David Artell believes Town deserved all three points after producing an outstanding performance in a 2-2 draw with Rochdale at Spotland in Sky Bet League Two on Tuesday evening.
The Mariners showed tremendous character to recover from going a goal behind before half-time, with Kieran Green restoring parity before Jamie Walker fired Town into the lead with a superb strike from the edge of the box.
However, despite creating several opportunities to extend their advantage, Town were unable to see the game out, with Rochdale finding an equaliser to leave the Mariners with a point.
Artell praised his players’ application and mentality in the face of a growing injury crisis, highlighted the performances of those who stepped into the side, including Joe Foulkes on his first league start, and provided an update on Doug Tharme’s injury.
Here’s everything the head coach had to say after Tuesday evening’s fixture…
On the overall performance
Artell was delighted with the way his side approached the game, believing the Mariners were the better team throughout and deserved significantly more than the point they took back to Lincolnshire.
The head coach also praised the players for the character they showed amid a difficult run of results and a mounting list of defensive injuries.
“Outstanding. Should have won the game. It’s probably the story of our season so far that we should have won the game, comfortably won the game as well.
“I thought we were very good all over the pitch. I thought the lads showed outstanding character and application in the face of a fair degree of adversity. And I don’t just mean recent results, but our injury list. Lots of things really that are going on.
“I thought they were outstanding, and we should be sat here with three points. That would have been no more than we deserve.”
On another frustrating result
Town produced a much-improved performance following Saturday’s defeat to Northampton Town, but Artell was adamant that the result did not reflect the quality of his side’s display.
The head coach believes the Mariners should have taken more from both recent fixtures and pointed to the chances created against Rochdale as evidence that his team had done enough to win.
He also praised the travelling supporters, who applauded the players at the final whistle.
“We were much, much better again tonight. We played better tonight, but we should have won the game on Saturday and we should have won the game today.
“The fans knew it. That’s why they clapped us off. I thought they were magnificent, by the way, the away fans.
“We’ve had lots of gilt-edged chances. They’re a threat on transition – that was their main threat-– and Aden Flint from set pieces. I thought we coped well with that by and large, but we couldn’t get over the line.
“We probably should have gone 3-1 up, and before you know it, it’s 2-2. Christy makes a great save, it doesn’t go over the bar, and it falls straight to the kid and he taps it in.
“That’s the way it is at the minute with us. We’re not getting the rub of the green.”
Artell also felt Town were unfortunate not to see Rochdale reduced to 10 men following a challenge on Jamie Walker in the first half.
“There was an absolute blatant red card in the first half. Jamie Walker’s shin is a disgrace, and the referee didn’t even think it was a foul.
“That’s the way we are at the minute, and we have to put up with that. But we’ll keep working as hard as we worked tonight, and keep going to the well and producing performances like that.”
On the response after going behind
Despite dominating much of the first half, Town went into the break trailing by a goal, leaving Artell with the task of challenging his players to respond after the interval.
The Mariners did exactly that, with Green equalising before Walker’s excellent finish put them ahead. Artell was particularly pleased with the way his side responded to adversity and continued to push for victory.
“I said to the lads at half-time, ‘Here we go. Let’s see what you’re made of.’
“I thought they were outstanding, but we shouldn’t have been 1-0 down at half-time. We dominated the first half, and how we were 1-0 down, I’m not quite sure.
“Again, that’s the way we are at the minute. It seems as though things go against us, but the character the lads showed was outstanding.
“Everyone’s waiting for us to go at that point, and they come out and play even better than they did in the first half.
“We certainly deserved to be in front, but we deserved to be in front from quite early on in the game, I thought. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get the three points.”
On the late chances and missed opportunity
Town had opportunities to put the game beyond Rochdale before the hosts found their equaliser, with the closing stages becoming increasingly frantic as both sides pushed for a winner.
Artell was frustrated that his team had been unable to capitalise on their chances, believing the game should have been settled before the late drama unfolded.
“We had a couple more chances to possibly win it, and then we had another chance to win it. It became really frantic and chaotic in that last sort of period from the 88th minute onwards.
“The game should have been done long before then. Long before then. We had numerous good chances.
“We got caught in the first half for their goal, and it was preventable, obviously. We should have been long out of sight.
“I thought we played some really good stuff, regardless of shape. The lads that came in, I thought were very good, and that’s how we’ve got to be.
“We know we can play well, and we know we can play better than we played tonight, but I thought the character that we showed was outstanding.”
On the change of formation
Artell made a change to Town’s shape for the trip to Rochdale, but the head coach stressed that the underlying principles of the team’s approach remained the same.
He was pleased with how the players adapted to the system and believes the performance demonstrated the squad’s ability to deliver despite the challenges presented by the injury situation.
“The principles don’t change. We talk about principles a lot. Formations are just reference points, really.
“Yes, there’s a familiarity to playing in a certain way, but it doesn’t change how we try to go about things, for sure.
“I thought the lads were brilliant.”
On Joe Foulkes’ first league start
With Town missing several defenders through injury, Joe Foulkes was handed his first league start for the Club, impressing Artell with his performance in the back three.
The head coach praised Foulkes’ ability and versatility, while also highlighting the contribution of the defensive unit as a whole in dealing with Rochdale’s attacking threats.
“I thought Joe Foulkes, for his first start for us, was very good. He’s going to be a good player, that lad.
“He’s a good player. We know he’s a good player. He’s obviously on the wrong side, but he’s got two really good feet.
“I thought the back three in general looked after their front three really, really well. I thought they were brilliant, all three of them.
“With the fact that we’ve ended up with only a point when they deserved so much more, it wasn’t just those three, but all the team and all the lads that stepped on the pitch. I thought they were very good.”
On the squad’s mentality amid the injury crisis
Town travelled to Spotland with seven of their ten defenders unavailable, placing further pressure on a squad already looking to arrest a run of disappointing results.
However, Artell insisted that he has never questioned the mentality of his players and believes their response against Rochdale demonstrated the strength of character within the group.
The head coach was particularly pleased with the way those called upon rose to the challenge.
“There’s a big question mark, certainly at half-time, even before the game, with the run we’re on and seven out of 10 defenders out.
“It’s a backs-to-the-wall mentality kind of job, but then you go to the well.
“I’ve never doubted the mentality of this team. Never doubted them, because they’re very good. And they showed it again tonight.”
On Doug Tharme’s injury
Artell also provided an update on Doug Tharme, who underwent a scan following the injury he sustained against Northampton Town on Saturday.
The head coach confirmed that the defender has suffered a full rupture and is expected to be out for a period of time, although further information is required to establish the next steps in his treatment.
“Yeah, he’s got a full rupture. I think – don’t quote me – but I think he’s going for a surgical review.
“I would imagine it is surgery with a full rupture, but I don’t know that for certain. He’ll certainly be out for a while.”
You can watch David’s full post-match interview here:
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