Lee Bell says Crewe’s late loss at Bristol Rovers was ‘tough to take’

Crewe manager Lee Bell admitted that it was a “tough one to take” as his side conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

The Alex had led from the 18th minute after Alfie Pond had bundled in following a deflection and rebound after Tommi O’Reilly’s cutback cross.

But Bristol Rovers responded and scored twice through substitute Tommy Leigh, his first goals for the Pirates, to puncture the promotion hopes of the Railwaymen and aid their own League Two survival hopes.

“What an absolute waste of 90 minutes,” said Bell. “What an absolute waste of 90 minutes of working your backside off to go and lose concentration at the end. We have to do better. All of us. I always start with me and looking at what we did.

“But those two moments have cost us. Two shots on target and two goals.”

Bell’s side were seconds from making it three league wins on the road in a row but instead find themselves dropping to ninth in League Two.

Crewe had started the stronger and were the dominant side in the first half. They restricted the hosts to few good opportunities to score but could not get over the line.

“I thought our back three were magnificent. They knew what we had to stand up to coming here and that’s why we went to that shape – and they dealt with everything,” said Bell.

“But we’ve not stopped a cross or picked up runners, and second phase from a set-play people running up the pitch not doing their jobs and that’s cost us. It’s a real hard one to take.”

Steve Evans, in contrast, was delighted with his team’s spirit and late fightback, with the Gas the only side in the bottom six to win this weekend.

The Scot’s half-time change of formation and use of three substitutes altered the direction of the game and ultimately paid dividends.

“[Football’s] certainly great when Tommy Leigh sticks two goals in,” said Evans.

“It certainly wasn’t great [for Rovers] in the first 45 minutes. It wasn’t so much Crewe missing chances but we weren’t having efforts on goal or passing it and being effective.

“It doesn’t help when young Yusuf [Akhamrich] turns to the bench and says he’s feeling his groin after five minutes, it was nothing serious.

“Then we had several players off colour leading up to the game and it just looked like a lethargic performance to me, and that’s not what we’ve been about.

“We went in at half-time and it’s probably the second or third time where I’ve had to take the paint off the walls a little bit, and liven it up. We agreed changes and changed shape, and we go down fighting.”