It’s not tough at the top for us: Artell

DAVE Artell insists there is no pressure on his Crewe players after they stayed top of League Two thanks to late goals from Chris Porter and Charlie Kirk.

Veteran striker Porter pounced twice inside the six-yard box – his second an improvised lastminute finish – and Kirk strolled through in stoppage time as the Railwaymen refused to settle for a point in a game they dominated.

They have opened up a two-point gap at the top but Artell says they won’t be fazed. “There is no pressure. Do my players look under pressure?

“We’ve got youthful exuberance and we have got it in bundles. Doctors are under pressure when there is a six-year-old girl on the operating table, that’s pressure – we’re not under pressure.”

Swindon keeper Steven Benda did well to glove Harry Pickering’s low effort around the post before Eoin Doyle made his side’s first threat on goal count when he pulled a fine effort into the bottom corner after Jordan Lyden’s effort was blocked.

Perry Ng went close to squaring matters after the break with a low drive which crept wide. Porter secured the breakthrough running in at the far post to head home Tommy Lowery’s driven shot.

It appeared Swindon had repelled the late home onslaught when Lancashire lifted a shot over.

But Porter showed great instinct after Tom Lowery delivered the ball, flicking home the rebound after his initial effort was repelled by keeper Steven Benda.

Kirk then bounded clear and lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper for a third.

In the seventh minute of injury time it was nearly four when James Jones shot just wide after being set up by Chris Porter.

Swindon boss Richie Wellens said his side lacked energy and didn’t deserve a point. “It would have been nice to have hung on, but in fairness we didn’t deserve anything,” said Wellens, whose side have not won in their last four games.

“We are in a bad run and it has to change somehow. I don’t mind losing but we have got to be at it. Teams have had to work hard to beat us but today we had too many players off it.

“We got a foothold in the game but it was really poor and I know the reasons why.”