On Monday, Grimsby Town will kick off the New Year by welcoming Walsall to Blundell Park in North East Lincolnshire.
Both sides ended 2023 on positive notes, with the Mariners moving 10 points clear of the League Two relegation line thanks to a 3-0 triumph over Salford City, while the Saddlers defeated Wrexham 3-1, and will begin 2024 in 13th.
Match preview
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The Mariners ended a three-match domestic winless run in style this week, scoring three goals in a League Two contest for only the second time all season.
That was the first time David Artell had seen his side keep the opposition off the scoresheet in any competitive fixture since taking over from Paul Hurst, while it was the first time this team kept a clean sheet since September 2 (2-0 win over Gillingham).
Their victory over Salford City was the first time over this campaign that they had claimed three points away from home, while they enter this fixture with points in three successive home matches in this competition, one fewer than their longest unbeaten run in League Two this season.
With a New Year's Day victory, this team will do something they have not done since March of last season, win consecutive domestic affairs.
Grimsby Town have emerged victorious from their last two league contests in which they drew first blood and have not lost when doing so since October 24 (3-2 defeat to Colchester United).
They have points in five of their last six League Two encounters versus Walsall, losing only one match against them at Blundell Park (1-0 in the 2002-03 First Division campaign).
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A determined Walsall side took it to Wrexham in the early stages on Friday, going in front after 16 minutes and maintaining their unbeaten run in this competition when scoring first.
Since the beginning of December, Mat Sadler's men have effectively shut down the opposition in the second half, conceding just once in the final 45 minutes of their last five domestic affairs while finding the back of the net six times after the interval.
They begin 2024 with three successive competitive fixtures away from home, with the Saddlers winning just one of their League Two encounters outside of Bescot Stadium since the start of October (2-1 over Notts County).
Walsall have conceded in every one of their League Two away outings this season, with all three of their domestic victories occurring despite conceding the opening goal.
After 24 League Two matchdays, Walsall have accumulated four points fewer than they had at this stage a season ago and are six points behind MK Dons for sixth and that final playoff spot.
They have come away with at least a point in three of their last four League Two meetings with Grimsby Town, though they have not beaten them in this competition since 2020-21 (1-0 at home).
Team News
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Grimsby were without Rekeil Pyke, Arthur Gnahoua and Alex Hunt against Salford City after they each sustained minor injuries on Boxing Day, while Donovan Wilson continues to push for a return to the squad despite a knock.
On Friday Harry Clifton scored for the second time domestically this season, his first goal since August, Toby Mullarkey netted his first of the League Two campaign, with Danny Rose rounding out the scoring with his team-leading eighth of 2023-24, while Harvey Cartwright collected his first clean sheet since joining his hometown club in July, on a season-long loan deal from Hull City.
Rollin Menayese and Owen Evans were on the bench for Walsall against Wrexham because of minor knocks, while Sadler made two changes to his starting 11 from Boxing Day to Friday's fixture, with David Okagbue and Jack Earing coming into the lineup, replacing Oisin McEntee and Ryan Stirk.
Earing put the Saddlers in front versus Wrexham with his first of the League Two campaign, Isaac Hutchinson notched the winner after an hour of play, number six for him this season, before Taylor Allen also collected his first of 2023-24 seven minutes from the end.
Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:
Cartwright; Mullarkey, Waterfall, Maher, Driscoll-Glennon; Clifton, Holohan, Conteh, Green, Khan; Rose
Walsall possible starting lineup:
Smith; Okagbue, Farquharson, Daniels; Knowles, Hutchinson, Comley, Earing, Gordon; Draper, James-Taylor
We say: Grimsby Town 1-2 Walsall
While each are coming off a strong performance, the consistency and overall depth of the visitors has us leaning towards them winning a rare encounter at Blundell Park.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
