Max Crocombe’s Grimsby Town stay was short but oh so sweet

Max Crocombe had just two years at Grimsby Town and less time than that as the club’s starting goalkeeper, but he was the man in goal during one of the most successful times in the club’s recent history.

Having endured a barely-believable play-off run and journey to the FA Cup quarter-finals, there are plenty of moments to pick out from the 29-year-old’s time at Blundell Park to look back on as his time with the club comes to an end.

From memorable assists to various bouts with cramp, here’s a look at some of Crocombe’s standout moments with the Mariners.

Tough start

After signing in the summer initially as a backup, Crocombe was given a chance to displace James McKeown as the club’s starting goalkeeper after being handed his first league start against Dagenham and Redbridge in December.

Things did not start well with the team already on a downward slide in form when he was brought in, with Crocombe experiencing just one victory in his first eight games, including an FA Cup first-round defeat to Kidderminster Harriers which came before his league debut.

The defeat away at Wrexham in late January was a turning point for the team and Crocombe however, and there was no looking back at that point, with Town only losing three times from that point until the end of the season.

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The Notts County assist

The first chapter in the Mariners’ dramatic three-part National League play-off run. With Town desperate for a goal late in normal time to level their quarter-final with Notts County, up went Crocombe after Harry Clifton won a free-kick off to the left of the goal, just outside the box.

Jordan Maguire-Drew’s initial delivery flew over the Grimsby ‘keeper’s head, but back across it came, first bouncing off Luke Waterfall’s thigh and then being put back across the goal by Andy Smith.

Whether he knew anything about it or not, the final touch before Gavan Holohan smashed in the equaliser came from the right heel of Crocombe, a touch which was crucial in the end as it diverted the ball right into the goalscorer’s path to shoot first time.

Distribution vs Wrexham

In a ridiculous game where in the end the teams were separated by just one goal, each of the five scored by Town were vital, and Crocombe had a big part to play in one of them.

Some quick thinking from the goalkeeper and a perfectly weighted drop kick sent Grimsby on their way to a brilliant third goal to level the game again. The goalkeeper’s kick landed right on Ryan Taylor’s chest, knocking it down to John McAtee who found the former in the box with a cross to head in.

Brilliant stop in the play-off final

One of his best saves in Town colours came in one of the biggest games. Many goalkeepers would have been done in by a deflection like the one that Andrew Dallas’ shot took as he found space in the box in the first half, but not Crocombe.

Mid-dive, he managed to reach his hand to turn the ball around the post with the ball taking a much higher path than expected after the shot deflected off Jordan Cropper’s shin. It was early in the game, but again, with the teams separated by just one goal in the end, it became a crucial moment.

Superb FA Cup display

The main thing that will be remembered from the Mariners’ 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round replay victory over Luton Town will be the attacking performance of the side in the first half to get three goals ahead, but Crocombe played a big role at the other end also.

He made five saves on the way to a clean sheet, making a great save with his foot off Elijah Adebayo falling backwards with the score at 2-0 at the time, ensuring that they could not mount a comeback.

Cramping up

Never have you seen a goalkeeper suffer with ‘cramp’ as much as Crocombe did during his time with Town, often when Town were leading late on in games coincidentally.

Gamesmanship is always frustrating when your team is on the receiving end of it, but when one of your players partakes, it is often a way for them to endear themselves to the fanbase, showing they are willing to find whatever way they can to gain their team an advantage.

In the end, it is comical to talk about but something that plenty of fans will miss experiencing with Crocombe now on his way out. At the very least, it will be something to remember him by.

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