Steve Davis says defensive reshuffle was needed at half-time

Steve Davis says that the experienced defender Alan Tate was withdrawn at half-time at Bradford purely for tactical reasons. The on-loan centre-half from Swansea was replaced by Febain Brandy at the interval as Crewe Alexandra attempted to take the game more to the home side.

Tate had formed a back three alongside George Ray and Adam Dugdale with Captain Matt Tootle and Greig Leigh as wing-backs. Bradford’s possession and pressure was so intense in the first half that Crewe were finding it arduous to make inroads into Bradford territory. The switch to 4-2-3-1 certainly helped Crewe create more chances in the second half.

It was a very tactical game at Valley Parade with Crewe’s game-plan finally under done by Aaron McLean’s opener on 72 minutes.

Steve Davis told crewealex.net: “We kept trying to give the lads the best chance to keep things tight and give ourselves a chance. We found it difficult in the first half to get out and push them back and that is why we changed the formation at half time.

“Taking Alan off was purely tactical. We felt we had enough out there to keep them out and we just felt Alan was the right one on this occasion. That doesn’t mean to say he won’t be involved against Coventry this weekend.

“We felt we had to give the lads a chance to get up the pitch and we needed to take our chances when we had them. For 70 odds minutes we had defended reasonably well and it looked as though they were running out a bit but the centre-halves didn’t quite sort out the marking and McLean has got between them to score.

“The players worked extremely hard and it was just those little errors that have cost us. We are working hard to eliminate those errors that are proving the difference.”