Grimsby Borough 2-1 Thornaby: Match Report

Grimsby Borough 2-1 Thornaby: Match Report

The Wilderness Boys kicked off their pre-season friendly schedule with a narrow victory over Ebac Northern League Division One side Thornaby, coming from behind to ultimately earn a deserved win as some enterprising football throughout was eventually rewarded in the second-half.

Thornaby made the circa two-hour trip from North Yorkshire to play their part in a run out where both sides tried to get the ball down and play, making for an enjoyable spectacle for all those in attendance on a warm and windy afternoon at the Technica Home of Boro.

Tom Claisse used the match to give starts to some of his new additions, with Hayden Rogers starting in goal in the absence of Heath Richardson, while Tristan Drummond, Billy Bradley, and Harvey Cribb took their place at the back and in the centre of the park respectively.

Tom Sawyer and AJ Adelekan lined up alongside Drummond and Bradley in defensive quarters, while skipper Sam Topliss and Josh Venney joined Cribb in midfield. Anane Wireko and Mason Couch took up wide roles, though the former in particular looked to join up with striker Kieron Ceesay whenever possible. Forwards Edwin Essel and Charlie Clements began on the bench alongside Bradley Wood, George Burton and Trialists A and B.

Borough began on the front foot, with Wireko’s quick feet producing a good opening for Ceesay in the 2nd minute, though the attacker fired just wide of the upright. The visitors had an opportunity of their own just 60 seconds later as a defensive mix-up saw the ball fall to Joe Pickett, whose attempt to lob Rogers from 30-yards drifted over.

Claisse’s side continued to edge an entertaining first twenty minutes, with Drummond, who was getting forward well from his right-sided position, denied at close range by a good defensive block; Sawyer’s long range strike from the rebound going over ‘keeper Sam Taylor’s crossbar.

Enjoying plenty of possession, Venney was controlling proceedings in the Borough engine room, the midfield man seeing an effort from distance comfortably saved by Taylor. Thornaby’s Pickett was finding some dangerous positions between the lines and looked the visitors biggest threat, but it was Kieron Parnaby who gave them the lead on 21 minutes, the midfielder’s deflected strike leaving Rogers with little chance.

Cribb almost brought the Wilderness Boys level immediately, but could only drag wide from 10-yards after Wireko’s quick thinking presented him with the chance. Ceesay then fired over from inside the box, and Tristan Drummond was denied by a defensive block at the far post after good work from Couch on the left.

Thornaby held on to lead at half-time, but the Borough coaching staff will have been happy with how their side had controlled the game on the whole, with the final ball or finish proving the main obstacle.

Claisse made six changes at the break, with Cribb, Venney, Topliss, Wireko, Ceesay, and Drummond making way. Wood, along with the two trialists took over in midfield, while Benson occupied a wide role, with Essel and Clements working in tandem in attacking areas.

After the restart, Thornaby’s wide man soon tested Rogers with an effort from the edge of the box, but once Borough settled back into a rhythm, they began to take control again.

Wood won every header and challenge, while the two trialists began to pull the strings in possession. The equaliser finally came on the hour mark, as good work from Clements in the air paved the way for Trialist A to break through the visitors back line and finish calmly over the onrushing goalkeeper.

Clements was then denied a goal of his own as the Blue Lamps number one did well to parry away a looping cross before it reached the Borough front man. The Wilderness Boys took the lead a minute later, however, as Essel was felled in the area, and got up to fire home the penalty himself into the top left corner.

While both sides made more alterations with roll-on substitutes, the final stages were largely played out in midfield. Thornaby’s Pickett struck a free-kick into the wall, while Trialist B’s header went wide at the other end as the Wilderness Boys saw out the win in their opening pre-season fixture.

Tom Claisse and his assistant Liam Dickens will have enjoyed seeing their new-look side in action for the first time, and while there’s plenty of hard work ahead, there’s certainly much to be positive and excited about for the 2026/27 step four season.

We thank Thornaby for visiting the Technica Home of Boro, and wish them all the very best for their upcoming Northern League campaign. The Wilderness Boys are next in action on Saturday 11th July as we travel to Winterton Rangers for our second pre-season clash.