Matt Tootle hoping Cup tie will boost confidence

Matt Tootle has told Crewe Alex player that it remains vital that the dressing room and club stick together as we go in search of our first win in six matches. The Railwaymen came through a tricky first round tie against James Beattie’s Accrington Stanley in the previous round and the club’s most consistent performer Tootle is hoping for a similar battling display this evening at Fleetwood.

Tootle, who received special praise for his performance and attitude at Notts County on Saturday told us: “We have to try to stay upbeat and go again. We definitely have to get the Notts County game out of our minds, but when you are struggling you want games to come around quickly.

“The goals against are a massive concern to us, I'd like to say it is not all about the defence. I'd say some of the lads at the back played well on Saturday, you have to look at the entire team and try to shore it up.

“There are 10 games gone and it looks bleak at the moment, I know that, but we have to stick together and go again. It is going to be difficult and we will find out a lot about people. We have to use the experience we have. We have to turn it round.”

On this evening opposition, the full-back said: “We have to go into the game fully aware of what they are capable of and try to get through, that's what it is about. They have three or four who were here and from what I know they will wanting to prove a point.

“It is a game we need to give our full attention to and try to do what we did last year, the manager wants us to do well in the competition again.”