David Artell says it was a ‘very good tactical’ lesson for his players after we switched three at the back in our 2-0 win over Fleetwood Town last night.

Goals from forwards, Owen Dale and a penalty from Chris Porter, gave the Alex a deserved seventh away win of the season and Artell was pleased with the way his side picked up the new formation.

Artell told the club’s official website: “I was pleased that the players managed to pick up the new formation after literally walking through things for half an hour in training. It showed their football education.

“I think it was a great lesson for them all because tactics and understanding that is a big part of the game and will need if they go on to bigger and better things.  

“Tactics are tactics and before that comes heart, courage and all those things and I thought that they were very good with that.

“It could have gone in a different way and the players could have froze because they couldn’t grasp what we were asking them to do because they didn’t have enough in-depth coaching and all that - but they didn’t and that is a pleasing thing for a manager.

“It was a risk and I get that but I wanted to learn more about the players and I got that as well."