ALEX WERE SECOND BEST AT SUNDERLAND, ADMITS ARTELL

CREWE Alex manager Dave Artell admitted he had no complaints about his side’s defeat at Sunderland.

The Alex were beaten 1-0 in the League One clash at the Stadium of Light, with Luke Offord’s own goal on the stroke of half-time proving to be the difference.

Crewe barely threatened all evening, despite their best endeavours, and Artell says the Black Cats thoroughly deserved to bank the points.

He told the club’s website:

“I cannot fault the effort and endeavour of the players, but sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you have been beaten by the better side. “Sunderland are the best team we have faced this season by a distance. They are a terrific team and have good players.

“Their staff were complimentary about us as well. We stuck at it and kept in the game, but did we do enough to deserve an equaliser? I don’t think so.

“We gave ourselves a lot of work to do in the first half because we kept shelling the ball and had to do a lot of running. We altered some little things at half-time and we improved. We gave it a go in the last 20 minutes or so but didn’t test their goalkeeper enough. “They didn’t control the game as much in the second half, but fair play to Sunderland they deserved the points.

“At 1-0 you are always in the game and we could have nicked one, but we only had bits and bobs. “The players are disappointed because that is the second game running where the opposition have had more of the ball but I’ve told them that’s League One and they have to get used to it.”