Steve says Crewe Alexandra will have to work hard to overcome Holden's Latics

Steve Davis says that his Crewe Alexandra side will have to work extremely hard to overcome a battling Oldham Athletic side tomorrow. A win for the Alex at Gresty Road tomorrow afternoon would see us just two points off the Latics, as the business end of the season really kicks into gear.

Crewe will be aiming to complete a league double over Oldham after previously beating them 2-1 on Boxing Day due to a brace from Nicky Ajose.

The striker proved the difference on the day with a superb chip over our current number one Paul Rachubka to win the points late on. Crewe also had defender George Ray sent off for a professional foul with the score at 0-0 and although the Latics dominated a large proportion of the possession, Crewe hung in the game to win at Boundary Park.

Since that Boxing Day victory for the Railwaymen, Oldham have lost their promising manager Lee Johnson to Barnsley and recently appointed Dean Holden as their manager to the end of the season.

Ahead of the visit of the Latics this weekend, Steve told us: “Oldham are a decent side and they are higher than us in the league. Just because our home form has been good it doesn’t give us any divine right to win games, we will have to work extremely hard to get something from the game.

“After they made a great start they have found it hard to replicate that in the second half of the season but any club is judged over the course of the season.

“They have also lost their manager (Lee Johnson) to Barnsley and that is hard to overcome in the middle of the season. Lee bought a number of those players to the club and had inspired some great results.

“It is never easy to come in and pick up the reigns and Dean will not find it easy because this is his first opportunity, but we wish him well. He has looked at the shape of the team recently, to see if he can find a way of winning games and when you have gone through a change like Oldham have then it is never easy.

“They have plenty of games left to be okay and they are all big games at this stage of the season. Saturday is no different and both sides will be going out looking for three important points.

   He added: “We had the same challenge last season and came through it so I am sure the players will deal with it again.”