Paul Hurst admits Grimsby must improve despite claiming first home win in league

Posted Sunday, October 09, 2022 by PA

Paul Hurst admits his Grimsby players will need to improve during upcoming games despite sweeping rock-bottom Crawley aside with a 3-0 victory at Blundell Park.

Goals from Anthony Glennon, Gavan Holohan and Ryan Taylor did the damage as Grimsby picked up maximum points for the first time at home this season.

Crawley had a goal disallowed for offside when the score was 1-0 and it proved to be a telling moment in the showdown as Kevin Betsy saw his team slip to the foot of the standings as a result of this latest defeat.

Hurst said: “We were better in both home games that we have lost recently.

“We looked nervous and I’m not really sure why. Going into the game that shouldn’t have been the case off the back of a good point and some good performances.

“It was a strange afternoon. We looked as though we could score goals and I think that we had enough good situations.

“Naturally we are delighted to get that first home win, but we are going to have to be a lot better when we go to Stockport and with Bradford coming here.

“We are going to have to be much better in those games.”

Grimsby enjoyed a flying perfect start when Glennon curled a free-kick into the top corner inside four minutes and Harry Clifton soon went close to making it 2-0.

At the other end, Caleb Chukwuemeka headed over from a corner before striking another effort straight at Grimsby goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

Crawley pushed and probed for a leveller as Chukwuemeka took aim again, but while Dom Telford did put the ball in the net it was eventually ruled out for offside.

Holohan put Grimsby in control after 52 minutes with a low finish before Taylor wrapped things up in the 85th minute following Aribim Pepple lay-off.

Crawley boss Betsy felt his side’s disallowed goal was a key incident in the match.

He said: “It turned out to be the pivotal moment. We have played really well from the first goal they scored and right up to half-time. That was a really good move.

“We were celebrating the goal and, for whatever reason, the referee has decided to speak with his linesman and chalked off the goal.

“It deflated the players. We still had 45 minutes to come back into the match, but we have not handled the ball well enough in the second half and conceded two poor goals.

“All the planning we had done in leading up to the game was fine, but we conceded a goal as soon as the game kicked off and that wasn’t good enough.”