Boss pleased with chances created but says we need to rediscover our clincial edge.

Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says it is important that his team continue to believe that they are not far off becoming a more consistent side. Crewe have lost three matches on the bounce and have not scored over that period either - but prior to that we enjoyed one of our best runs when going four games unbeaten.

It is that consistency that every team continues to strive for and Artell believes that although his team have struggled for goals this season, we are ‘not a million miles off’.

The Alex boss told the club’s official website: “It is not my style to criticise the players without due reason. We are here to try and help them become better players and that will make us a better team.

“I want them to be successful and help them rather than hammer them. They might get hammered if they deserve it but only when their performance is unacceptable. That doesn’t happen too often because I don’t think we have had too many bad performances. We have narrowly lost games when we should have got something.

“That could be down to a mistake or that we haven’t taken our chances but no-one can question the players’ effort. I know I can look in the mirror and say that I am working my socks off, the staff are working their socks off and the players are working their socks off.

“I honestly do not think we are far off. We are not a million miles off. It is just those one or two little things that are making the major difference at the moment.

David added: “We know we have to start taking advantage of our chances and start sticking the ball in the net. That is the name of the game but we are still getting up there and creating decent openings, so if we can do better with that and be more clinical then it will turn around for us.”