Steve Holland has told the club's official web-site that he was relatively pleased with the three players who came into his side for Monday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie at Tranmere. Crewe rather cruelly exited the competition following a late winning goal from substitute Chris Shuker but the club's first team coach was understandably pleased with the way Crewe controlled matters in the first half.

Crewe could and should have been ahead at the break when having numerous chances to take the lead at Prenton Park. We didn't take advantage and were made to pay the ultimate price with Shuker's deflected goal coming with just four minutes remaining.

Steve told crewealex.net: "One of the benefits of playing on the Monday is the extra days rest and we will be looking to build on our first half performance at Tranmere and take that into the Scunthorpe game.

"We have had to take the result on the chin a bit because I didn't think the players deserved to lose it late on. The major positive was the first half and the way we passed the ball and created chances.

"I was also relatively pleased with the three players that came into the side. Calvin gave us that presence up there and kept the ball well. He should have done better with an early chance when he shot straight at the goalkeeper, but I thought he did well.

"Shaun certainly played and was lively in the first half. The only thing that was lacking from his game was that quality with the final ball. He was also fine with his defending.

"Steven Schumacher had much more of the ball and that is something we have been onto him about. We passed it well and linked the play, so all three of those players can be relatively pleased with the way they performed."