Steve Davis says his team can take positives from not being beaten against arch rivals.

After having time to reflect on the opening game of the season, the Crewe Alexandra boss Steve Davis admits that he would have been the ‘happier of the two managers’ as Crewe picked up a clean-sheet and a point against rivals Port Vale, despite not conjuring up too many clear cut chances.

The Alex boss was pleased with the defensive display that kept the Valiants at bay and he praised the fitness levels of his players as they kept going and dug out a point to start the season.

Steve told crewealex.net: “We have to use Saturday’s result as a platform. I was pleased with the effort of the players and the fact that they defended well and kept going to make sure we didn’t concede.

“I wasn’t pleased with certain aspects of the performance and the fact that we didn’t cause them enough problems in the attacking third. We need to improve on that.

“On reflection I was pleased with the clean-sheet and the point. I was most pleased with the defending. We have worked on that as a whole. We have worked on the entire 11 and not just the back four and the goalkeeper or when we go with a back three.

“We were hard to break down but Port Vale did get in once or twice a bit too easily for my liking, so there is still work to be done there. There is improvement to be made in all areas and we will be working with the wingers and their responsibility to the defending side of things.

The boss added: “I thought the fitness levels were good. The players have recovered well and have said that they feel better than they did after the first game at Fleetwood last season when they felt a bit tired and heavy legged, so that is an encouraging sign as well.”