Fans keep the faith after Mariners win

GRIMSBY Town fans are celebrating after a superb victory against Bournemouth gave them hope of league survival.

As part of the Grimsby Telegraph's, Be There Or Blue Square campaign, Mariners fans have the chance to win a host of superb prizes as they help to back Grimsby Town to maintain their league status.

Super-sub Ashley Chambers scored a dramatic stoppage time winner for Grimsby Town as they beat high-flying Bournemouth 3-2 in a pulsating encounter at Blundell Park on Saturday.

Patrick Howard, who was the first local fan to pledge his support for our Be There Or Blue Square campaign by becoming a community champion of it, was impressed with Saturday's display.

Patrick, 48, of Laceby, is assistant headteacher at Old Clee Primary School and has been Mariners-mad since going to see his first game at the age of eight.

He said: "I was thinking before Saturday's game that we were already down, but the roller coaster ride of being a Town fan means I'm hopeful again.

"We were up against a good side, but we played some great football, kept the ball well and were undoubtedly the better side.

"Now we have a tough trip to the best side in the division, but if we can put in a performance like we did on Saturday, we may just be able to get a result.

"After that, we have games against teams either mid-table or below. I think we can still survive."

As part of the campaign, Grimsby Telegraph readers have had the chance to win VIP ticket packages and before Saturday's dramatic win, James Haigh was presented with a signed a football on the pitch by Mariners captain, Lee Peacock.

To win the prize, he had to spot a caricature of Peacock in the Grimsby Telegraph and tell us his location.

Other winners were Guy Lonsdale and Malcolm Perkins.

The competition will be back again next week, ahead of the next home game against Northampton.

Meanwhile, if you are heading to Rochdale on Saturday, then snap up one of the free seats on the 10 coaches that GTFC are putting on for fans.

Find out more information about the coaches by calling into the ticket office at Blundell Park to buy your ticket.

Keep reading the Grimsby Telegraph all week for more on the campaign.

See the sports pages for the Bournemouth match report.