Cod Almighty | Diary

Say "CHEESE" and trust the process

23 July 2025

Walking back into Blundell Park for the first time since our League 2 fate was sealed against Wimbledon back in May, I was awash with a nervous curiosity; what will the Pontoon look like now the ends have been filled in, will the pitch look as spectacular as it does in the photographs and, most importantly, are the new players an upgrade on last season?

There’s a sense of higher expectation in the air, some positive noises being made on the performances, we’ve kept hold of our stronger players (so far) and with an increasing number of sponsors and outstanding kit launches the club is also upping its commercial game.

Pre-season so far has seemed to divide the fanbase; on one side the matches played have been to purely build fitness, so the unremarkable results are irrelevant. On the flip side, there’s immense worry, we haven’t scored enough goals, and we still can’t defend set pieces.

So maybe the visit of Lincoln City would provide a higher quality test, the opportunity to raise the level of quality compared to lower league opposition so far, and to get a stronger sense of what David Artell’s starting line-up and formation may be when the league starts in just TEN days’ time?

Well early signs promote cautious optimism.

Town, playing in a 4-3-3 formation withstood some initial pressure from Lincoln but really grew into the game, passing the ball around very nicely with whispers of ‘Buckley ball’ making their way around the ground. Darragh Burns, who arguably has been short on opportunity since joining in January, took his chance well to put Town 1-0 up in what was a lively performance for him on the right side of the attacking three. Jaze Kabia also showed signs of what a nuisance he could become, latching onto great ball from McEachran to send over an inch perfect cross for Vernam to tap in for 2-0.

The second half saw Lincoln more on the front foot and pose more of a threat to the defence. Jayden Sweeney impressed at left back, and unlike his predecessor, seems comfortable using both feet and worked well with the equally impressive McJannet. Whilst Christie Pym wasn’t particularly tested during the game, he brings an obvious presence and confidence that we’ve lacked for the past couple of seasons. Lincoln’s goal came at a point where the team were starting to look tired but, considering very few have played more than 60 minutes so far, it was to be expected - and they withstood a late barrage from Lincoln to claim the victory.
Post-match, David Artell rightly downplayed the importance of pre-season results, insisting it’s all about performances. He’s absolutely right — except when it’s Lincoln…

I’m not about to get carried away, but this was a very promising display. The new signings look like genuine upgrades, and they’re beginning to gel into what could be a very competitive squad. There’s still work to be done - clearly a few additions are needed, but this felt like a real step in the right direction.

And finally, huge credit to the grounds team. Despite the torrential rain, the pitch held up brilliantly and played a big role in enabling the fluid style of play. The transformation is remarkable.

The season's just around the corner—and there’s genuine excitement about what lies ahead.