Boss says Al will have to keep on performing or risk losing his place to Phillips or Garratt again

Crewe Alexandra boss Steve Davis says that current number one Alan Martin will have to continue to produce a high level of performance or risk losing his place again to the experienced Steve Phillips or the up-and-coming Ben Garratt. Martin was given the nod against Bradford to take over from Phillips but it was a close call with Davis seriously contemplating handing his England Youth goalkeeper Garratt the chance to start only his second senior start for the club.

Steve, who is set to name Martin for the third successive match at Brentford, told the club’s official web-site: “Alan has to continue in the form he has been showing. He didn’t do that earlier in the season.

“He did that last season and had a good spell and played 20 odd games before he lost his place to Steve (Phillips). He has to maintain that high level of performance and become a match winner for us by making big saves at important moments in a game.

“A top goalkeeper gives his team in the game. They might be being battered and he may have to make a succession of good saves, but he can give his team in it by keeping the ball out of the net. Alan can do that. He can produce a big save and it will only help us in tight games if he can do that.

“He can be as good as anybody in this league on his day and Alan has to keep doing the basic things well and keep making those big saves when we need them.

“He didn’t have too much to do against Wycombe on Saturday but his concentration levels were good and when he had to make routine saves he did.”