'We owe the fans big time', says Grimsby Town striker Anthony Elding

ANTHONY Elding wants to send the homes and pubs of Grimsby wild with celebration – by notching the Mariners' first win of the season at Wrexham.

The striker saw what a win or two could do last season as Town bounced back from a disastrous start to put together a stunning 15-game unbeaten run and keep their play-off hopes alive, temporarily.

Now, the Lincolnshire lad wants to use tomorrow's televised clash in Wales as a similar springboard.

And the former Rochdale attacker believes the trip to Wrexham followed by Bank Holiday Monday's home clash with Mansfield are the ideal opportunity to get some precious wins under their belt.

"It's a massive couple of days for us – even if you're on a winning streak they're still tough games," he said.

"Wrexham and Mansfield are big clubs in their own rights, and with the run of form we're on that makes it even bigger for us.

"We need to get our heads right, try to improve on what we've done, go there with no fear, and – most of all – believe in ourselves.

"At the moment it looks like we're not really believing in ourselves as individuals or as a team.

"But we've certainly got the players to go to these teams and get a winning result, that's for sure."

Emphasising how determined the players are to get that elusive Blue Square Bet Premier success after two draws and a defeat, Elding said: "So far we haven't got the result we all so desperately want as a group.

"But if we keep going and stick together, that win we're all craving will come.

"It's important for strikers to get their first goal or goalkeepers to keep their first clean sheet and when you get those little milestones under your belt that really helps your confidence.

"And the team's first win obviously provides an even bigger boost.

"But we've got to go to Wrexham in the right frame of mind – if we don't, we'll be in trouble."

He continued: "Everyone's aware of what happened at the start last year and people are probably thinking it will be the same story this time.

"But once we get that first win under our belts, like last season, we'll get that belief and bit of urgency that's probably not there at moment.

"I saw last year what it was like when we went on that amazing run.

"It was an absolutely fantastic place to be around, and they'll be no better place to go to and get that first win than Wrexham.

"I don't know why it's not quite happening because the players here are decent and the managers are installing confidence in us to go out and play, so it's down to us once we cross that white line."

The opportunity to put things right in front of the television cameras is one Elding and his team-mates are determined to take advantage of.

And the 30-year-old admits the chance to give the watching Mariners fans 'something back' excites the squad.

He said: "It's always nice to play on TV but, as players and as a team, we won't go into it thinking about the screen. It's about what we do on the pitch.

"The Town fans who don't go to Wrexham will be sitting at home watching or filling up the pubs, so hopefully we can give them something to cheer about.

"As players, as a group, we need to give them something to sing about.

"At the moment it's not great. We know that, as players, and have been working on things in and out of training, and trying to put things right.

"We can assure the fans that we are working really hard to turn things around.

"We're sticking together and hopefully we can get that result that everybody wants – the fans, players, managers, chairman.

"We're giving absolutely everything."