Cheltenham Town 0 Grimsby Town 2

17:53, 24 Jan 2026Updated 21:10, 24 Jan 2026

Your thoughts on the game?

Disappointed we did get anything. We played well enough today, to have won that game. First goal of theirs is an unbelievable strike, you have to say that. Second goal, probably a bit of a mix-up in the box, between Robbie (Cundy) and Joe (Day). Maybe Robbie can adjust his position slightly and he might get something on that and when he doesn’t you are thinking ‘can Joe get a hand to it and tip it round’ but sometimes those things happen, especially on days like today.

How pleased were you with the way you reacted to their early goal?

The goal, both goals funnily enough, were against the run of play.

You created some really good chances

Yes, we need to be a little bit better in that top end, we just spoke about that. We needed to be better with those chances we created, probably should have had one penalty, maybe two day. Certainly one.

Robbie Cundy’s chance in the second half probably a pivotal moment in the match?

Yes, it was good play. When I think back to even how the game started up there for our guys, even when we had 11 men. We never got anywhere near the level of performance that we did today. The bottom line is today, and I know we haven’t won the game, we were the better team.

How much encouragement does that give you?

You are going to go through those times as the team evolves and all that business. You will have your Achilles heel in some parts of your play. I don’t like accepting it, but in the cold light of day, I have to accept it. I will have to do that, probably, for the rest of the season. The boys haven’t deserved to lose that game today. We will be a couple of points down on our total so far and we’ll pick them up somewhere along the line, further one.

How do you think Cole Deeming did on his EFL debut?

Really tough for him, isn’t it. He’s only a young man really. I thought he did some really good things today. He was unlucky with the one that hit the post. That would have been nice, if that had crept in because at 1-0 down, if we’d got the next goal, we could have gone on and won it. I still think if a chance had gone in at 2-0, we might have got something else as well. The lads were all in today. I don’t have any gripes with them. Just the normal gripes I’d probably have, where we have to be better and what we have to improve on. But I thought the lads were all in today and gave everything. The supporters could see that today and that’s why they stayed behind, which was really good.

Are you expecting business to pick up in the final week to 10 days of the transfer window?

It might do, yes.

Are you hopeful?

It might do. You never know on things. I know you have to ask me, but I’ll be glad when it’s February and you don’t have to ask me anymore. We will always be trying to do things, we know that. But we’ve been trying to do them, up until now. Not got a couple over the line, but that happens. It’s happening everywhere, up and down the country at the moment. When you think about how much the team has evolved, we are three weeks into January. The last time we played these we had two starters from that game. It’s evolved a fair bit without January being anything to do with it. There has been a lot of hard work that’s gone into putting that team together, through three weeks of a window and then three months without it. A lot of hard work has been put in.

Is it the top end of the pitch you are focusing on?

I wouldn’t tell you that anyway, I’d never do that. Why would I do that? You can surmise and anyone else can, but I wouldn’t ever do that anyway. What that does is, it hangs the people in there. I’ve not done that in 30-odd years and I am not going to start doing it now.

Are you looking for another goalkeeper so Mamadou Diallo can go out on loan?

It hasn’t been an urgent one. Joe Day has been very good this season. If we want to say that he made a mistake, I thought he was really good today. We have other urgent areas so for me, that isn’t an urgent area.

You have brought in George Nurse and Cole Deeming, both left-footers, so how pleased are you with the added balance in the team now?

I thought Nursey was better today than he has been in the other couple of games. He’s still got to attack a little bit more. That might be down to fitness and not playing very much football. Certainly this season and last. That was his best game for us, so let’s hope he can build on top of that. He’s still getting used to things that I want because last time I had Nursey, he was either wing-back or left side of a three. Now he’s left-back in a four, so that is different for him. Let’s wait and see how we go. As the game goes on he is cramping up a bit, so we need to see where we are now roaming into Tuesday and then another game on Saturday. We’ll have a little look at that. Obviously, Arkell (Jude-Boyd) didn’t have a lot to do in today’s game in terms of his output after a niggly hamstring on Thursday. We’ll wait and see where we are and have a look at everybody on Monday morning.

Cole Deeming doesn’t look like he’s going to struggle physically in League Two does he?

No, he has broad shoulders, a nice left foot. When his brain speeds up to the level he’s playing at now, and by that I don’t mean he’s not cute enough, but he’s been playing in the National League and there’s a definite step up, certainly for a young boy. I thought he acquitted himself really well today.

You said it’s easy to say ‘yes’ in transfer windows. Despite missing out on a couple, are you hoping your patience pays off in the final stages of the window?

I think the pool will become bigger, where we’ve not been in the mix with people who can go out on loan. We might not come in the mix, where they haven’t perhaps been taken from either Championship to League One level, or top League One to bottom of League One and then from League One to the top of League Two. If you have a look at the league table, unfortunately unless you are going to spend a fair bit of money, which is what Crawley have done, that’s our pecking order, if you know what I mean.