David Artell said his Crewe Alexandra side fully deserved all three points against Charlton Athletic tis evening. Goals from Oli Finney and Mikael Mandron sealed the win for the Railwaymen, who had to really dig in for the final 10 minutes. The visitors pulled one back through substitute Mason Burstow and thought they had levelled things up deep into stoppage time when Elliott Lee’s deflected effort struck the underside of the crossbar and crossed the line, only for the goal to be ruled out by the officials. 

Artell told the club’s official website: “I thought it was a well deserved three points and if that goal had stood at the end, then it would have been a travesty if we would only have got a point from the game. I haven’t seen it back but I presume it was for offside.

“Charlton are a good side and we have beaten a good team. If they don’t have Charlie Kirk in the side then they must be a good side. It is a big win for us and now we have to follow it up against Shrewsbury on Saturday.

“It was a hard fought victory, we had to fight and scrap at times and all that. Probably all those things not associated to a Crewe Alexandra performance.

“You can see them all together when we scored the goals. The whole team were there together to celebrate, except Trig and that is what we need. We have a big half of a season to go for this Football Club and if we stick together like that then we have a chance. We need everyone together and working like we did tonight. It was a real team effort and the players deserve all the credit.”