The Mariners newcomer was stretchered off the pitch in agony after the horrific incident

David Artell bemoaned missed opportunities for Grimsby Town again as his side fell to another disappointing 2-0 home defeat to early strugglers Northampton Town.

Matty Wathurst scored past the half-hour mark to give the visitors the lead at Blundell Park following a dominant opening, and skipper John Guthrie added a second after the break.

The Mariners did have multiple chances in between the two Northampton goals to change the course of the game, with away goalkeeper Zach Jeacock making a number of saves while Jamie Walker hit the upright and Charles Vernam missed from point-blank range.

To make matters worse for Town, Edon Pruti was shown a straight red for the Mariners soon after the second goal and was injured in the effort as Northampton saw out a vital three points and their first away win of the campaign.

Pruti was stretchered off after staying down from the challenge, which saw him receive a straight red card, and Artell provided clarity on the defender’s injury, questioning the decision to dismiss him in the same breath.

The Mariners boss reported: “As far as we’re aware, it is a double leg break, so we’ll get an update from him as soon as possible.

“I’m assuming he will have an operation, so I will speak to him as soon as I am able and wish him a speedy recovery. He has worked extremely hard to get on the pitch in the first place.

“He’s a good player, he’s trained well all week and did well in the Trophy games, but this just adds to the list [of injuries].

“I don’t understand how someone can break his leg and get sent off in the same breath; to me, that is mental, but I’m not interested in speaking about the ref.”

With both Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney missing the game through injury, and their replacements, Pruti and Doug Tharme, going off in the game, both with seemingly long-term injuries, a selection crisis has now emerged at the back to compound the current poor form for Town.

On the game itself, a fourth straight league defeat for the first time in his near three-year stint has left Artell with a lingering frustration over missed opportunities across those matches.

He felt his side’s profligacy in front of goal was key again to their demise after surviving a difficult opening in which Northampton had them penned in and created a number of opportunities before taking the lead.

He added: “I thought we weren’t very good in the first 20 minutes, but then we did find our feet a little bit.

“Iwan [Morgan]’s had a great chance, Greeny’s [Kieran Green] had a great chance, we’d gotten ourselves back in the game, but then we shot ourselves in the foot.

“They came flying at us, and we didn’t seem to grasp their press, so we got instructions on and improved, but then shot ourselves in the foot to concede.

“We could’ve conceded more in that period, so we thought we had got out of jail, but then mistakes are costly.

“We haven’t then taken our chances; our xG is nearly double theirs, so we’ve had more than enough to change the course of the game, but if you don’t take them, you don’t win games.

“I think we had five ‘big’ chances, and we haven’t taken any. Even with 10 men, we had the best chance of the last half-hour with Cooky’s [Andy Cook] header.”

Now down in 15th, the Mariners' focus quickly switches to a midweek trip to face newly promoted Rochdale, hoping to claim their first league away win and reverse their recent fortunes.