Artell says his Crewe side will have reproduce improving performance to get anything from the Gills this weekend.

David Artell takes his Crewe Alexandra side to Gillingham this weekend hoping to record that first away win of the campaign against one of the sides currently down there with us in the drop zone – but the Alex boss says that if anyone is capable of getting a result for his club it is the vastly experienced Steve Evans.

Crewe would love a repeat of the 2-0 win we enjoyed over the Gills just last month, but Artell says you write off a Steve Evans side at your peril and he has lavished praise on one of the longest serving managers in the EFL.

Artell told crewealex.net: “The aim is to bridge the gap as soon as we can. We don’t feel as though we are a bottom of the league team and our performances recently do not reflect that but we are bottom. That is the reality of it and we need to start winning games again.

“We beat Gillingham 2-0 quite recently at home but they hit the post twice from set plays. They are effective at what they do and are pragmatic and dogged. That is way they get results and I think Steve (Evans) gets unfair criticism.

“He has been in this game for a very long time and he is a good manager, capable of getting results for his team. He has managed big clubs, Leeds for one, so that says it all. You don’t get those jobs if you are no good.

“You write a Steve Evans team off at your peril. He has great experience and knows how to get results, that is why he has been in the game for a long time and it is a tough job to be in!”