Duggy describes set play goals as a 'nightmare.'

Adam Dugdale has told Crewe Alex Player that the dressing room was a frustrating place to be following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Sheffield United. Crewe were certainly in the contest at Bramall Lane but a lack of concentration at two set pieces and a succession of errors leading to a third from Ryan Flynn abruptly ended our hopes of repeating a recent fine performance at Preston.

Crewe suffered their eighth league defeat of the season, as Nigel Clough’s career at Sheffield United got off to the perfect start. The result moved the Blades out of the bottom four and with results going against us, Crewe were back in the drop zone.

Dugdale told Crewe Alex Player: “If we score the first goal and they don’t then it becomes a different game. If Abdul’s header goes in then it could have been different but then we have conceded two goals from set pieces and it was a nightmare for us.

“We have gone in at half-time with a mountain to climb but again Byron has a good chance just before their third goal. That killed us after making a bright start to the second half. It was just incredibly frustrating and everyone in the dressing room was gutted afterwards because out mistakes have cost us.

“I don’t think anyone can say anything about the effort or the chances we created but it seems that every little mistake we make at the moment is being punished. Everything we do seems to end up in our net and our luck on that score has to change.

“We have to stick together, rally around and go again against Bradford. It seems to be a step forward, two steps back for us at the moment but we will keep working hard to produce the type of performances that got us a result at Preston and then a hard fought win at home to Bristol City. “

More post-match reaction available from Duggy now on Crewe Alex Player. Subscribe now for £4.49 or how about thinking about Crewe Alex Player as the perfect Christmas gift. Subscribe now for the year for just £37.99.