Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says that his team’s growing spirit is continuing to pick up points. His captain George Ray scored a stoppage time goal for the second week running but this time it felt a whole lot better as Crewe fought back to pick up a point at Boundary Park.

With just the one goal in it, Crewe remained in the game and with Ray pushed further forward, he showed great agility to turn in Tom Lowery’s cross. The midfield sub earned great praise after coming off the bench to get us playing more football on a tricky pitch. 

Following the 1-1 draw at Boundary Park, the boss told us: “I thought we persistent and it paid off in the end. I thought for an hour we were second best today. We didn’t pass the ball well to each other but I must say on a tricky pitch.

“We had a chat at half time and I thought we improved in the first 15 minutes of the second half and ended up having a real go. I thought that Tom Lowery came on and changed the game, only by his willingness to get on the ball and get us playing. He wanted the ball and we played some football.

“The strikers were starved of possession because we whacked it too much and that isn’t us.

“It is a tough place to come, Oldham. They are a good team with good players and there was all the new manager stuff to deal with as well. For all, that it is a terrific point for us and it means that unbeaten run continues.

“We cannot concede goals like we did. Literally it was one hoof up the pitch and Lang has got in. We had him marked and then we were all over the shop. It is one long whack from their goalkeeper and then it is in the back of our net. It was schoolboy stuff.

“It was a poor goal to concede but after that I cannot remember Ben having to make too many more saves. I think he dived at someone’s feet late on. We had a couple of chances with Greenie in the first half but their goalkeeper didn’t have too much to do either.

“But we kept going and Tommy has put in a great cross and George has stretched to turn it in. He wanted to score again in front of those fans who were brilliant for us again. It was hard to see them under their second tier because of the design of the roof but we could hear him. They made some noise after 60 minutes because we were improving then in the last 15 minutes they really believed. I hope they have a great trip down the M6 tonight. They make such a difference.

He added: “When we got ourselves going and realised that we had to receive the ball when we are marked closely, then we were okay. If there was one team that was going to win it, it was Oldham, but I thought we deserved a point.”