Jamie Walker says the Mariners are fully focused on bouncing back as they prepare for tonight’s clash with Fleetwood Town.

Town return to Blundell Park looking to respond after Saturday’s narrow defeat at Oldham Athletic, with Walker confident the squad can react in the right way.

“I think the lads have reacted quite well,” he said. “We trained today and the tempo was really, really good.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to lose, but we’ve been in that situation a few times this season and we’ve always bounced back. The beauty of football is that we’ve got another game tomorrow night, and it’s one we’re looking forward to.”

Reacting to setback

Walker acknowledged the fine margins that proved decisive at the weekend, with his effort off the crossbar a key moment in the game.

“It shows the fine margins,” he explained. “That can be the difference between getting something from the game or not.

“In this league especially, it’s really competitive. Sometimes those moments go for you, sometimes they don’t.

“But we’ve got to concentrate on ourselves and be better than we were on Saturday. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”

Eye for goal

Despite that near miss, Walker remains confident that more goals will come as he continues to find himself in promising positions.

“I’m always around the edge of the box, especially from set pieces and second balls,” he said. “So I do get opportunities to get shots off.

“It was unlucky on Saturday that it hit the bar, but it’s a part of my game I’m always looking to improve. When I score goals, that’s a big part of what I bring, so hopefully one comes soon.”

Impact from the bench

Having made a positive impact after coming on against Oldham, Walker spoke about his mindset when not selected to start.

“As I’ve got older, I probably don’t take it as personally as you do when you’re younger,” he explained. “Of course you always want to play, but when you’re on the bench it’s about how you can affect the game.

“I felt like I did that on Saturday. Unfortunately, we conceded late on, but at this stage of the season it’s about contributing however you can.

“Whether that’s starting or coming off the bench, I’ll always look to do my best for the team.”

Season so far

Reflecting on his own campaign, Walker is pleased but believes there is still more to come.

“I’m quite happy, but of course I can always do more,” he said. “Maybe affect games a little bit more.

“I think if you ask most of the lads, they’d say the same. Nobody’s ever perfect, but as a squad we’re in a good position.

“We’ve got ten games left and we’ll be looking to win as many as we can and hopefully have a special end to the season.”

Life beyond the pitch

Away from matchdays, Walker has been developing his coaching, including running his own academy.

“It’s something I’ve enjoyed more as I’ve got older,” he said. “Whether it’s with kids or in a first-team environment, it’s something I’d maybe look at in the future.

“I enjoy passing on my experience from playing professionally and helping younger players on their journey.”

He also highlighted the benefits of having that outlet alongside football.

“It’s been great. Sometimes after a bad result or a tough week, going and coaching the kids helps take your mind off things.

“It gives you a purpose away from football, which can be really important.”

Focus on the run in

With the season entering its final stretch, Walker believes consistency will be key in the race for promotion.

“There’s always twists and turns in football,” he said. “We’ve all seen that before.

“We’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves, take each game in isolation and try to pick up as many points as we can.

“There’s less margin for error now, but we’ve got a great squad and a great manager, so we’re confident.”

Taking it one game at a time

Despite talk of a defining period, Walker insists the focus remains firmly on the next challenge.

“We take every game as it comes,” he said. “There’s no getting away from the fact that there are fewer games left, but the approach doesn’t change.

“These next two games are important, and they’re both at home. We’ll be looking to win them.

“We’ve got to show the energy and composure that we maybe lacked a little bit on Saturday and really take the game to the opponent.”

On Fleetwood Town

Walker is expecting a tough test against a Fleetwood side in strong form.

“They’re on a good run and any game in this league is difficult,” he said. “It’s really competitive.

“If you don’t do the basics; win your duels, compete for first and second balls, run forward and run back – then you won’t win games.

“Fleetwood will be no different, but if we do what we’re good at, we’ll have a good chance of getting the three points.”

You can watch Jamie Walker’s full pre-match interview with the club media below:

UTM