‘It’s one of those games against one of the big clubs at this level where our fans will be up for it’
Grimsby Town head coach David Artell(Image: Jon Corken)
Grimsby Town have had some good battles with Notts County in recent times, and they are set for another important showdown at Blundell Park this weekend.
The National League play-off quarter-final. The 5-5 draw at Blundell Park. There have been some firecrackers between these two sides in the recent past, and with both teams holding promotion ambitions this term, there is a lot riding on these encounters.
Martin Paterson’s Notts team have soared in recent weeks with back-to-back wins, shooting them up to second place in what is still a very tightly-packed top half in League Two.
Town sit at the bottom of that upper half now as they find themselves on a six-game winless run in the league, but performances on the whole have made them feel like they are still in the fight.
That said, David Artell and his team could do without more dropped points at this stage when league positions do start to become more defined, especially against a side they could be competing with directly in the race at the top.
Town will take a simple home victory to get back on track, but these match-ups tend to have an added bit of spice based on the recent history and the big following Notts are always expected to bring to Blundell Park.
Mariners centre-back Cameron McJannet said: “I remember the game against them at Blundell Park last year, and we played really well for 60 minutes, but they showed a bit of quality once they levelled the game up.
“Hopefully, this time we can turn it over, and I think we’re in a better place than last year in terms of the strength in depth and quality in our team now, despite what some of the recent results may say.
“We know they like to knock it about and they’re in good form, so it will be a different kind of test compared to the Shrewsbury game, which was a lot of direct play with them, but I think we’ve fared well in these sorts of match-ups.
“It’s one of those games against one of the big clubs at this level where our fans will be up for it, and I imagine they will bring a big away following. The atmosphere certainly adds to the game and the intensity of it.”
Artell does not want to rush any of his injured players back at this stage, as there are plenty of opportunties around this time to reintroduce them gradually, especially with the squad already in decent shape in that regard.
Doug Tharme’s return at the heart of the defence feels like a big one as the team look to eliminate the sloppy goals they are conceding, which are costing them points.
The backline does not change much from game to game, but Artell has options to rotate in midfield and attack. How he goes about that is important in this busy festive period, but he will want his strongest possible team out there to face an in-form Notts side.
A win for Town could take them from 12th back up into the play-offs, such is the tightness of the standings still, but they could start to become cut adrift if their winless run continues this weekend.
The Mariners Trust, working with the club and foundation, will be collecting Christmas donations in the turnstile areas to the Pontoon/Lower Stands, the upper stand, the mains and the fan zone before the Notts County game.
Drop offs can also be made in the ticket office, Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Alternatively, they can be made on Sunday, December 14 at the Lower Ramsdens Bar between 11am and 12.30pm, and in the same location on Wednesday, December 17 from 6.30pm until 8.30pm.
A spokesperson said: “Your support makes a real difference to our local community. Thank you for helping make this festive season brighter for those who need it most.”
