WE'VE seen it happen so many times before, it's almost predictable.
Grimsby Town go on a good run, attract a bumper crowd and then fail to deliver.
The extra 3,000 who flocked to the Lincoln derby to take their first look at the table-topping Mariners will think twice about returning.
After shelling out their £16-£18 quid and expecting a good time they'd be wondering what all the hype was about, so poor was the performance.
What a missed opportunity for the club. What a shame, because this was not the Town side that had risen to the Conference summit with a string of impressive, thrilling displays.
What went wrong? Credit Lincoln. Despite having played an extra game they still looked fresher. They went for it, seemed to want it more and should have won comfortably.
You can blame this mystery, below-par display on the departure of two influential loanees (a third, equally crucial to the team's success, goes after tomorrow's game). You can say that strange results happen, look at Chelsea.
But it was only Grimsby's resilience; the woodwork and poor officiating that gained them a point.
Regular fans may feel a little uneasy at how Town were so easily subdued and wonder if they can make up for the loss of three key players.
The Mariners will never have a better chance to escape from this league. It's critical that no stone is left unturned in the quest for promotion.
There should be no regrets at the end of this season.
See more of what Geoff has to say in today's Telegraph