City in stalemate

Gary Walsh, the fall guy at Stoke, was the major absentee from a City side showing three changes from the Britannia Stadium.

Walsh was not even on the bench - as Nicky Law went without a substitute keeper - after apparently failing a fitness test on a leg injury.

In came Aidan Davison for his first game since tearing his groin at Coventry in December. To thicken the plot he was back against former club Grimsby, who have been lining him up as a potential replacement if Welsh international Danny Coyne moves on.

Injuries forced Law's hand with Jamie Lawrence (broken leg) joined on the casualty list by young full back Lewis Emanuel, who was due to undergo a cartilage operation which will rule him out for a month.

Robert Molenaar, like Davison, came in for his first league start under Law with Andy Myers moving across to left back. In midfield, Lawrence's absence meant a senior debut for Michael Standing who is over his hamstring problem.

Striker Michael Proctor, snapped up on loan from Sunderland initially for a month, was on the bench as was youngster Danny Forrest.

Grimsby's attack was spearheaded by their two new arrivals Robert Taylor, who had a week's trial with City in the summer, and Steve Kabba. Defender John McDermott, who last week played his 500th game for the club, passed a late fitness test.

Before the kick-off, there was a minute's silence to remember the murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. When the game began, referee Paul Rejer was unhappy with the ball and changed it within 90 seconds.

Danny Cadamarteri was snuffed out on the edge of the Grimsby box and the ball broke to Tom Kearney who dragged a low shot wide. Ashley Ward then held up the ball well on the byline before laying off to Standing whose curling right-foot cross eluded the leaping Andy Gray, who was wearing protection on his broken left hand.

Kabba trickled an effort wide after seven minutes before Paul Evans, back from international duty with Wales, drifted a cross beyond Grimsby's far post.

Play was stopped after Ashley Ward took a blow going up for a header with Grimsby player-boss Paul Groves but, to City's relief, the big striker was able to continue.

Ward showed no ill-effects as he used his strength to get behind Groves to deliver a cross as City maintained their busy tempo.

But Kabba, on loan to Grimsby from Crystal Palace, showed great acceleration to brush past Gus Uhlenbeek. The Dutchman spun over and the home side were fortunate to get the free-kick decision as Kabba charged into the box.

Taylor was squeezed out by Robert Molenaar who headed out a Darren Barnard cross and Terry Cooke shot wide from the loose ball.

Cadamarteri was looking much brighter in a more central role, carrying on his good work from the Stoke game and had a shot charged down by the sliding Tony Gallimore in the 18th minute.

Davison had his first shot to save from Grimsby's next attack but Cooke's 12-yard effort was weak and straight at him.

Taylor clearly had a problem with his right leg and limped off after 20 minutes. Jon Rowan took his place.

His strike partner Kabba was sent tumbling from a trip by Robert Molenaar who picked up the first yellow card as the game became bitty and stop-start. From the free-kick Grimsby earned a corner which came to nothing.

City were finding it tough to open up a packed away defence but a driving run from Standing tried to lift things. Cadamarteri beavered some space for Kearney whose shot from 25 yards was disappointing.

Molenaar was sailing close to the wind after another foul although Cooke's ambitious free-kick flew into the away fans at the Bradford End. Standing was considerably closer at the other end with a curler as Coyne strayed off his line.

The effort gave the crowd something to cheer at last - and they were on their feet when Gray cut into the penalty area and unleashed a left-foot shot which Coyne pushed round the post. It was the closest either side had come to breaking the deadlock.

City's tails were up and Cadamarteri burst forward from just inside the Grimsby half after a clever turn. He ran at the defence before firing in a low drive which Coyne parried and Gallimore hooked away.

But the danger was still there for the City defence from Kabba's pace and he responded with an equally dangerous run past Molenaar although the finish was poor.

Standing was becoming more influential especially when he came inside on his right foot and he teed up Kearney for another shot into Coyne's arms.

Kearney blotted his copybook in the 43rd minute with a booking for flattening the elusive Kabba.

City were getting closer though and Evans retrieved an overhit cross to whip the ball back into the dangerzone where Steve Chettle just held off Ward at the far post. The corner was aimed at Ward who flashed a low header across goal.

Then Cadamarteri got the ball stuck under his feet on the edge of the box but dug it out to drag an effort a yard or so the wrong side of Coyne's right-hand post.

Atherton was fuming after conceding a foul against Rowan 25 yards from goal. The free-kick in the 76th minute was dead centre and seemingly perfect for specialist Darren Barnard. Instead Cooke had a go and gave Davison a comfortable catch above his head.

Gallimore became the fifth name in the referee's book for time-wasting before taking a throw-in. Grimsby were clearly settling for a point.

With the game fizzling out again, the supporters in the Carlsberg Stand embarked on a late sing-song - there was not a lot in front of them worth chanting about.

Evans, still looking to open his account, sent a rasping free-kick wide from distance with three minutes remaining. And Ward had his first sight at goal but was unable to get a good contact.

With time ticking away, Standing tried to cap an encouraging first match with the decisive goal. He tried a decent effort from 20 yards which Coyne palmed off course.