David Artell is backing his summer signing Daniel Powell to find the back of the net shortly.

The summer signing from Northampton has been extremely unlucky not to have found the net in his opening 8 appearances for the club. He has gone close on a number of occasions, especially in the away games at Oldham, Crawley and Grimsby with him being denied at the death by a good save or a defenders’ clearance.

The Crewe boss told the club’s official website: “With Daniel, a goal is coming. I believe that. He has been unlucky not to have scored by now. He had a couple of one-on-ones at Grimsby and the goalkeeper has pulled off a great save and a defender denied him with a miraculously goal line clearance.

“He knows he has to be better with his end product when he gets in behind. He has pick someone out with a cross or finish himself, so there is improvement to be made there.

“There is not an infinite amount of time that we can wait for that and Daniel has been in the game long enough and will understand that.

“Has Owen Dale done enough to start at Leyton Orient on Tuesday night? You will have to see when the team sheets are released.

“If Daniel doesn’t play, it is not a long term issue anyway. It would only give him a mental breather and a chance to collect his thoughts and come again. We will have to wait and see.”