David Artell praised a ruthless and controlled performance as the Mariners returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Gillingham.
Town produced a dominant display on the road, responding in style to Tuesday night’s disappointment and strengthening their position in the race for the play-offs.
Here’s everything the Head Coach had to say following the win…
On a ruthless performance
Artell was pleased with how his side controlled the game and made their dominance count in front of goal.
“Yeah, look, I thought we’ve dominated the ball for large spells,” he said.
“I thought they had a 10-minute spell, and I thought we started the second half really poorly for 10 minutes to get a goal.
“But by and large, we’ve controlled that game.
“I thought we’ve took our chances. We’ve still missed I think three big chances, but yeah, some of the play towards the end of the game was terrific.
“We’ve put a decent team to the sword.”
On the reaction to Tuesday
The Head Coach was delighted with the response shown by his players following the narrow defeat earlier in the week.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Look, we didn’t play particularly badly Tuesday evening. We came up against a really good team and we were one kick away from getting an unbelievable point.
“So I’m not worried about it too much.
“I’ve said for a while now it’s about results and performance, and the performance wasn’t terrible Tuesday.
“So yeah, it’s back in our hands.”
On focusing on Town’s own form
With results elsewhere going in our favour, Artell reiterated the importance of concentrating on his own side.
“I’ve just been told Chesterfield drew and Swindon drew,” he said.
“But it’s not that I’m not interested, it’s just we concentrate on us.
“We’ll roll on to Tuesday.”
On the play-off race
With just three games remaining, Artell expects more twists and turns in the battle for the top seven.
“Yeah, of course,” he said.
“There’s plenty of twists and turns, plenty.
“We’ve got three games left and this has set us up nicely.”
On the trip to Cambridge
Looking ahead, the Head Coach expects another difficult test against strong opposition.
“It’ll be a real tough game,” he said.
“They’re very good at home and they’re a good team.
“We’ve got to make sure we go there and play well, because if we don’t, we won’t get anything.
“But if we play like we did today and keep our level of performance up, then we’ve got a great chance.”
On Jaze Kabia’s milestone and Charles Vernam’s return to the scoresheet
Artell was full of praise for Jaze Kabia after the forward reached 20 goals for the season.
“That’s where he should’ve been to receive the ball without the keeper’s mistake,” he laughed.
“But it doesn’t matter how they go in, they all count.
“To get 20 goals is a terrific achievement.
“I think Charles has also got 25 goal involvements and I’m not sure there’s many wide forwards with that.
“He’s probably one of the best in the league in that respect.”
On the team’s response to conceding
After briefly being pegged back early in the second half, Artell was pleased with how his side reset and regained control.
“Just reset,” he said.
“Come on, that’s not our levels. Mentally we were still in the dressing room.
“It was a kick up the backside from the goal, and then they went again and deservedly won the game.”
On Sam Lavelle’s injury
Artell confirmed the defender will undergo further assessment in the coming days.
“He got injured, so he’s going for a surgical review on Monday or Tuesday,” he said.
“We’ll see if he needs an operation.”
On Harvey Booth’s inclusion
The Head Coach also highlighted a positive moment as 16-year-old Harvey Booth was named on the bench.
“He’s not here for sentimental reasons, he’s earning it,” Artell said.
“If you run around, work hard and develop your game, we’re prepared to give you opportunities.
“We have an academy to produce players for the first team.
“He’s extremely young and there’s no pressure on him, but he’s heading in the right direction.”
On academy success
Artell praised the wider work being done within the club’s pathway.
“The youth team won the league and they deserve that,” he said.
“It’s not all about winning, it’s about becoming a better footballer, but it’s a nice accolade.
“It’s a testament to the hard work and development they’ve put in.”
On the supporters
Artell reserved special praise for the travelling Mariners, who made the long journey in impressive numbers.
“Just unbelievable,” he said.
“They played the last waltz before the game and all you could hear was ‘Mariners’.
“It’s brilliant.
“They deserve that long journey home to be a happy one because they were terrific and never stopped all game.
“We’re going to need them again on Tuesday.”
On the connection with fans
The Head Coach also reflected on the importance of the shared emotion between players and supporters.
“That’s what football’s about,” he said.
“It’s about emotion, about feeling, about being proud of the team you support.
“I’m delighted for them as much as anyone.”
With momentum regained and just three games remaining, the Mariners now turn their focus to Tuesday’s trip to Cambridge, determined to keep their play-off push firmly on track.
You can watch David Artell’s full post-match interview here:
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