Artell's reaction to FA Cup draw with Eastleigh.

David Artell admits that the Crewe dressing room was a mixture of ‘relief and disappointment’ after our second round tie in the FA Cup ended in a 1-1 draw at the Silverlake Stadium. Crewe conjured up enough chances to have put the game to bed but it was us wanting the final whistle after Marcus Barnes had equalised with five minutes left on the clock.

Following the 1-1 draw, Artell told the club’s official website: “The main thing is that we are in the hat. We had enough chances to have won the game but Eastleigh had chances to win the game as well. I thought Eastleigh were very good and maybe last year we may well have lost it. 

“We stood up it to well for the most part but we know that if we whack the ball against a side that our better at doing that than us then it becomes a long evening. We got through it and that’s the main thing. There were a lot of little things that when you add them all up, it leads to a disjointed performance like we got in the second half.

“We created a chance, then another chance, then another chance, and then we have scored a real scruffy goal in the end.

“We played more on the counter attack in the second half because we didn’t pass the ball as well in the second half and we still had chances. Ports had one that he has sent over and Daniel Powell had a late chance as well.

“We have a replay at home and that gives us a great chance to progress. It is an opportunity to put right the wrongs of that second half performance.

The boss added:  “The fans were unbelievable. It is a long way to come, the game is on TV and it is very cold this evening. They were terrific and I cannot fault them.”