Lee Bell was enthused by the performances of a number of homegrown youngsters in the 1-0 Papa John’s Trophy defeat to Port Vale.
But Manager Bell highlighted a number of positives after the final whistle, with the displays of several teenagers catching his eye.
Calum Agius and Lewis Nolan came off the bench to make their first ever appearances, while Owen Lunt starred with an all-action contribution in his first start.
Tom Booth and Lewis Billington also acquitted themselves well, while loan duo Aaron Rowe and Joe White were given more time to gel with their new teammates.
Bell said: “The real positive was the young ones. I thought when Calum and Lewis came on, they weren’t fazed by making their professional debuts away at Port Vale.
“Calum could have had two goals on a different day but the most important thing was that he was in the positions to score.
“I thought Owen was a huge plus. To get through that game, with having cramps around the 70-minute mark, was good.”
Crewe were boosted by the fact that Charlie Finney completed 90 minutes after a spell on the sidelines, but Ryan Cooney will serve a suspension after picking two bookings.
And Crewe will have to check on the fitness of Shilow Tracey ahead of the weekend’s trip to Forest Green Rovers (Saturday, 3pm) after the forward was forced off by an injury caused by a cynical Jason Lowe foul.
Bell added: “We really didn’t want to come out with a red card and what looks like an injury to Shilow Tracey.
“I must say, I don’t think it is a decent tackle at all.
“I knew it was a bad tackle. He (Lowe) has run the full length of the pitch and it was right down the back of his (Tracey's) leg.”