Gaffer cannot hide his pain after cup exit.

David Artell could not disguise his anger and disappointment after seeing his Crewe Alexandra side well beaten at home to Swindon Town. Crewe exited the FA Cup at the first round stage after losing 3-0 to the League Two side.

Following another hugely disappointing home defeat, Artell told the club’s official website: “First and foremost, Swindon thoroughly deserved the win. I didn’t think there was much in it in the first half. McKirdy got in and they have scored a well worked goal. We grew into it. 

“I then thought we were the better side for the first ten minutes of the second half but then have gone up the other end and scored a second goal.

“The first thing I asked them after the game was ‘do you care?’ I think there were one or two who possibly didn’t care enough today and they let themselves down and the football club. You cannot play with 8, 9 men. You need 11, 11 and a half players to get results and we didn’t have that.

“It may well be the way forward to go with those who do and we can rely on. We had a young back four at the end of the game and they will make mistakes, but at least they will be honest mistakes. They are our own Academy lads and at least I know they care about this football club and their own careers.

He added: “We have to get back to basics and go over what we expect of them. I would have thought they would have known that by now but we will reiterate it with them and work to more of a script.”