Jolley hails Grimsby’s mental strength after beating Newport

Posted Sunday, February 03, 2019 by PA

Michael Jolley praised the mental strength of Grimsby after their 3-0 victory against Newport at Blundell Park.

Jordan Cook settled the scores with a well-taken brace that was followed up by a late own goal from visiting defender, Mickey Demetriou.

But the most pleasing aspect for Jolley was how Grimsby responded after top-scorer Wes Thomas missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Jolley said: “I think it was a really good win. We weren’t happy with the start, because we didn’t get going for 15 minutes.

“We scored out of the blue almost. After that we played some really good football and I thought we were the better side.

“Sometimes players miss penalties, and that can happen in football. But the way we responded to that was excellent.

“Jordan (Cook) played well last week and then, once again, he put in a hard-working display that was capped off by two good finishes.

“We spoke about being mentally strong at half-time, because it would have been human nature to have been disappointed about the penalty.

“We then got an early goal. Of course, we had some defending to do because Newport are a threat, but we also looked a threat on the counter.”

Newport boss Michael Flynn added: “It was shocking. It was terrible, lazy defending – we didn’t track runners.

“In the first 15 minutes we were excellent, but then after that it was terrible. It was weak, poor. And put simply it wasn’t good enough.

“We made a few changes because we wanted to get some minutes into people’s legs.

“I think what we put out there was good enough to win the football match. Obviously, it wasn’t and it’s told me a few things about a few people.

“We put loads of balls in the box, but we didn’t get on the end of them because we were never on the front foot. And it was the same at the other box.

“It was just not good enough.”

Chances were few and far between during the opening stages, with Keanu Marsh-Brown being the first man to hit the target in Cleethorpes.

Sam Russell had to be alert to punch away Ben Kennedy’s header, while Cook tested Nick Townsend at the other end, shortly before poking home the opener.

Martyn Woolford also went close with a rasping drive, before Thomas saw his tame spot-kick saved by Townsend.

Upon the restart, the visitors saw one attempt cleared off the line, but it was soon 2-0 as Cook swept home following good work from Reece Hall-Johnson.

And then, as the clock ticked by, the result was confirmed when Demetriou turned Woolford’s low cross into his own net.