David Artell says his side must take confidence from a strong league campaign while staying focused on the challenge ahead after the Mariners signed off the regular season with a draw at Tranmere Rovers.

In a “bitty” contest at Prenton Park, Town had the better of the early exchanges before being forced to withstand late pressure, ultimately settling for a point ahead of the play-offs.

Here’s everything the Head Coach had to say following the final-day clash…

On a “bitty” but competitive game

Artell felt his side produced the better moments for large spells, despite the stop-start nature of the contest.

“I thought we were the better team first half,” he said.

“It was a bitty game, but we created the better chances.

“For the first 15 minutes of the second half we were the better team as well, but then we offered up a chance and they seized the initiative.

“For the last half an hour they were the better team.”

On missed opportunities

The Town boss admitted his side could have put the game to bed during a strong first-half showing.

“We should have scored,” he said.

“We had two or three counter-attacking moments where we should score.

“We should have got another straight after half-time as well, but we didn’t.”

On managing the game state

With Tranmere needing a result to fight for survival, Artell expected a response after the break.

“We expected an onslaught,” he said.

“They changed shape at half-time and then again after 15 minutes.

“You’ve got to be tactically agile and I thought the lads adapted well early on.

“What we didn’t do was arrest the momentum in the last half an hour.”

On squad rotation and looking ahead

Artell confirmed some decisions were made with the upcoming play-off fixtures in mind.

“We want to win every game,” he said.

“But we’ve made changes and used the subs to make sure everyone is fit and fresh.

“Whether that’s players having no minutes or 90 minutes, it’s about being ready for next week.”

On managing player fitness

The Head Coach pointed to key decisions around selection, including leaving players out to protect them.

“There were a few decisions like that today,” he said.

“You’ve got to put sentiment aside and make sure players are right for what’s coming.”

On finishing the league campaign strongly

Artell praised his side’s overall return across the season.

“78 points is a good return,” he said.

“The players deserve a huge amount of credit for how the season has gone.

“That’s the end of the regular season, but we’ve got at least a couple more games to go.”

On the play-off challenge ahead

Attention now turns to a semi-final clash with Salford City, with Artell expecting tight encounters.

“We’re going to face a really good team,” he said.

“We’ve had two tight games against them already.

“It’ll be two tight games again and hopefully we’ve got one more after that.”

On making Blundell Park count

With the home leg up first, Artell called on supporters to recreate the atmosphere seen in recent weeks.

“We’ve got to make Blundell Park like it was last Saturday,” he said.

“The fans were magnificent.

“We’ve got one more home game and it’s going to take us all.”

On outstanding away support

The Mariners boss also paid tribute to the travelling fans following another strong turnout on the road.

“They deserve a huge amount of credit,” he said.

“That’s why we went back out to thank them.

“I hope they bring that same noise again – it makes a huge difference.”

With the regular season complete and momentum intact, the Mariners now turn their full focus to the play-offs, aiming to extend their campaign and take the next step in front of a packed Blundell Park.

You can watch David Artell’s full post-match interview below:

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