the ref wasn't having any of it? Ref was probably around 20-25 yards away from the incident when the lineman was 10-15 or so away. On the linesman's side, a pull on our player. Once the linesman has given it, the ref should follow to save controversy and also the embarrassment of his colleague. Its a penalty. Simple as that. There is a clear tug on him. Why the ref hasn't initially given it, I will never know. Its in the name though. ASSISTANT referee. He is there to assist you. He did, but the ref just turned away his help.  I, along with dozens of others, would love to know what the referee and assistant said to eachother, both on the pitch and at half-time. But that, we'll never know

The second goal...was it down to the refs fault. Partially yes. Partially no. Lafayette was fouled (another appalling decision) and Grimsby counter-attack up the other end and get a shot away and get a corner. Should Grimsby have had the opportunity to get that corner? Most definitely not! But we should have been more organised at the end of that passage of play and in the end, it was a free header.

Don't believe the performance was too down-heart today, but by the looks of the faces of the players at the full-time whistle, it looks like a team who have been beaten for the season. It looks like they have accepted their fate, which kills me to say. Miracles often happen in all shapes and sizes, and until it is mathematically sealed, we should keep going. On our day, we can beat anyone. Just look at the Lincoln away result on the back of the form we were on. It does look like the inevitable will happen, but lets give what we probably have left in the league, a damn right good show to bow out on. And show those who will be in this league next season who we have to play, that we WILL be back soon. COYW!

-- Edited by THE BLONDE KID IN A HOODIE on Sunday 29th of March 2015 02:10:13 AM

GaryH wrote:

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but failed to put the flag across his chest.

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 They don't do that anymore. Now they flag then run to the corner flag, which is what he did. He did not bottle it at all, but may not bother in the future after the reaction from the referee who was so far out of his depths that I'm surprised he didn't get the bends.

The "penalty" isn't as clear cut as some seem to be making out, he was hardly hacked down when clear on goal.

It could have been given, and perhaps the linesman on one side saw shirt pulling the referee from the other side couldn't see, but we can't pick that up from the video replay. Unless you were sharing the linesman's viewpoint, which I was not, then I think claiming it was definitely a penalty is little more than clutching at straws. The video does not show a penalty from the angle filmed at.

We've decided, according to Loui Faz interview on Youtube, NOT to recall Charlie Penny at this time. Madness.

And not to recall Jefford and play Harris at left-back as well seems strange. Again, able to be recalled if required at 24 hours notice.

Obviously we have a budget, but I doubt either is on so much it isn't worth the "risk" in recalling them and saving the huge lose of income relegation would bring.

Just to add my tuppence worth. IMO not a penalty and I was standing rhs of the goal. Just a bit of argy bargy and shoulders.  Sometimes given, sometimes not. As for moans about officials and being unlucky, I thought we had already passed that place. Maybe, like my nearest team, we have reached the point where we can only strive for the top league, but never be good enough to survive for long in it. Next season though don't forget they'll be  5 or 6 localish derbies. 

Forgot the crowd. Surely 600 at least Grimsby supporters. Only 450 Welling?

There may have only been 450 paying Welling but I'd estimate that there were at least 150 who got in for free. I don't understand why they are n't included in the official attendance?

As for the assumption that we will be towards the top of the Conference South next season- I'm not so sure.  We would effectively be starting again, probably with a new manager, a new squad (all the players will be out of contract) and a new training schedule. Conference South is a very competitive league where even the clubs with lower budgets than us, such as Maidenhead and Bishops Stortford, have experienced managers and an established team at that level.

I still have n't given up hope for this season. Grimsby are a very good team, on a decent run and yet we caused them real problems yesterday. As long as we are within 6 points of Alfreton when we go to them on 18th April we'll be in with a chance. I would then be pretty confident of our chances of taking 3 points at home to an already safe Southport whilst Alfreton have to travel to promotion chasing Bristol Rovers. 

COYW!

MarkX wrote:

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Also....is it just me that thinks 1042 crowd is a bit light

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 I have been reasonably close with previous 'guesstimates' of crowd sizes and yesterday I went for 1200-1300, someone said the E & B stand holds 650?? If that is so then there were many more than 620 Mariners there. Also Mr Commercial said 1000 free parent and child tickets were distributed to local schools, would those who attended on a freebie be included in the publicised gate figure? There seemed to be a few more young kids around so that is a big positive, also no cards against us!

As for the referee yesterday, I think the lino was giving the pen. Otherwise, why did it take an age for the ref to fend off all the Grimsby protests and then enter a long discussion with the lino, for which the ref made certain no-one could eavesdrop? From where I was I could not judge but got a feeling the challenge was six of one, half a dozen the other. But most amazing was the restart, which after at least a whole minute of delay, was the same as the ref calling, "play on"! 

I did think it was a penalty yesterday although I'd like to look at it again to be sure. Being stood behind the goal I was pretty sure their defendef handled the ball after he was on the floor but by that time every one was howling about the challenge and the referee had already gone into manic waving mode and probably was not looking.

I reckon 4 wins and a draw and we might stand a chance. The situation is now being confused by Nuneaton and I can't actually see where 4 wins come from at this point.

What is the agenda with Penny and Jefford? It is not like either are going to win a trophy where they are and, fully fit, I'd contest they are better than the options we have been using.

Finally our problem next year is that we are probably going to have to wait for the multiplicity of big payers in the area to do their business before we can do ours.

Agreed Mark. Ambition is one thing, but competing with full time footie is another......The Conference will never be the same as twenty years ago or so.