Cleethorpes Town 2-2 Grimsby Borough: Match Report

Cleethorpes Town 2-2 Grimsby Borough: Match Report

The Wilderness Boys made the short trip across town to the HPS Plant Hire Stadium to face neighbours Cleethorpes Town in their latest pre-season fixture, with both sides stepping up their preparations for their respective upcoming 2026/27 campaigns by looking to win the Ken Vincent Trophy, a fitting tribute to a man who had a great impact on football locally.

With the hosts just missing out on a step three play-off place last time out, it was set to be Borough’s toughest test to date, and taking on higher level opposition on their own turf would give boss Tom Claisse and his Assistant Liam Dickens a further indication of their side’s readiness for the year ahead.

On a warm North East Lincolnshire afternoon, Claisse started with Hayden Rogers in goal, who again deputised for Heath Richardson. The recent regular back three of Billy Bradley, Bradley Wood, and Tom Sawyer was once again in place, with Tristan Drummond and Mason Couch providing the width in their wing-back roles. Captain Sam Topliss was joined by fellow former Owl Alex Flett and new signing Josh Clarke in the engine room, with Anane Wireko playing off striker Charlie Burden-Whittleton in attack.

There was a welcome return for defenders AJ Adelekan and Paul Walker, who took their place on the bench alongside the likes of Harvey Cribb, Josh Venney, and George Burton.

Borough were without the services of forwards Kieron Ceesay, Edwin Essel, and Charlie Clements, along with defender Alfie Taylor, wide players Bailey Wright and Louis Boyd, and the aforementioned Richardson for the clash.

The game began in typical ‘El Haddocko’ fashion, with both sides as competitive as ever in battling for the upper hand in front of a respectable crowd who’d waited over a year for the return of the much-anticipated local matchup.

The first 15 minutes were largely played out in the middle of the park, though the game then started to open up as Cleethorpes striker Josh Walker found himself in on goal, only to be denied by a superb last ditch challenge from Bradley Wood before he could get his shot away.

The Owls number nine had another opportunity four minutes later, as he combined with winger Billy Fewster, before his strike from close range was well kept out by Rogers when, perhaps, he’ll have been disappointed not to find the back of the net.

The Wilderness Boys sprang into life on 22 minutes, as Clarke’s perseverance in midfield enabled him to find Couch out wide. The wing-back got to the byline before delivering a tempting cross, though none of his teammates were able to get on the end of it.

The hosts then countered and took the lead as good work on the right by the impressive Fewster and Lewis Hay allowed midfielder Aaron Braithwaite to bundle the ball home from close range to give his side the lead at the halfway point of the first period.

The Owls wouldn’t be ahead for long, however, as, after a short hydration break, Claisse's side replied immediately; the quick feet of Wireko getting away down the right before crossing for Couch to tap in past Ollie Battersby in the home goal.

As the game began to ebb and flow, with Cleethorpes’ Bailey Conway and Borough's Josh Clarke looking to control proceedings for their respective sides in midfield, Callum Ainley saw his shot from range comfortably held by Rogers, before Drummond’s well-struck drive was blocked at the other end, with Burden-Whittleton’s effort on the rebound looping over.

Craig Rouse's men were continuing to put some dangerous deliveries into the Wilderness Boys’ penalty box, though they were all repelled by some great defensive headers from the likes of Wood, Sawyer, and Bradley, who kept their Northern Premier League Premier Division opponents at arms length for the most part.

There was a good opportunity for Braithwaite to grab his second of the game before the break, though the former Grimsby Town youngster scuffed his effort wide from 12-yards and the teams went in level at the interval.

Cleethorpes opted to make some changes at half-time, both in terms of personnel and system, as they too went to a back three, but it was Borough who’d soon be in the ascendancy after the restart. 

With 55 minutes on the clock, Wireko released Clarke in the right-hand channel, and the midfielder’s composure allowed him to tee up the hardworking Burden-Whittleton to fire home from eight yards out and give his side the lead.

Harvey Cribb replaced Topliss in midfield as Claisse’s men went on the hunt for further goals, Burden-Whittleton’s effort saved by the legs of Battersby as the Borough man opted to shoot when he and Wireko were in on goal just after the hour mark.

Former Owls defenders Adelekan and Walker replaced Sawyer and Bradley for the final 25 minutes as their teammates kept up the pressure at the other end, Burden-Whittleton’s great cross from the right just evading Crouch, who was having a superb game, at the back post, before Clarke fired over from the resulting recycled attack.

As play switched to the other end, the ever-reliable Wood made a well-timed challenge as Walker was about to pull the trigger on the Borough goal, before Joe Ackroyd drilled a shot over from the resulting corner kick.

As the game entered its latter stages, Cleethorpes went a little more direct in their attempts to find an equaliser, resulting in opportunities at both ends. Couch’s left-wing delivery was well defended at the back post to deny Drummond the chance to notch Borough’s third, before a defensive mix up saw Rogers caught out of his goal, though Hey’s effort from distance drifted wide of an unguarded net.

The Wilderness Boys looked to be heading to victory as the game entered injury-time. However, they would be denied at the last as Cleethorpes’ trialist attacker won possession in a dangerous area and was able to slide a ball across for fellow substitute Devon Brockie to find Rogers’ top corner and level the scores with almost the final kick of the game.

The Ken Vincent Trophy would be shared on this occasion, and both sets of coaching staff will have been happy with what was a competitive, evenly-contested run out for the two sides, with their respective 2026/27 NPL campaigns on the horizon.

We’d like to thank all at Cleethorpes Town for their hospitality at the HPS Plant Hire Stadium yesterday, and wish them all the best for the year ahead. Borough are next in action on Saturday August 1st (3pm kick-off) as we head to Boston Town for our penultimate pre-season clash.