David Artell was disappointed that his Crewe side couldn’t repeat Tuesday night’s performance against Notts County with a positive result against a well drilled Accrington Stanley side this afternoon. John Coleman’s side won 2-0 after scoring both of their goals in their opening 10 minutes. Crewe created chances but couldn't convert one to get a passage back into the contest.

Following the 2-0 defeat, Artell told us: “It was disappointing. The game was all but over in the first 25 minutes. After that we huffed and puffed but we should have scored and got back into the game. It was a bit like Yeovil again, but again it is goals that count and we made mistakes and didn’t take our chances.

“We had chances and we should have had a penalty when Porter was fouled but you cannot rely on referee’s to give you penalties. If it was outside the box, he probably would have given it, but I don’t want to talk too much about the officials.

“In the end though, for the last half an hour, we huffed and puffed without doing enough. If it was a boxing match, we were just jabbing at them and not looking for that punch to rock them a bit. Accrington were happy with that and they didn’t have to do too much more to see it out.

“I thought the substitutes were lively and we managed to put some crosses into the box that just needed a touch from the forwards. Brad was good on Tuesday and he was good again. Pickering got in behind and put a great ball in and if Porter and Dale had staggered their runs, they would have got there. Owen was good with his one-one-ones as well.

“I wanted to bring Dagnall on but we couldn’t. The fourth official said that he couldn’t go on over the taping on his wedding ring. He has played every game with it on. If it is the rule, then why have 15 other officials let it go. He has worn it plenty of times, so have they missed it?

“The officials check jewellery before the game. They check if the shorts underneath your shorts are the same, they check on the studs, everything and then we are waiting to put a player on and we can’t. We couldn’t do anything.

“We cannot accept that if we go behind then that is it. I think it is only the Newport game where we went behind and got something. We have to keep on believing and keep at it. Today, we petered out a bit.

He added: "We have a habit of being up and down and continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. We have got to get over the hurdle and not think it is game over at 2-0.”