Harvey Rodgers says the Mariners are refreshed and ready to attack the final stretch of the season following a valuable break in the fixture schedule.

Town return to action this Easter weekend with fixtures against Harrogate Town at Blundell Park on Good Friday and Crawley Town away on Easter Monday, with the defender confident the squad can build momentum heading into the run-in.

Here’s everything he had to say ahead of the weekend…

On the recent break

Rodgers admitted the short break from fixtures was a welcome surprise in the busy League Two schedule.

“Yeah, it’s been nice,” he said.

“It’s something you don’t really expect playing League Two.

“You’re starting to see it a bit more now with younger loan players going away on international duty, but it was good to have that little reset.”

On how he spent the time off

The defender kept things simple during the break, taking the opportunity to relax and recharge.

“Nothing too exciting really,” he laughed.

“I just played a bit of golf and chilled.

“I went to Whitby with the dog for a day because Liv couldn’t get time off, but it was nice to get away for a bit.”

On feeling refreshed for the run in

Rodgers believes the squad have returned energised ahead of the final eight games of the campaign.

“Yeah, definitely,” he said.

“I remember last season we had a few days off after the Barrow game and that was when we went on a really good run.

“We’re hoping it can work the same way again this season.”

On signing his new contract

Rodgers recently committed his future to the Club, signing a new deal that keeps him at Blundell Park until the summer of 2028.

The 29-year-old says the reaction from family and friends has made the moment even more special.

“Everyone’s been really happy for me,” he said.

“I’d mentioned it might be happening and my partner’s really pleased because we’re quite settled here.

“So it was nice to get it sorted.”

On family support

Rodgers also spoke about the importance of having his family close by to support him.

“My dad travels to quite a few away games and my brother comes to watch as well,” he said.

“It’s nice for them that they don’t have to travel too far and it means a lot to have that support.”

On his development at the club

Since arriving at the Mariners, Rodgers has featured in several positions before settling into the right-back role this season.

Looking back, he believes those experiences have helped shape his development.

“I’ve played in a number of positions since I’ve been here and I’ve enjoyed that,” he said.

“Even the relegation battle a couple of seasons ago, it was tough, but looking back it was a challenge that helped us grow as a group.

“It was obviously a big relief when we stayed up.”

On adapting to right back

Rodgers has made the right-back position his own this season and says the role suits his style of play.

“I’ve just tried to give my all for the team,” he said.

“I always feel like wingers don’t enjoy running back the other way, so I try to run as much as I can in a game.

“The gaffer always says if you’re knackered after 80 minutes he can take you off because we’ve got Ty there as well.

“We’ve got a good squad, so the message is just to run yourself into the ground.”

On praise from the manager

Head Coach David Artell has repeatedly described Rodgers as the best right-back in the division, something the defender takes with humility.

“It’s nice to hear that from the gaffer,” he said with a smile.

“But there must be some bad right-backs in the league!” he joked.

“Defensively I do back myself to be up there, but I know there’s still things to work on going forward.”

On improving his attacking input

Rodgers is keen to add more assists and attacking contributions to his game.

“Shaun has mentioned that I’ve probably been a bit unlucky with assists this season,” he said.

“That’s something I want to improve and add more of.”

On the Easter double-header

With two important fixtures in quick succession, Rodgers says the team’s focus remains firmly on their own performance levels.

“It’s pretty much the same approach as always,” he said.

“We focus on ourselves.

“When you’re playing teams down there they’re fighting for their lives, so they’re always tough games.

“But if we play the way we know we can, we’ll be very hard to beat.”

On the importance of a strong start

Rodgers believes the Mariners must make the most of the opportunity to start the run-in positively.

“Six points this weekend would be perfect,” he said.

“We’ve had a bit of time off so we need to make sure we start well on Friday.

“If we play how we know we can play, we’ve got a good chance.”

On Blundell Park form

Town head into the fixture unbeaten in ten home matches, something Rodgers says has been a big focus this season.

“It’s been nice to improve our home record,” he said.

“That was something that was mentioned last season.

“We like to play football and even though the pitch hasn’t been perfect at times, we’ve still managed to play some really good stuff.”

On the Blundell Park atmosphere

With another big crowd expected on Good Friday, Rodgers is hoping the supporters can help drive the team on once again.

“It’s been a great atmosphere recently,” he said.

“It definitely helps when you’re a few goals up as well!

“But the fans have been brilliant and hopefully we can give them something to shout about again.”

Focused on finishing the season strongly and continuing his own development, Harvey Rodgers is determined to play his part as the Mariners enter a crucial stage of the campaign.

You can watch Harvey Rodgers’ full interview with the club media below:

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