David Artell says it is important that goals are shared around his Alex team after three defeats on the trot.

Crewe Alexandra manager, David Artell says that our goal output needs to improve all over the pitch. The Alex have lost games by the odd goal on 9 occasions in all competitions this season and Artell says that is something we have to improve on if we are going to discover a level of real consistency.

Crewe have now lost three games in succession coming after back-to-back wins over Peterborough and Oxford United.

The Alex boss told the club’s official website: “We have to be more clinical when we have chances. We had a number on Saturday that could have swung the tie back in our favour but didn’t take them or their goalkeeper has made a save.

“Becoming more clinical is an area we can improve on but there are a few. It is not just that and it’s just not the strikers. We need goals from all over the pitch. We had that last season and that is what made us successful.

“We could do with goals from the centre-halves, full-backs, midfielders and the wide forwards. It doesn’t matter.

“It is about getting up there in the first place and then making that nice contact to put the ball in the net. Of course, it is harder in reality but a number of our players in the team have scored goals.

He added: “Unusually for us, we have not been quite as free scoring but we are creating chances and it’s not a crisis or drastic. We just have to take a bit more care and show better technique with our finishing.”