Boss Artell in no mood to think job is done yet

WITH only one point needed to secure League Two survival, Grimsby boss Dave Artell has urged his players not to take their foot off the gas as they face three big final games.

The Mariners will face Colchester on Tuesday night knowing a draw will be enough to ensure league football next season.

But Artell insisted there will be no let up from his players after what was a resounding win at Crewe.

Goals from Toby Mullarkey before the break and Curtis Thompson and Denver Hume in the second half emphasised the Mariners’ dominance at Artell’s former club and lifted them six points clear of second-bottom

Sutton United.

But Artell stressed: “We’re not safe yet and we’ve still got three big games left. We know what we need to do. It’s not done yet and we will have to perform like that again. We need another point to be mathematically safe, but we will go into the game on Tuesday against Colchester to win.

“We were outstanding today and our recent form had suggested we could tonk someone. That performance has been in us for a while.”

Grimsby started the game strongly with Justin Obikwu creating a good chance and Charles Vernam curling a free-kick onto the Crewe crossbar.

The visitors then profited from a mistake by Max Stryjek for their 38th-minute lead. Doug Tharme’s long throw was headed on by Mullarkey and the ball crept in through the keeper’s arms.

After the break Grimsby stepped up a gear and Thompson doubled the lead in the 59th-minute when he applied a firm volley to Vernam’s corner.

Substitute Hume then applied a fine finish to a cut-back from Donovan Wilson as they completed a 3-0 win. Crewe’s response was tame to say the least as they rarely threatened the visitors.

Their form has dipped badly during the run-un with five defeats in their last 10 games damaging any automatic promotion hopes.

Manager Lee Bell must now prepare them for a playoff push and said: “We’ve got to get back to doing what we’ve done for 99% of the season. We’ve got to show a lot more desire. We were dominated from start to finish and I think we only had five minutes in the second half when we played, but it was too late in the day. I’m going to have to find out the reasons why, but it is clear the boys are struggling.”