Steve Davis says Saturday's home game will provide a good marker

Steve Davis expects a tough test against Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth this weekend and says that it will be a good marker to see where his team are in relation to the bigger budgets in League One. The return of Howe to Dean Court in October has helped transform Bournemouth’s fortunes and they are now handily placed for a push towards the play-off places.

Saying that a win for Crewe would see us leapfrog the Cherries in the table and Davis says it should be cracker just before Christmas as two of the in-form sides in the division meet at Gresty Road.

Crewe have won four out of the last six in the league to move into the top half and Bournemouth remain unbeaten under Howe and come into the game on the back of a 13 game run.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “We prepare the team the same every week. Nothing changes too much because we respect every opponent.

“There are no easy games and Bury showed last week that teams in the bottom four can play just as well as those teams in the top six. It doesn’t matter if they are at the bottom or at the top they are all tough.

“Eddie (Howe) has gone back to Bournemouth for family reasons and he would have learnt from his experience at Burnley and working in the Championship. He did a decent job there and I think everyone was surprised when he left to return to Bournemouth.

As we know from last season, going on a long run undefeated gives you great confidence. “He has turned things around there and they are on an unbeaten run, so they will be looking to push on and be involved in the promotion push.

“Saying that we come into the game in good form as well. We have only lost two games in our previous 10 matches so it is set-up to be a really good test and a really game of football. It will be a challenge for us but one the players and supporters will be looking forward to.”