Bakes well aware that Saturday will be a hard afternoon

Assistant manager Neil Baker says Saturday’s meeting with Stevenage will give a clear indication of Crewe Alexandra’s League One credentials.

Five games in to their League One campaign, the Alex sit comfortably in mid-table after two wins, a draw and two defeats. On Saturday they make the trip to the Lamex Stadium to take on an unbeaten Stevenage side that recorded an excellent 2-1 win at Coventry City last weekend.

Last year Stevenage were able to defy the odds and reach the League One play-offs, a year after winning promotion from League Two and Bakes is ready for a stern test when the Alex arrive in Hertfordshire.

“Stevenage are a good team that managed to reach the play-offs last year, and they’ll expect to be up there again this season,” explained Bakes. “It is another game that gives us an idea of where we are going after the game, and how far we have to go.

“Only time will tell if we are able to get anywhere near the success that they had last season. We are only taking it one game at a time at the moment. The Coventry performance was decent and we won the game, the Tranmere performance was okay and we drew the game.

“We are gauging the team every week and at the moment every week presents a different challenge and this week will be no different.”