- Grimsby Town have won three of their last five League Two matches, including their last two.
- Crawley Town have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five matches.
- Crawley have won two of the last three head-to-heads in League Two.
High-flying Mariners set to test new Crawley boss
In 2025-2026, Crawley Town and Grimsby Town are going in very different directions. Grimsby are eighth in League Two with 62 points from 38 matches, while Crawley are 21st with 34 points from 40 games. Grimsby have won their last two matches, scoring six goals and conceding just once, while Crawley have been in less consistent form.
Colin Kazim-Richards was appointed manager of Crawley just a few weeks ago and must take charge of his side as they look to recover from a disappointing season. The hosts have been solid at home of late, unbeaten in three (W1, D2), but remain vulnerable in the final third, having scored 1.30 and conceded 1.30 goals per match on average at home in League Two this season.
Crawley’s recent home form suggests they will not go down without a fight on Monday, but Grimsby are the team with momentum behind them and are more likely to gain another victory to continue their promotion push. David Artell has impressed since taking over as manager in November 2023, instilling a high-energy, pressing philosophy on the Mariners as they have risen up the table.
Grimsby have the momentum
Artell’s 4-3-3 system sets up an interesting tactical battle against Crawley’s three-at-the-back structure, which involves plenty of wing-back overloads and possession-based football. While Scott Lindsey’s team were successful for a period, Kazim-Richards may opt for a more pragmatic approach in this period of transition.
That may play into the hands of the visitors, whose relentless high press can be a handful for any team trying to play out from the back. While the Mariners have not won either of their last two away games at Crawley, their away record is 7 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses.
Backing the visitors for an away win at a very generous price of 23/20 is the selection of choice, while a 2-1 Grimsby win is the correct score prediction. While the home side have the historical edge in this fixture, Grimsby’s recent form, tactical identity and confidence mean they should continue their winning run on Monday.
Grimsby can outfox Crawley
Crawley’s top scorer in League Two this term is Harry McKirdy, who has six goals in 28 appearances. This makes him the most likely to pose a threat to the Grimsby defence, who will have to contend with the directness of the hosts, but Jaze Kabia’s 12 goals in 38 matches for the away side make him a constant threat in front of goal, with Kieran Green hitting his stride recently, having scored three of their last 10 goals to give the Mariner’s midfield extra bite.
