David Artell believes his Crewe Alexandra side learnt a harsh lesson about game management in the closing stages of our 2-1 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers at the weekend. His side went in search of a winner of their own at Adams Park and having looked to play out from the back, got caught out by a late throw-in and cross deep into stoppage time.

Artell said that the players involved in that late decision will have learnt a cruel lesson  but he doesn’t want to curb their enthusiasm to play the right way too much.

The Alex boss told us: “It was cruel on us but that is football and it can sometimes be those little decisions that cost you in the end. The game management and being in that situation does come with experience. Now they have had that experience they will learn from it or they should do.

“I spoke to Gareth (Ainsworth) after the game on Saturday and he asked me a question about it. On the one hand I told him that I didn’t want to dampen that youthful exuberance and their desire to win games.

“If you do it and we go on to score then that produces exhilarating moments as well. It is good that they have that no fear.

“Gareth said that he had never asked his goalkeeper to roll the ball out in nine years and that is fine. That is their style and it has been very successful for them.

“We were naïve in the closing stages at Wycombe and it is something they have to learn from and take it in future situations like that.”