Lee Bell bemoans ‘flat’ display as Crewe’s play-off hopes hit by Accrington loss

Crewe manager Lee Bell rued a “flat” performance from his side as they dropped out of the play-off places with a 2-0 loss at Accrington.

Stanley had not won in eight games, but two quickfire goals in the second half earned them an overdue victory.

Freddie Sass fired home his first EFL goal from a Shaun Whalley corner after 51 minutes and five minutes later captain Seamus Conneely finished off a counter-attack by unleashing a fierce 20-yard drive to make it two.

Bell said: “It was a flat performance. The first 10 minutes we looked to put them under pressure, but then it just went really flat and we just couldn’t conjure an opportunity at their goal.

“We have conceded the goals we did, from a set-play and a breakaway, and from where we have been it’s a really flat performance and disappointing for everyone in the circumstances, in terms of where we are in the table
and what other teams around us did today.

“But I won’t be the only manager standing in front of the press saying about their team being flat and not being able to pick up the points.

“We have teams in and around us and we have got to keep having a go and showing more than we did today in terms of our attacking intent.

“We are two points outside the play-offs, there are loads of games to be had.

“Now we have to get on the bus and build for Monday against Salford and look forward to a game in front of our own fans and put on a better attacking performance, which we have shown for the majority of the season but
didn’t today.

“Whatever shape or substitutes it hasn’t worked for us today, but we are still playing for something at the latter stages of the season and we need to continue that for as long as possible.”

Stanley manager John Doolan was a happy man after his mid-table side kept a clean sheet and scored, having gone seven hours without a goal.

He said: “I was very pleased, we wanted a reaction from the players after the last few games and we ticked all the boxes.

“We are starting to get players back from injury and we are starting to look a little more like ourselves.

“I couldn’t ask for any more from the players, but everyone put in a shift, showed commitment and a strong work ethic.

“We scored from a set-piece – we have worked a lot on the training ground on set-pieces – and the second goal was free-flowing football, it was an unbelievable goal.

“There is nothing more important than winning games of football and we haven’t been doing that recently so this was important.”