Crewe Alexandra manager, David Artell, hopes that Saturday’s 5-1 win over Stevenage will be the ‘shot in the arm’ to inject some more momentum into our promotion bid. Crewe’s emphatic win at the Lamex Stadium promoted back into the automatic promotion places ahead of our tough Boxing Day clash at Salford on Thursday.

David told the club’s official website: “Someone asked me recently if the momentum had stalled and I can see why he asked the questions because we have had one or two little set-backs. It is two defeats in 18 games though and that is a real positive.

“We are where we are and if someone had offered me that in the summer I would have probably snatched their hand off. We are in a decent position at Christmas and have a chance but there will be a number of clubs thinking the same thing.

“The win at Stevenage, which is a tough place to go, and score five goals could be a real shot in the arm for us. It is two defeats in 18 and that’s not a bad stat is it?

“We have to keep showing our qualities and churning out results and show how good we are. We did that at Stevenage and we have good players.”