Hard work on the training ground makes us more of a threat from set pieces

Steve Davis was pleased that his Alex side managed to score from a set-piece to go ahead for the second time in the game away at Rotherham United but two penalties changed the complexion of the game as Crewe lost their first game in three games after a successful festive period.

Davis was delighted that Crewe kept the ball alive from AJ Leitch-Smith’s corner thus allowing Kelvin Mellor to tuck away a rare goal from close range. There were certainly a lot of positives to take from Saturday’s 4-2 defeat, performance wise and becoming a threat from set-plays was another one.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “We have been doing some work and talking to the players about staying in there at free-kicks and corners. What we tend to do is drop out of the box, if the initial header is lost.

“I’ve wanted them to compete and for them to keep the ball alive more. We have challenged and the ball has dropped for us. It fell to Kelvin (Mellor) and he has managed to stir it in well.

“I was pleased with that goal and that we managed to get one from a set play. It gave us the advantage in an open game and I thought deservedly so. Anyone who saw the game would say we deserved more than to lose it 4-2. It was a contest that was much closer than that.”