May 2nd 1972
Grimsby 3-0 Exeter City 

TEES HEADS TOWN TO THE TITLE ON MEMORABLE NIGHT
by Roy Line 

Attendance : 22,484

AFTER many years in the game I know football can play some cruel tricks, but with this Grimsby Town side, 22,484 fanatical supporters behind them, and an attack which has hit in 85 goals, 58 of them at home what chance had any team of stopping the Mariners from lifting the Fourth Division title last night? Town wanted a point. They ended the game as they have done so often this season going full out to the finish, winners all the way. Exeter took the only tactical line open to them that of containment by close marking, quick tackling and some hard challenging. They played for the quick breaks Binney and Parker had a couple of chances but apart from that and two brave interceptions by Wainman, the City attack was rarely in it. Wigginton again mopped up everything which came his way in a game which followed the customary pattern of Town getting a firm grip which grew tighter the longer the match went on. Despite the close atten- tion of Giles, Tees laid off the ball well but Boylen had hardly a yard to move in so close did Parker stick to him. It was the set pieces which brought Grimsby victory. And in this facet of the game, there can be few teams and that includes those in higher grades. who have such a deadly piece of armament for this type of assault as in Tees. He ran in and soared way above everyone to meet a Boylen free kick and stab in a vicious header which goalkeeper Wilson surprisingly found sticking to his fingers. After a good deal of negative play in which Grimsby were given no room to set up anything from midfield, Town went ahead.

A push forward was partially blocked on the edge of the box. Brace moved to challenge and got a foot to the ball which he scooped high in the air for Tees, laying back unmarked, to run and leap high to send the ball into the far side of the net. The big crowd had waited all season for this one, and the roar that shattered the air no doubt did not come at a very appropriate moment for those enjoying. the Silhouettes presentation of "Oliver in the adjoining ABC Theatre! Only the coolness of Crawford on the line robbed Campbell of a goal when he lobbed the ball into the jaws of the net with Wilson caught out in no man's land. Once more the threatening Tees was to bring a moment of despair for the City defence when he ran 12 yards to a Boylen flag and send rocket-like a header flashing just wide of the far post. Town attacked the Pontoon end in the second half and what a reception they got with the second goal which came in the 47th minute and finished Exeter off. Boylen again floated in a gem of a corner, Tees climbed high at the far post to knock it down into the box where Hickman, who must have, run miles last night, was there to touch it into the net. Town then turned it on. The class of Chatterley stood out in his midfield positional play, casually stroking pin-point passes, up behind and often along side Tees and then back heading out on his own 18 yard line. City came off defence, still did not worry Wainman, and found themselves stretched at the back where the ceaseless challenge by Town plunged them into at variety of tangles. Some chances were missed, Wilson made some capital saves one from a cracking left foot drive by Boylen but he knew nothing of the stinging left foot shot from Chatterley in the 63rd minute which wrapped it up. Once more a Boylen corner was knocked on and when it dropped at Chatterley's feet, the former Villa player rammed in a low one,through a mass of legs into the net from 15 yards out. Three up going great, and 27 minutes left. The Mariners were there and the great moment their loyal fans had waited for was at hand. Before long, the chant of "Champions" rent the night air as 20,000 voices in unison acknowledged the achievement of the players who had given them a season and a night that not only they but the team as well will neve forget.

From the EVENING TELEGRAPH
Wednesday, May 3, 1972.