Boss pleased with display despite defeat

Steve Davis had nothing but praise for his battling players as they remained very much in a thrilling game at the New York Stadium. The Alex were eventually beaten 4-2 by promotion chasing Rotherham but that didn't tell half the story as the game ebbed and flowed. Crewe led twice, missed a penalty and still had chances at 3-2 down to have got something from the game.

After a thrilling encounter, an upbeat Alex boss told crewealex.net: "I thought we were excellent and deserved something from the game today. I have nothing but praise for the players for the performance. It was a performance full of positives and that is what I said to the players afterwards. If we play like that then I am sure we will continue to pick up points.

"The difference this afternoon was the quality of the finishing. Even when it went to 3-2 we had good chances to make it 3-3. Chuks (Aneke) had a great chance with a diving header and we played some really good football at times.

"There are big moments in games and I didn't think either were penalties. I thought Rotherham's penalty was just two players crossing paths and there may have been a slight clip on Hitchock but it was more accidental than anything. He was very quick to give it. I am not sure ours was a penalty either. It was just a coming together in the box, but he has given it and this time the goalkeeper (Collin) has guessed right. Harry went the other side to the one he took against them on the opening day of the season and he has gone the right way and kept it out.

"We then lost the ball on the touchline and they have taken a quick thrown-in and I must say it was an excellent cross to pick out their best header of the ball (Revell) at the far post and we found ourselves 3-2 down. Those incidents did affect us a bit but we reacted and came again and the plus for us is the way we played and the chances we were able to create.

"We have ended up losing 4-2 today but I thought we were excellent at times and I was generally pleased with the performance. I didn't think we got what we deserved for our efforts."