Michael Jolley happy as Grimsby bounce back in style

Posted Sunday, August 12, 2018 by PA

Michael Jolley was making no effort to disguise his delight after his Grimsby side bounced back a disappointing opening game to dismantle Macclesfield.

Grimsby had been thrashed 4-1 at home by Forest Green Rovers a week earlier but were more comprehensive winners than the 2-0 scoreline suggests.

“It was a good performance from us, certainly while we had 11 men on the pitch I thought we were the better team and created a number of chances in the first half,” said Jolley.

“We got a far different performance, it’s football and you don’t get the right performance week in, week out, but that was much more like the team I recognised in pre-season than the one from last week.”

The Mariners led at half time, courtesy of Jordan Cook’s stunning long-range effort.

Moments after Macc had survived a goalmouth scramble, Cook collected the ball more than 30 yards from goal and let fly in spectacular style, with goalkeeper Rhys Taylor only able to send out a despairing hand as the ball flew into the top corner of his goal.

The hosts were playing their first Football League game at the Moss Rose in six years but had been second best throughout. Not even a straight red card for Mitch Rose made much of a difference for Macclesfield.

Grimsby sealed victory in the 90th minute when substitute Charles Vernam slipped in a second for the visitors.

And new Silkmen boss Mark Yates is under no illusion as to the task ahead.

He said: “This club massively overachieved to get promoted last season, we’ve got to overachieve again to get to where we want to get to.

“We’re not shirking anything, we’ve got good players and we just need to stick together.”