Paul Hurst post match interview.

Audio:
http://wall.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/Event/Mariners_Wall/132086943

Said "it's about time" then went on to say.... (2:43)

"All in all, sat on the bench you're thinking 'Do I change it and really go attacking ?' but I think any point away from home is valuable. And as it turned out, 3 is obviously even better."

3 times more "'valuable" !
Have to say, I really hope he isn't suggesting he WOULDN'T have gone attacking in search of 3 had we not got the breakthrough ?
But got to be honest, that's what it sounds like !  
Not that a point would have been disastrous by any means but are we thinking "playoffs first" here ?

Goes on to say.... (from 6:32)

"There's a lot of good signs ultimately it's about points and winning games but actual you know, goals against, places, us away record, places that we've won, we've beat some of the better teams as in higher in the league and won at some difficult places so for me there's a lot of positive signs there, but ultimately we just have to keep winning games."

JT: "All managers say they don't look at the league table, will you be looking at it tonight ?"

PH: "No I know where we are but, I think Matt asked me that yesterday. And genuinely it was more about, in truth keeping trying to be unbeaten still. And the 3 points is an added bonus. Again, not that we came for a point. But more than anything it was important we kept a run going and like I said to Klim, the 3 pts is credit to the players and we're in a good run of form. We'll try and continue that but we've got a sort of day off as such this weekend with the FACup."

I appreciate keeping a run going CAN be important.
But more important than wanting to put 2 extra points on the board ?!

Personally, I certainly never "expect" Town to win or draw ANY game (cos anything can happen...)
But equally for me, "momentum" doesn't mean voluntarily SLOWING down (by not taking risks to lose your 1 point) AFTER you got 3 the time before.

It's a near certainty we're gonna lose again at some point this season anyway.
So what's with this idea of an "unbeaten run" ? (that's most probably gonna end at some point anyway)
More "false dawn" accusations ? Extra few quid on the gate v Oxford ?
Whatever the reason, wonder if we're in danger of losing focus on the ultimate 1st prize.

Dear Mr Hurst,

Much as I support you, feel compelled to say your seemingly defensive comments towards victory tonight feels like Forest Green (away) deja vu all over again !

You make a very good point about the tough places we've won.
However I'd kindly suggest you ALSO look where Barnet have won on their travels too ! (see 'Barnet' thread).
i.e. Chester, Southport, Dover, Forest Green, Gateshead, Welling.

Then perhaps re-consider (in context of chasing the league leader), whether:

a) 1 point REALLY would have been such a "valuable" result tonight.
b) In light of the unfair 'fallout' after our first 3 undefeated games, whether defeat really would have been so bad.
Especially AFTER winning 4/5 games on the bounce....
c) whether for the future (if you can keep this winning league run going), ultimately losing the occasional away game is really SO disastrous in the grand scheme of what I'm sure we'd ALL like to see you achieve - i.e. automatic promotion.

End of the day, no-one is saying promotion is easy by any means (well most aren't !)
But IMO, we can worry about POTENTIAL "fan reactions" to every defeat until we're blue in the face.
I'm not sure it's gonna do our automatic promotion prospects much good ?
If we can beat (or get a result) v Halifax on Tuesday, please let's not imagine a draw away to Altrincham is good reason to smile.

Very well done to you and the players tonight !

UTM.

Was this thread really necessary 80's?
We go 2nd in the league and you decide to introduce just a hint of negativity.
Still time to delete before one of the famous five wake from their 6 week slumber and feel the opportunity to return to the keyboard has arrived.

What's the issue ?

Yes it was completely necessary if we want really want to have a realistic chance of automatic promotion IMO.

That's not to say Hurst isn't doing a brilliant job.
Or we couldn't gain promotion through the playoffs if we didn't quite manage it via the automatic route.  

All I'm saying is while we've got the knack, let's keep trying to find it.

Quoted from thevera

Still time to delete before one of the famous five wake from their 6 week slumber and feel the opportunity to return to the keyboard has arrived.

Well maybe the famous 5 have 1 or 2 good points buried within their doomish negative "I can't back down cos I've picked my choice now" outlook.
The trouble is (or was), their expectations were off the richter scale at the start of the season when we had players injured.

Everyone has something to offer and no-one is completely right or wrong.
ginny and moosey might be a bunch of miserys but there's no doubt they sometimes know what they're talking about regards tactics etc.

If you ask me what the exiles/anti Hursts maybe forget is, THEY'RE the ones (not just Hurst) who can also probably help make the extra difference to promotion if THEY join the push, SUPPORT and make themselves eveyones heroes.

That's assuming they're out in numbers there reading it all...
I sure hope they do return cos if you ask me we need every man, woman and child on board getting behind the cause.

By the way if you're gonna complain about "negativity" please don't shoot the messenger ?

At the end of the day we all know it's a lot more positive and inspiring for everyone to read intended shows of support at BP (well done gary elton !) than to read any of us (including myself) moaning about Hurst's negativity.

The way I see it, if he really is negative then he's doing bloody well so who knows what a little bit extra positivity might do too.

Paul Hurst will never be a Mourinho, Holloway or Warnock to the media but even he must be bouncing inside that one of the hoodoos has been seen off... not in style, perhaps, but three points are on the board and Grimsby are currently 2nd in the table, and on a good run of results.

The "one match at a time" and somewhat dour style of talking has to understood as his "natural" style.

His team have done what was needed and won a difficult away game where we have struggled in the past, and last night's ref needs a thread of his own.

Whatever way the weekend cup game goes, he still has to have the next league game against Halifax to consider - a really important chance to strike a blow against a promotion rival.

It's still so close in the 2nd to 9th position that every 3 points can change league positions, so we need this run to continue to try to cement this 2nd position over the next month if possible.

I don't know who the famous five are but for me, Hurst is still a play off kind of manager. He will always put out well drilled, efficient, hard working sides that are difficult to beat but without that swagger that title winning sides have. To get to the next level, we need more goals in the side and a striker like Vardy, Tubbs or that guy at Luton whose name escapes me.

Despite all our dominance last night, we created very little and profited from a lapse by their keeper from a poor initial shot. Could easily have been the usual 0-0.

Before anyone calls me negative, i'm not. Recent results have been great and i'm well chuffed but i just think we need a prolific striker in the Hearn mould to give us that little bit extra that winning the title takes. With only one automatic promotion spot, we have to aim for the top.

So. all in all, i think 80's is right in that Hurst is still erring on the side of caution with a 4-5-1 formation and a holding midfielder  and that the play offs are still our best shot. Lenny is left isolated a lot of the time and currently it is working for us. Let's hope it continues.

I'm worried about Carl Magnay's injury. Hurst says it's his knee but doesn't yet know the extent of the problem. Magnay has previously suffered a horrible knee injury that he was very lucky to return to playing from. Let's hope it's his other one, and/or is a minor problem. Fingers crossed from us all I'm sure.

Quoted from 120797

Dear Mr Hurst,

Much as I support you, feel compelled to say your seemingly defensive comments towards victory tonight feels like Forest Green (away) deja vu all over again !

You make a very good point about the tough places we've won.
However I'd kindly suggest you ALSO look where Barnet have won on their travels too ! (see 'Barnet' thread).
i.e. Chester, Southport, Dover, Forest Green, Gateshead, Welling.

Then perhaps re-consider (in context of chasing the league leader), whether:

a) 1 point REALLY would have been such a "valuable" result tonight.
b) In light of the unfair 'fallout' after our first 3 undefeated games, whether defeat really would have been so bad.
Especially AFTER winning 4/5 games on the bounce....
c) whether for the future (if you can keep this winning league run going), ultimately losing the occasional away game is really SO disastrous in the grand scheme of what I'm sure we'd ALL like to see you achieve - i.e. automatic promotion.

End of the day, no-one is saying promotion is easy by any means (well most aren't !)
But IMO, we can worry about POTENTIAL "fan reactions" to every defeat until we're blue in the face.
I'm not sure it's gonna do our automatic promotion prospects much good ?
If we can beat (or get a result) v Halifax on Tuesday, please let's not imagine a draw away to Altrincham is good reason to smile.

Very well done to you and the players tonight !

UTM.

I didn't go but listened to the commentary. They were speaking about the referee and said 'he seems to be focusing on all the small things that don't really matter but missing the big things that do'

That comment could also be used for this post.

Salford, I guess you'll be keeping an eye on that Magnay injury diagnosis with your expertise. I think I'm right in saying that Magnay had previously suffered a compound knee injury - damaged meniscus, ruptured ACL and joint surface fracture - a horrific and complicated injury I've suffered myself.