Crewe Alexandra face League One leaders, Hull City, in the first knockout stage of the Papa John’s Trophy and David Artell is hoping that the players selected can help the Alex progress in a competition they won back in 2013.

Crewe narrowly lost 1-0 at the KCOM Stadium earlier in the season and Artell says that his team can take heart from that performance. Crewe were only beaten late on by a Mallik Wilks goal nine minutes from time.

Ahead of our knockout tie this evening, the Alex boss said: “The draw is what it is. We have been given a tough draw against the side that are currently top of our division but that’s what we have been given and you get on with it.

“We lost 1-0 there earlier in the season and I didn’t think we deserved to lose that game. A draw was probably a fair result on the day after the way we played.

“We will go there again, to an impressive stadium, and try and win the game. Hull are a good side and I am sure Grant (McCann) will look to make some changes as well.

“I have changed the team in all three of our group games and there will be changes again. It will give an opportunity to those players again. Some of them took it against Shrewsbury in the last group game and some didn’t perform as well as they can do, so it is another opportunity for them to impress.

He added: “We have a lot of fixtures, so you look at previous cup games then you can read into it what you like. Like I’ve said, without giving too much away, it will be an opportunity for one or two more to impress and take their chance.”