David Artell: Grimsby win at Walsall ‘probably our worst performance’ of season

Grimsby boss David Artell admitted his side’s 1-0 hard-fought League Two win at Walsall was “probably our worst performance” this season but took great pride in the elbow grease that earned it.

Evan Khouri’s 68th-minute rebound – after Aden Flint had cleared Jaze Kabia’s effort off the line – was enough to fire the unbeaten Mariners to victory at the Bescot and up to second in the table after a fast-paced clash in which both goalkeepers excelled.

Kabia clipped the woodwork via a vital touch from Walsall stopper Myles Roberts in the first half.

But Grimsby custodian Christy Pym was the busier on the night, denying Jamie Jellis at point-blank range and seeing defender Dan Cox’s 20-yard swing hit the top of the crossbar on its way over, 11 minutes before the decisive goal.

Walsall had their moments after that, including a series of scrambles and a disallowed goal, but vital blocks always seemed to come from somewhere as Grimsby earned more than warranted the spoils.

“It was a quick game, not the best we have seen this season and probably our worst performance, certainly in possession,” said Artell.

“But the out-of-possession stuff was outstanding, the tracking of runners and stopping crosses.

“Walsall have good runners from the eight positions, two willing runners up top who are a handful and we stood up to a hell of a lot of that really, really well.

“When called upon, Christy did ever so well. It was a proper away performance that matched the result.

“It wasn’t vintage us but it shows that if you get a strong physical team – and that’s not detrimental to Walsall who are very good at what they do – then that’s another box ticked.

“If someone wants to try to beat us up or shell it on us, good luck. We will get games like that in League Two, you have to be good at that and we were.”

Pym shovelled out a low centre before reacting to deny Charlie Lakin 26 minutes in, while Khouri cleared the crossbar from 20 yards with Roberts out of his goal at the other end.

Pym thwarted Jellis and Roberts matched his heroics a minute later, deflecting Kabia’s rising drive enough to graze the woodwork, while Jellis ballooned over Connor Barrett’s square pass in first-half stoppage-time.

Dan Cox brushed the crossbar and Lakin cleared it for Walsall prior to the goal, with Albert Adomah denied a leveller from a goalmouth scramble by an offside flag that frustrated home boss Mat Sadler.

“I thought (a point) was the least we deserved,” he said.

“From the video footage we’ve got, it was onside so it’s frustrating when it doesn’t go your way. From the linesman’s point of view, Coxy is that side of him and he probably didn’t see the guy on the other side.

“It didn’t create that grandstand that the supporters deserved but we kept going. We emptied the tank and that’s all you can really ask.”