David Artell on Grimsby's Draw: 'We Defended Very Well'

Grimsby Town Draw 0-0 with Walsall

Grimsby Town drew 0-0 with Walsall at the Banks's Stadium, with head coach David Artell praising his side's defensive display. The Mariners boss highlighted the importance of not losing, despite not winning, and expressed satisfaction with the point gained.

What Happened?

Grimsby Town battled against a Walsall side who had won their opening two competitive matches under new boss Lee Grant. Both teams had moments where they had the better of the general play, and that swung back and forth in each half, with a share of the points being a fair outcome in most people's minds.

Why it Matters for Grimsby

The draw sees Grimsby Town remain 8th in League Two, 4 points behind leaders Barnet, with 1 win and 1 draw from 2 games. The point gained could be crucial come May, and Artell emphasized the importance of not losing, despite not winning.

What Comes Next?

Grimsby Town will look to build on this performance and continue their progression path. Artell highlighted the need for his side to work on their attacking play, but praised their defensive display, which saw them keep a clean sheet against a good Walsall side.

David Artell's Thoughts

Artell praised his side's defensive display, saying, "I thought we defended very well because they are a good team, and you could see why they had won their first couple of games." He also highlighted the importance of not losing, saying, "The important thing is that when you don't win, you don't lose, and we are where we are at the minute [with injuries] in terms of not having another fit player to choose from outside of the squad we picked."

Cian Doyle's Incident

Artell also pointed out an incident late in the game, which saw Cian Doyle go down inside the Walsall box from a challenge, which he felt was a "blatant" penalty not awarded to his side. Artell added, "You don't get them now, you have to literally commit GBH to get a penalty now, they explained the higher threshold before the start of the season."

Key Performances

Artell praised the performances of several players, including Justin, Iwan Morgan, Kieran Green, and Charles Vernam. He said, "The front four set the platform in that sense, in terms of the pressing that they did, I thought Justin was outstanding at that and Iwan [Morgan] when he came on, while Greeny [Kieran Green] and Chaz [Charles Vernam] will always run around."

Conclusion

Grimsby Town's draw with Walsall sees them remain in 8th place in League Two, 4 points behind leaders Barnet. The point gained could be crucial come May, and Artell emphasized the importance of not losing, despite not winning. The Mariners will look to build on this performance and continue their progression path.