Boss pleased with the ball retention in second half against Pompey.

David Artell was pleased with his side’s game management for the final half an hour of our goalless draw with Portsmouth. The Crewe Alexandra boss said that his side retained possession really well after John Marquis saw his penalty saved by Will Jaaskelainen.

The Alex also created enough decent chances to have claimed all three points with Tom Lowery and Owen Dale going close.

Artell told the club’s official website: “I thought we controlled the game really well after the penalty. It may have looked that they had more of the possession and dictated the tempo but I felt we managed the game well for the last half an hour.

“They will probably say they more likely to win it but we had some great chances of our own. We didn’t take them and that is why it ended 0-0. Portsmouth will say the same and they have every right too but I didn’t think we deserved to lose that game for the reliance we showed.

“I thought we kept the ball well and controlled that period and that earned us a point. “