FA Cup match described as resembling ‘a contest of headers and volleys, with strategy disregarded’
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards characterized his team’s 1-0 FA Cup victory at Grimsby as an “intense match of headers and volleys,” as the Premier League side navigated challenging conditions.
While the performance was not aesthetically pleasing, Santiago Bueno’s goal in the second half was sufficient for the Premier League team to advance past their League Two rivals in difficult circumstances.
The Mariners had previously defeated Manchester United in the League Cup this season and were eager for another upset against a top-flight team in the fourth round encounter.
This match would not have been as significant as their August victory over United, considering Wolves’ struggles this season, and the difficult conditions at Blundell Park certainly leveled the playing field, as the muddy pitch hindered the ability to play quality football.
“It was all set up for a cup upset. Tactics were out of the window; it was a throwback,” Edwards remarked. “It was an eye-opener for many of them when we arrived; the wind was blowing sideways, and there were puddles on the pitch.
“It was an intense match of headers and volleys. It was a challenging game, with really tough conditions for both teams.
“It was a different style of match, a bit of a throwback, and one that we could only win by being professional today and executing our game plan correctly.
“It was a memorable day for some of our Brazilian players that they will not forget.
“We discussed mentality extensively in the days leading up to this match.
“It’s great that they managed to perform as they did against Manchester United earlier in the season because we used that to show respect for the opposition, the conditions, the game, and the competition. We focused on what was within our control and executed it well. That’s what we accomplished.”
The pitch passed two pre-match inspections, and Wolves took some time to adapt as Grimsby performed better in the first half.
Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren had opportunities to score, but Wolves improved after halftime, and Bueno’s goal in the 60th minute proved decisive.
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Mariners manager David Artell stated that the pitch affected his team’s performance.
“A classic old-school FA Cup tie, wasn’t it?” he commented. “The pitch significantly influenced the match, but from my perspective, we prefer to play on a better surface as we did against Manchester United.
“I don’t want people to think I’m making excuses, but it doesn’t facilitate the style of play we aim for.
“However, that’s the situation we faced, and I believe both teams managed it reasonably well.
“It’s never pleasant to lose. It’s unfortunate. But at the same time, one must consider that we were very close, and with slight margins in our favor, on another day, the outcome could have been different.”
