Alex Morris was really pleased with the way his Crewe Alexandra side stood up and competed against Championship side West Bromwich Albion this afternoon. In glaring heat and without eight possible first team regulars to count on, Morris was limited on numbers and named a number of younger players on his bench. Charlie Finney started and we had to rely on two other trialists.
All things considered a really resolute defensive display and a fine individual equaliser from Dan Agyei gave Crewe a deserved draw against Steve Bruce’s Baggies.
Following the 1-1 draw at the Mornflake Stadium, Morris told the club’s official website: “I was really pleased. I would have liked us to create a few more opportunities but all things considered what we were after in the game, we got from them.
“The organisation through the middle of the pitch from everybody was excellent and although we couldn’t stop everything because they are a good side with good players, we defended our box and our goal really well again.
“We want to play higher level opposition for the physical side of it but also to generate the structure around not having the ball at times during the game. We knew it would be tough, especially in the heat and that is why we wanted to play the likes of West Brom today and Rotherham next week. The stuff with the ball you can get plenty of work into them out on the training pitch but the stuff behind the ball you can’t as much in a competitive environment.
"It was another excellent test for us and a brilliant experience for some of our younger lads to play a team like West Brom and see the standard.
On his solo goalscorer Agyei, the boss said: “Dan showed that he has another string to his bow with the goal he scored. He showed real power and pace to go through and he took it really well. He usually likes to put his laces through it, but he showed some real craft there to lift it over the goalkeeper.
“We will look to use him predominately as a wide player in our system but he has also demonstrated that he can play centrally if we ever need him to do.”