Defiant Davis not giving up on Alex
UNDER-FIRE Crewe boss Steve Davis, whose side have won just two matches out of 21, has vowed to turn it around, despite calls from travelling fans for his dismissal.
Goals from home debutants Yoann Arquin and Ben Whiteman, as well as Rhys Bennett, piled the pressure on the Crewe boss as Mansfield cruised to victory but Davis insists he will keep fighting to get the Alex out of their slump.
“If the board decide there is somebody better who can do the job at the moment I will have to accept that, but while I am here I will work to turn it around,” he said.
“It’s hard personally and it’s hard for the club, but we all suffer. The supporters will have found that frustrating and disappointing, like myself and the rest of the staff.
“We will all work hard to put it right. We want it to be right. The players are lacking massively in confidence and things aren’t going for us, but that can happen.
“Some of our football and control was good, but we have lost.”
Arquin’s fifth minute close-range finish – Mansfield’s first goal in the opening half at home this season – and second-half strikes from Whiteman and full-back Bennett secured the Stags’ first home win in four matches.
Crewe rarely threatened, although George Cooper’s curling 20yard drive was tipped wide by the diving Jake Kean with the score 2-0.
Whiteman headed Mal Benning’s left-wing cross across goal to set up Arquin’s opener and three minutes into the second half he lashed in his first senior goal from 20 yards.
Bennett, who had squandered two chances, secured victory seven minutes from time, stabbing in James Baxendale’s corner. Stags boss Steve Evans hailed New Year signings – Arquin, Whiteman, Joel Byrom and Kean – who made their home debuts.
“We had a great start to the game through Yoann (Arquin), a great striker's goal. But we probably rode our luck once or twice to get a clean sheet, though we could have scored six or seven,” he said.
“Yoann led the line well. Some of Ben Whiteman’s play, especially at the start of the second half and the end of the first half, was just outstanding. He had his family here and that will mean more to him.
“Joel Byrom has hardly played, but when we get him fit you will see what he can bring to the team. Some of his execution of passes in the second half had the fans on their feet.”