Lee Bell hails Crewe effort as win over Salford keeps play-off dream on course

Lee Bell praised Crewe’s players for keeping their play-off hopes alive with an important win over Salford.

After going down to tame defeat at lowly Accrington on Good Friday, the Railwaymen bounced back with Emre Tezgel’s first-half strike securing a victory which keeps them two points off seventh-placed Chesterfield.

Meanwhile, Salford’s automatic play-off push wavered slightly as they suffered only their second defeat in eight, although Karl Robinson’s men could have few complaints as their energetic opponents carved out the better chances, with goalscorer Tezgel and Matus Holicek hitting the woodwork.

“Our performance was excellent and our running early on got us a foothold in the game. In terms of the chances we created we deserved to win the game,” said Crewe boss Bell.

“Emre came off the pitch disappointed despite scoring as he potentially could have got the matchball. He was always in good positions to make chances and his overall play bringing others into the game was excellent.

“We brought Jack Powell into midfield and with his experience he calmed us down. It was a poor performance at Accrington and that’s football as we have one of the smallest squads in the league. But this was a great response from the players.

“Salford are a good team and when you look at the players they have brought in it was pleasing to see how well we played against them.

“There’s interesting games to come and we have kept ourselves in it for another week.”

Tezgel was a thorn in Salford’s flesh throughout, although the Ammies keeper Matt Young may have done better when the Stoke youngster’s volley, which he applied to a Tommi O’Reilly cross, slipped through his hands for the only goal of the game in the 14th minute.

The visiting defenders struggled to pick up the runs of Tegzel and Matus Holicek, who blasted against the bar in the second half. Tegzel also drove a corner onto the woodwork and rapped the bar with the rebound.

Despite ringing the changes, including drafting on Fabio Borini and Dan Udoh up front, Salford could not break through the home ranks with Luke Garbutt’s long-range effort which flew off Crewe keeper Ian Lawlor’s chest in stoppage time summing up their desperation.

Salford boss Robinson stressed the impact injuries have had on the run-in, with former Crewe loanee Josh Austerfield among those out of action, although before their trip to the Mornflake Stadium the Ammies had conjured up six wins from seven.

“It’s a miracle we’re still in it considering those injuries. But there’s 12 points to play for and we’ll dust ourselves down and go again,” said Robinson, whose side are now three points off the top three.

“My players have given everything, every single one of them, and it was just one of those days. I thought we had chances in the first 15 minutes to hurt Crewe on the transition and we should have done better with their goal.

“We’ve only lost three times in a long while, but we need to move forward again and be the best version of Salford City in the remaining four games.”