Boss on goalkeeping situation aheads of Sunday's showdown

Alan Martin returned to the Crewe Alexandra starting line up for the first time since mid-January and helped the club achieve a first clean-sheet in 11 games with an assured performance against Preston North End.

Manager Steve Davis elected to rest his current number one goalkeeper, Steve Phillips, during yesterday’s 1-0 win, but the veteran stopper is expected to be recalled for Sunday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final.

Steve Davis told crewealex.net: “I wanted to give Alan a go and give Steve a bit of a rest. I just felt Alan deserved a go and he did well to help us get a result. He kept a clean-sheet, his kicking was good and he made some good saves.

“He was unlucky to lose his place earlier in the season when he was ill and Steve came in and showed some top form. It was nice to see Alan have a good game and that was the Alan I remember from earlier in the season when he was on top of his game.”