Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town were subject to a first-half comeback from Grimsby Town on Saturday afternoon as the Reds fell off top spot.
Ollie Palmer’s header and Billy Bodin’s strike from the edge of the area gave the Red’s a two-goal lead in the opening stages at the Nigel Eady County Ground.
Bodin’s goal marked his second of the season, with the forward coming into the side following Town’s previous meeting with Fleetwood, with his manager highlighting his moment of brilliance.
“It’s absolutely fantastic for Bill, and what we’ve got to do in that front line is not look good but be good, so great finish, set play move that we practised yesterday, my coaches worked with them, Biggie [Marcus Bignot] was out with them showing them that, it worked a treat, great finish.
‘What I need him to do is chase the ball down, hunt the ball down as well and in that front line we didn’t do that well enough so, but he’s getting fitter, he’s getting better, big day for him, I’m delighted he played, delighted he scored, got minutes in his legs and great to see that.
“Bill’s a great lad, a wonderful lad, we’re all playing so well because of him, the players who are playing out their skin, they see him, he talks to them, he helps them, he’s been brilliant with Jake Tabor, talking to him, taking him aside, brilliant with Prince, so the bloke’s fantastic.”
Despite bright sparks in moments for Town, a sidleined Ian Holloway expressed his disappointment at his side’s passive performance.
“To be honest, it’s probably the worst game I’ve seen us play.
“First half, we ended up 2-0 up, and I don’t know why, probably didn’t deserve it, we gave them far too much time, far too much room, didn’t press them how I wanted us to, and then they got back into it.
“I was bored, totally bored at half time, didn’t look like my team, didn’t look like us, didn’t look like we had anything like a run in us, and that’s wasted 45 minutes in my opinion.”
With the Christmas period rapidly approaching, Town now look forward to a trip to Chesterfield before a midweek visit from Peterborough United in the EFL Trophy, with Holloway hopeful his side can improve.
“It’s more about understanding what wins games and you’ve got to run, you’ve got to outrun the opposition, I don’t think we did, I don’t think we pressed them well enough, honestly and I’ll be able to show them that in the first half any chance, you know, but never mind, it starts with R, ends in N and there’s U in the middle of it, so that’s what I want you to do.”
