David Artell says he was relatively pleased with the way his players kept their composure against Mansfield Town on Saturday. In a contest that was littered with fouls, Crewe collected four bookings and Mansfield five but the game never really boiled over.

Artell has already warned his players that they risk a fine if they step over the line and are red carded this season.

The Crewe boss told the club’s official web-site: “If there's an issue where one of our players is poleaxed, you don't go up and touch the referee or any of our opponents.

“If anyone is in trouble, on the floor injured, you go and see them. If anyone has made a bad challenge, you go and get your mate out of the fire.

“We've all had the red mist and you need a bit of help from your mates. The last thing you want your mates to do is start prodding the opposition in the chest because that just causes carnage and escalates the issue.

“If anyone gets sent off they will get fined. I've told them, they know the line, you don't win games with 10 men generally.

“On Saturday I thought they were up for it, I don't want to take the edge off them. We have to get close to the line but never step over it.”