Craig Rouse delighted as high-flying Owls end August on top
Cleethorpes Town manager Craig Rouse was quick to highlight the quality and resilience of his players, after a comfortable 3-0 victory at Gainsborough Trinity on Bank Holiday Monday saw them end August top of the NPL Premier Division.
It was the perfect response from the league leaders, who suffered a disappointing first loss of the campaign at home to Curzon Ashton only three days prior.
After a ninth-placed finish in their maiden Step 3 campaign in 2025/26, the Owls sit above second-placed Avro on goal difference, having taken 19 points from a possible 24.
“We looked better than Friday night,” Rouse said after Monday’s win.
“I thought Curzon were really good and deserved their win. We said to the players before today’s game that good groups don’t lose two on the spin - they react.
“In the first half we had to be resolute: there was a strong wind blowing down the pitch. We had to come out in the second half and try to impose ourselves on them a little bit, and make sure we were the team forcing the issue.”
With a change of tactics and mentality in the second half, Cleethorpes were able to break the hearts of Russ Wilcox’s side thanks to three goals in 10 minutes.
The in-form Josh Walker bagged a brace to take his season’s tally to five, before summer signing Billy Fewster rounded off the scoring by slotting home in the 73rd minute.
Another emphatic result here means the Lincolnshire side have won three successive away matches without conceding a goal, scoring 12 in the process.
Analysing the role of Man of the Match Walker in their latest triumph, Rouse was keen to stress his talent after ending a busy opening month of the campaign on a high.
“He’s outstanding, but that’s what we expect from him. They’re the levels we know he can produce,” he said.
“It won’t always go his own way but what he has done is the tireless yards for the team. He’s put himself across the centre-halves and when he’s got those opportunities [and] he’s helped himself to a couple of goals.”
August’s fine form has given the Owls an ideal springboard for the season ahead. However, Rouse was quick to reiterate that his squad will not become complacent.
The Cleethorpes boss added: “We are where we deserve to be, we’ve got points on the board. But I’d rather be there in April than August.
“There’s a lot of work between now and then, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position.”