ALEX COULD HAVE MADE LIFE FAR EASIER, ADMITS ASSISTANT

CREWE Alex assistant manager Kenny Lunt admitted their was plenty of room for improvement, despite another EFL Trophy victory. Crewe followed up their 3-2 win at Bolton in the first group game with a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle United Under-21s on Tuesday night. Harry Pickering’s second-half freekick proved to be difference - a strike which evaded everyone and nestled in the net.

However, Lunt says that the scoreline should have been even greater on the night.

“It was nice to win the game and hopefully that will mean we will progress in the competition,” he told the club’s website.

“Overall, we were very good in the first half, but were guilty of not taking our chances again.

“We were not ruthless and clinical enough and it really should have been three or four at half-time.

“We faded a bit second half and had a few people playing games for the first time and the tempo dropped. But we came through and there were things we learned from the performance.

“It was a good test against some very good young players from Newcastle and we have won the game which was the most important thing.”

Crewe now turn their attention back to League One matters at the weekend.

Boss David Artell and Lunt take their side Oxford United, who are one of the favourites to win promotion. The Alex, promoted from League Two at the end of last season, lost their first two matches this term. However, they broke their duck last Saturday when they easily overcame MK Dons 2-0 at Gresty Road. Oxford, meanwhile, won 4-1 on their trip to Accrington Stanley.