GRIMSBY v YORK – 1 AH0 – 13 March 2012

Hearn & Co could win it for Grimsby

National League Tips

Blue Square Premier

Tuesday 13th March 2012 – Kickoff:  1945hrs

Seventh placed Grimsby and sixth placed York City clash at Blundell Park on Tuesday night with both teams wanting all three points to maintain their play-off claims.

Grimsby Town have lost just once in their last seventeen league matches which was an understandable 1-2 defeat at Blue Square Premier leaders Fleetwood Town last week, but they bounced back well at the weekend with a 2-1 win over Forest Green Rovers.

Tonight they take on draw specialists York City who are trumped only by Stockport County (14 draws), as they prepare to go level on points with tonight’s opponents. Grimsby’s home record stands at  11-3-4  46/22, and are unbeaten in their last nine matches at home.

Grimsby’s leading scorer is Liam Hearn (25 goals, 5 assists) who is enjoying a stellar season, along with Anthony Elding (10 goals, 4 assists), creative midfielder Michael Coulson (7 goals, 13 assists) and Robert Duffy (5 goals, 4 assists), it’s easy to see why they’re the highest goalscorers at home in the division.

York City will be very wary when they travel up to Cleethorpes as they look to stave off Grimsby’s challenge on their existing sixth placed spot. York themselves have an eye on fourth spot and oust Mansfield Town should they take all three points on Tuesday night.

The Minstermen have played their last four Blue Square Premier matches at home with wins over poor Stockport County and Hayes & Yeading, a draw against Tamworth, and losing 1-2 to Gateshead. I would have expected them to walk away with a maximum of 12 points in that mini home schedule and may rue the Tamworth and Gateshead results later in the season.

York’s away record stands at  6-8-2  27/16, and are unbeaten in their last ten on the road. However, seven of those ten matches have resulted in draws, with the wins coming at Lincoln City, Stockport and Hayes (again).

Striker and leading scorer Jason Walker (15 goals, 5 assists) is an injury doubt as he took no part in the action in York’s recent FA Trophy semi-final match with Luton Town, but they do still have the likes of Chambers, Reed and Blair who have contributed a total of 25 goals and 15 assists between them.

However, manager Gary Mills will probably have one eye on their semi-final second leg at Luton Town at the weekend as they defend a slender 1-0 advantage, and he may shuffle his pack for the Grimsby match accordingly.

If there is any doubt at all over Walker’s fitness I daresay he’ll be rested for this match, so I’ll back Grimsby in this one as they hold home advantage and they also have formidable attacking prowess. I’ll go for a 2-1 scoreline but will take Grimsby with the round ball given York’s drawn matches and the onus will be on the home side to win it.

Main Pick:  Grimsby Town AH0 @ 1.75 Pinnacle

Value Pick:  Grimsby Town straight win @ 2.39 Pinnacle