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Artell left ruing ‘crucial moments’ in Grimsby Town’s ‘basketball’ thriller with Notts County

David Artell compared Grimsby Town’s thrilling 5-5 draw with Notts County to a “basketball match”.

The Mariners boss praised his side for their “unbelievable character and desire” during the pulsating match, but admitted his side cost themselves the win. Town led three times before going behind late on at Blundell Park, only for January signing Harry Wood to come off the bench to snatch a point deep into injury time, after signing on loan from Hull City.

Danny Rose, Abo Eisa (with a brace) and Harry Clifton were also on target for Grimsby, while County netted through David McGoldrick (with two), Macaulay Langstaff and Aaron Nemane (also with two). Artell said: “It was a basketball match on a football pitch. That’s probably a good description for it.

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“I thought we were the better team in the first half, but the ironic thing was that it was still an improvement on Walsall because we were still level at half-time. They were level because they were clinical with their chances.

“We had dominated, so I asked them to go and dominate it again. It didn’t quite work out like that [in the second half], but I thought that we showed unbelievable character and desire when we went behind for the first time.”



Danny Rose celebrates giving Grimsby Town an early lead during the League Two match between Grimsby Town and Notts County at Blundell Park. Town led three times, only for the match to end in a thrilling 5-5 draw.
Danny Rose celebrates giving Grimsby Town an early lead during the League Two match between Grimsby Town and Notts County at Blundell Park. Town led three times, only for the match to end in a thrilling 5-5 draw.

He added: “We also showed some good quality moments. I thought it was a good game and not just because it was five all, but we just didn’t help ourselves in the crucial moments.”

Rose put Grimsby ahead from the penalty spot with seven minutes on the clock and Eisa – the player fouled in the build-up – made it 2-0 eight minutes later when adding the finishing touch from a half-cleared corner. County fought back in the run-up to the break as McGoldrick and Langstaff netted in almost identical fashion from Jodi Jones deliveries.

In a see-saw second-half, Nemane twice restored parity for County after Clifton and Eisa netted. McGoldrick then gave County the lead for the first time, before Wood rescued a point with virtually his first touch.

Jim O’Brien, who took interim charge for the first time after former County manager Luke Williams left to take the Swansea job, said: “It was disappointing. There was a range of emotions throughout the game. We started a bit anxious and they kind of stuck it on us a little bit.

“It took us too long to settle into the game, but we have got quality on the pitch and we created a lot of chances. I’m disappointed with the feeling at the end. There wasn’t too much control from us throughout the game. It was a typical League Two clash, but I was pleased with our application, so it was pleasing from that point of view.”

Reporting by PA Sport.

Original story at https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/

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