Crewe Alexandra now face their biggest challenge of the season so far – bouncing back from a first league defeat.

That’s according to Alex Morris, who believes his squad’s mentality is much stronger than it was last season.

Now he wants them to prove it, when Sutton United visit Mornflake Stadium tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16, 7.45pm).

The manager said: “The players now have their biggest challenge so far – winning after their first loss.

“We came through the challenges of winning our first away game, and our first home game, with flying colours but it’s tougher after a loss.  

“All the signs are that they have a much stronger mentality than last year but the proof is in the pudding. They have to show that on the pitch." 

Morris says he understands that supporters will get anxious after a result like the 3-0 reverse at Salford City, particularly after the agony of last season.

But he is confident everybody inside the club is keeping a level head.

He added: “I’ve been in football since the age of 12 as a player and a coach and now a manager, and you realise – particularly at a club like Crewe – we are going to lose some games of football.

“It’s important everyone stays level in this building with that, because when results go against us over the next couple of months it will be met with quite a lot of anxiety from supporters - and understandably so because they were scarred by last season.

“But in reality, we’ve taken six points from nine and I think everybody would have taken that. It has to be put into context. There is no panic here.”