Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell hailed his side’s performance as ‘our finest 90 minutes of the season’ so far. Crewe deservedly defeated Gillingham 2-0 at the Mornflake Stadium and there were many facets of the display that pleased the Alex boss.

Crewe passed the ball more accurately, attacked with real intent and got bodies inside the opposition box at any given opportunity and defended well when needed.

Artell told Crewealex.net: “I thought it was our best performance of the season over the complete 90 minutes. Irrespective of the result, I thought the performance was a lot more like us.

“We passed the ball forward with real intent and with real understanding. We had stripped it right back in training and worked on a number of things by being more prescriptive with them. We did four sessions over two days and when the players are receptive to the work and then transmit that to a matchday then it brings a warm glow to you as a coach.

“That is all you can ask and to a man I thought they were magnificent on Saturday. They did everything we asked of them and more and that is the most pleasing thing.

“It was our way again. The Crewe way of passing the ball and moving. It is the Football Club’s way, my way as manager, the staff’s way and the players way and I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the game.

He added: “Now we have to keep it going and build on what we achieved on Saturday.”