Grimsby Town Women manager Ben Thomas hailed his “phenomenal squad” after the Mariners sealed the league title with a commanding 4-1 victory over Dronfield Town Ladies FC on Sunday.

The win confirmed Town as champions with three games to spare, capping off an outstanding campaign that has seen the side remain perfect in the league so far this season.

For Thomas, the final whistle brought a mixture of relief and pride after his side crossed the line in style.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “Once you get over that line, it’s a relief. They were the team that could catch us, so to go and do it on their patch as well, in those conditions, makes it even more satisfying for us.”

A Season Of Consistency

With the title secured on matchday 13 of a 16-game campaign, the achievement reflects a season built on consistency, hard work and the willingness of the squad to adapt to new ideas.

Thomas was quick to credit both the players and the staff for the role they have played in the team’s success.

“The girls and the staff have been superb all year,” he said. “They’ve bought into a new way of playing and executed the game plans phenomenally.

“We’ve gone to some tough teams who really do push us, but the squad we’ve got and the people around it have been fantastic. This is what all that work produces.”

Town’s unbeaten record has been another standout feature of the campaign, with the Mariners yet to drop a single point in the league.

While the title is now secured, Thomas insists there is still plenty to aim for in the final weeks of the season.

“It would be nice to go and finish with a perfect season,” he said. “The girls know what they need to do now. If we can do that, brilliant.”

Weathering The Storm

Despite the eventual 4-1 scoreline, the contest at Dronfield was not without its challenges.

Town raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, although the difficult playing conditions meant the Mariners were unable to control the game in their usual style.

“The pitch didn’t really allow us to play how we wanted,” Thomas admitted. “It meant we had to be a little bit more direct than usual, but it gave us three goals and we controlled elements of the game well.”

The hosts responded early in the second half, pulling a goal back and applying sustained pressure for a spell that briefly threatened to change the momentum of the match.

“All credit to Dronfield, they deserved the goal they got,” said Thomas. “We came out in the second half in the wrong mindset and there was a bit of tension in the air.”

Town eventually steadied themselves before sealing the victory with a late penalty to restore their three-goal cushion.

Strength Throughout The Squad

A key factor behind the Mariners’ success has been the strength and depth available throughout the squad.

Thomas believes the collective effort across the group has been vital in navigating the demands of the season.

“The girls are fantastic. We’ve got a phenomenal squad,” he said. “And it’s not just the starting XI. The strength in depth we’ve got has been really important.

“We’ve had a couple of injuries along the way, but the players have dealt with every challenge that’s come their way and handled them extremely well.”

Backing From The Club

Thomas also highlighted the continued support from the wider club as a crucial element in the women’s team’s development this season.

“I can’t speak highly enough about how supportive the club has been,” he said.

“Kristine does so much hard work behind the scenes and she’s a bit of an unsung hero. Polly is fantastic as well, fighting our battles at the top of the club and making sure the women’s side has the backing it needs.”

Focus Remains On The Final Fixtures

With the title now secured, Town still have three league games remaining before the campaign draws to a close.

For Thomas, the message to his players is clear – champions must continue to act like champions.

“We need to approach the final games professionally,” he said. “We might have won the league, but if we don’t play and act like champions, then it doesn’t reflect the standards we want.”

While planning for next season is already underway behind the scenes, the manager believes the squad deserves to savour the moment.

“We’ve been preparing for different possibilities for a while,” he admitted. “But right now we need to enjoy this achievement and take the positives from it.”

With the title secured and momentum firmly on their side, the Mariners will now look to finish the season strongly, and potentially complete a perfect league campaign to crown a remarkable year for Town Women.

You can watch Ben Thomas’ full post-match interview with the club media here:

UTM