David Artell was pleased that his Crewe Alexandra side recorded the first three points of the season and even more so that his players were rewarded for all the hard work they have put in out on the training ground. 

Crewe deservedly won 2-0 at the Mornflake Stadium thanks to match winner J’Neil Bennett. He caused the first goal with a deflected effort off Michael Bostwick and then rounded off the winner with a well taken goal on 87 minutes.

After the 2-0 win, Artell told the club’s official website: “I think we deserved to win the game and we should have made it more comfortable than it was. It is the second home game in what 9 games or something so it was important to get that win irrespective of performance.

“We are building and the players feel that as well. We have had a good performance at Leeds in the cup and then had a wait for a point at Shrewsbury and now three points here. It is three good performances and has shown what we can do. It has merited four points and we took a strong Leeds side to the last 10 minutes at Elland Road.

“I am just delighted for the players that they have got some recognition and reward for all the hard work they have put in out on the training ground over the last couple of weeks. Those relationships are forming and we are progressing. There is still a long way to go but it is another step in the right direction.”

On his match winner, Bennett, Artell told us: “J’Neil is a good player and for me he has scored two goals today. The lads are ribbing that is two own goals but as far as I’m concerned, he got both goals.

“We had him up in the summer and we waited for him. That was a mistake, mainly on my part, we should have had him up earlier and we certainly wouldn’t have found a young player in that position better than him.”