Crewe Alexandra travel to Barrow A.F.C. on Saturday for our next warm-up friendly and manager David Artell knows that the National League side will offer a physically demand opponent.

The Alex boss is keen for his players to get used to travelling on a coach for over two hours and then facing the prospect of playing a tough opponent on their own patch.

Crewe drew 0-0 at the The Furness Building Society Stadium last season and it was a good test for the Railwaymen ahead of the new season.

David told crewealex.net: “I wanted us to go to Barrow because I know it will be a challenge for us. We went there last season and it ended goalless. It was a great workout for them.

“I wanted to travel two and a half hours, get off the bus and then play. They have to get used to that for when we go to places like Cheltenham, Lincoln and Grimsby.

He added: “The players have to have the experience of sitting on the bus and then being professional and getting the job done. It will put them in good stead.”