United will be looking to build on last week’s 4-3 victory at Maidenhead when Grimsby Town come to Plainmoor on Saturday.
Who’s the Boss?
During his first managerial spell with the side which lasted five and a half years, Paul Hurst guided the Mariners back to the Football League in 2016 via the play-offs. He signed back on at Blundell Park on a three-year deal last December.
Hurst enjoyed a successful stint in charge at Shrewsbury Town where he managed the Shrews between October 2016 and May 2018. He guided his side to the EFL Trophy Final where they were narrowly defeated 1-0 by Lincoln in April 2018 before his side returned to Wembley a month later for the League One Play-Off Final where his side succumbed to defeat in extra time.
Spells in charge at Ipswich Town and Scunthorpe followed before his return to Grimsby.
Player to Watch
Ryan Taylor was Grimsby’s eighth summer signing following his arrival at Blundell Park in June. The striker has previously spent 16 years in the Football League and had spells with the likes of Rotherham, Burton Albion, Exeter City, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Oxford United, Plymouth Argyle and Newport County.
The 33-year-old made 33 appearances for Newport last season and scored two goals. Taylor has appeared in Grimsby’s first three fixtures and scored in the sides recent 4-3 win against Barnet last weekend.
Played for Both
Current Grimsby defender Michee Efete spent part of the 2017/18 season on loan at United. Then aged 20, Efete arrived from Norwich City where he had extended his contract. He spent the summer before his arrival at Plainmoor on loan to Icelandic Premier League side, Breidablik.
Following his spell at United, Efete went on to play for Maidstone United, Bath City, Billericay and Wealdstone before signing on at Blundell Park over the summer.
The defender made 26 appearances for United and has so far played every minute of Grimsby’s first three games of the season.
Previous Encounter
Torquay United 1 – 1 Grimsby Town, Saturday 11th October 2015, National League
The two sides last met in the National League in 2015 in a 1-1 draw at Plainmoor.
United took the lead through a Tyrone Marsh close-range header in the 38th minute before a 79th minute penalty enabled Hurst’s Grimsby side to level the scores as Omar Bogle scored his tenth goal in eighteen games for the Mariners.
The 1-1 draw saw Kevin Nicholson’s side extend their unbeaten run to three, with United in the relegation zone, sitting one point away from safety, meanwhile Grimsby were five points off the top in fourth.